Declan Rice was Arsenal’s Man of the Match against Bournemouth, but even the midfielder’s performance wasn’t faultless.
Arsenal fans showed love for Rice during the win, as the 26-year-old scored twice to ensure three points returned to North London.
If there was any argument opposing the idea that Rice is the best midfielder in the world, critics were muted against Bournemouth.
The Englishman put on a show in front of goal and beyond; however, one aspect of his evening was rather uncharacteristic.
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Fill the blanks: The year is 2030 and Declan Rice is now worth £____.
Declan Rice’s crossing was poor against Bournemouth
Rice has improved his crossing a lot since coming to Arsenal, which makes him an assassin from set-play.
The area of the £105m signing’s improvement is why it was quite peculiar to see Rice struggle to deliver successful crosses against Bournemouth.
In a sublime performance, the 26-year-old attempted five crosses but failed to complete a single one.
| Declan Rice vs Bournemouth |
| 2 goals |
| 0% successful crosses |
| 84% pass success |
| 1 key pass |
On an evening that saw Rice surprised by the two goals he scored, it was arguably his crossing woes that were more of a shock.
It may seem wrong to single out that area of the England international’s game, but given how frequently we see a Rice cross trouble the opposition, it was a surprise.
Rice’s performance was even better after an ‘annoying’ week for the midfielder
Rice’s crossing success against Bournemouth was merely a minuscule stain on a tremendous piece of art that was his performance as a whole.
The 2023 signing returned to the starting XI as if he never left after missing out on Arsenal’s win over Aston Villa the match prior.
Finish the sentance: Declan Rice most reminds me of _____________________
Do you agree with Yaya Toure or is there another legendary midfielder instead?
Speaking to Arsenal’s official website after the win at the Vitality, Rice admitted his frustration about missing out against the Villans.
“To miss that [game] was annoying; to come back today and help the team and score two, I think the fans will be really happy,” Rice said.
He added, “I’m happy myself that I could help out, because this team’s special and if we’re all chipping in together, I’m sure good things will happen.”
Rice is proving himself to be a driving force behind Arsenal’s bid to win the Premier League title, emphasising how celebratory the Gunners’ victory over Villa was without him in the squad.
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