Following Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, Declan Rice spoke about the team’s gruelling schedule, highlighting why the criticism is ridiculous.
The Arsenal midfielder reminded fans and doubters that the Gunners have been playing almost every three days since October.
Choose ONE Arsenal player to have full fitness until the end of the season 👀
The North London club remain on the hunt for a historic quadruple, with the team top of the Premier League, in the Champions League quarter-final, Carabao Cup final and FA Cup quarter-final.
So far, it’s been a very successful season, but also a very demanding one for Mikel Arteta’s team, and it’s just worth remembering that when slamming the side’s setup.
Declan Rice on Arsenal’s gruelling schedule
Declan Rice has admitted that he is ‘shattered’ following Arsenal’s win over Bayer Leverkusen.
The 27-year-old has played the third-highest number of minutes in the Arsenal squad this season, with 3,372 minutes in total.
Rice has been outstanding this season for the Gunners, and early shouts for him to win the Ballon d’Or are starting to become more realistic.
Arsenal are on the verge of a historic season, with all four trophies up for grabs, but it’s also taken a lot out of him.
When asked about being in four competitions, Rice told TNT Sports: “I’m shattered. It’s non-stop. We are obviously still in all competitions.
“It’s been every 3 days since October. We’ve been coping with it the best we can. You find energy and ways to win on nights like this.”
Fill the blanks: The year is 2030 and Declan Rice is now worth £____.
It’s almost an unprecedented run of games for this Arsenal team, and it’s just worth bearing in mind when people question how they are getting it done.
Arsenal critics are forgetting the gruelling fixture list
As Rice points out, Arsenal have been playing matches twice a week, sometimes three, relentlessly since the start of October.
The Gunners will have played more football than most teams across Europe, so to expect every game to be flawless is crazy.
Arteta’s teams’ style has been slammed this season by many in the media, but playing great free-flowing football is unsustainable at this stage.
Meanwhile, having a different way of breaking down teams with set-pieces is another key factor, and despite all the noise, Arsenal remain the top scorers in England.
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