Despite winning both of their first two matches of the season, Arsenal have yet to bring complete peace of mind to fans. The victories against Nottingham and Crystal Palace always have quite difficult scenarios, even breathtaking at many times. When Takehiro Tomiyasu received a red card in the 67th minute at Selhurst Park, Mikel Arteta had many concerns when The Gunners were forced by the opponent. If they continue playing like this, Arsenal could still be safe in the race for a Champions League ticket. However, to compete with Manchester City as they want is not possible.
Strongness, muscularness and constant pressing are unusual in Arsenal's midfield in recent years. However, with only 10 men left against Crystal Palace, plus Declan Rice's regulation in midfield, things are better than expected. The English midfielder ran tirelessly and always rushed into traffic jams as well as narrowing all gaps on the pitch.
Arsenal spent more than £100 million to welcome Rice due to the personal and visual technical factors of the former West Ham captain. However, when needed, the 24-year-old star can play a real scanner. Power, passion and especially courage helped Rice and Arsenal's midfielders stand firm for nearly 30 minutes playing with one less player. When the final whistle blew, Rice walked back into the stands of fans at Selhurst Park and shouted loudly. The "Gunners" fan group traveling to Crystal Palace's field also responded enthusiastically. The relationship between Rice and them is becoming increasingly close.
"Before the match, when I was on my way to the stadium, I just thought I should try my best to enjoy it. When I warmed up, I felt full of energy. There is too much discussion about the price Arsenal has paid, so I want to prove to everyone that I can play at the top" - Declan Rice shared.
That spirit and determination of Rice are benefiting Mikel Arteta. This season, the Spanish strategist has more options than ever, from the time he took over the "Gunners" to the present. When they had to retreat to a defensive position due to lack of players against Crystal Palace, Arsenal's defense had Thomas Partey, William Saliba, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jakub Kiwior and Declan Rice. All are over 1.8m tall and are capable of winning one-on-one challenges. Palace players continuously crossed while Arsenal continuously solved the problem. Notably, Saliba has been the blocker with the most assists with 8 successful since Tomiyasu received a red card.
It is not known where Arsenal's journey this season will go, but with the spirit, determination and reinforced steel, the "Gunners" can be confident that they will not encounter long slides like last season.
