Arsenal prove Rice paper can cover cracks
The odd eyebrow was raised when Arsenal invested a nine-figure transfer fee in Declan Rice. Many faces continue to sport that expression, but pleasant surprise has replaced shock.
Mikel Arteta always needed another cog in his midfield machine for it to run more efficiently.
In Rice, the Gunners knew they were buying into Premier League and England international experience.
While he came with a hefty price tag, Rice was more of a calculated gamble than a shot in the dark.
Arsenal were already the title challengers before his arrival, but another piece of that intricate puzzle has been acquired.
Progress
Dec pic.twitter.com/HuFkAeUN6j
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 20, 2023
Dreams of domestic success continue to form, while a welcome return to elite continental competition has seen Arsenal cut to 11/2 in Champions League winner odds for 2024.
Only European kings Manchester City are a shorter price in football tips, which says plenty about the progress made at Emirates Stadium in a relatively short space of time.
Rice’s contribution to the collective cause cannot be overstated.
He fills a role that can often sail under the radar, with the art of breaking up play while allowing others to flourish not one that tends to earn a fabled placing ‘in the Louvre’.
Arteta has loosened those shackles a little, allowing Rice to venture further forward and pick up a useful habit of netting crucial goals.
His bread will, however, always be buttered more in the middle third of the field, rather than the final one.
Rice’s ability to make a telling contribution all over the pitch has not been lost on those watching on from afar.
Ex-England international and Premier League legend Alan Shearer has said of Arsenal finding value in a deal that initially faced plenty of scrutiny: “Declan Rice has made the biggest difference. I would go as far as saying he has been the stand-out signing from the summer, and the £100m he cost from West Ham looks like money well spent.”
Arteta always believed that considerable investments of faith and funds would be rewarded.
He has said of his talismanic No.41: “If I had to describe him with a picture it would be a lighthouse, this is how I see him. His pressing, he’s overlooking everything, bringing light, clarity, and guidance for everybody.”
Swagger
Declan Rice is loving life at Arsenal pic.twitter.com/hJQdXeNZsK
— GOAL (@goal) September 17, 2023
That light has illuminated north London, with Arsenal continuing to step out of the shadows. They are doing so with swagger and style.
Shrewd recruitment has allowed important boxes to be ticked while keeping everybody moving in the right direction.
There is still work to be done, with the consensus being that the Gunners need another free-scoring striker to unlock full potential.
Arteta, Edu, and the Gunners should be trusted to get another big call right there, whenever said decision is taken.
There are never any guarantees when it comes to transfers, even when writing the biggest of cheques, but the value is there and Arsenal have shown that Rice paper can cover cracks as they look to put long-term filler in place.
