John Hartson thinks Declan Rice is ‘the one’ that will stop Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal from collapsing in the Premier League title race this season.
The former Arsenal striker pointed out that Declan Rice, who arrived this summer from West Ham United for a club-record transfer fee, is a ‘calm’ Individual and ‘nothing phases him’, as he told Premier League Productions (12/08/23 at 12:15 pm).
The 24-year-old made his Premier League debut yesterday by helping Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 – and in truth, he should have helped himself to a goal, only for his former teammate, Matt Turner, to deny him in between the sticks on his Forest debut.
That’s a positive start for the Gunners, but they know that their performances up until March last season weren’t too much of an issue.
It’s what they did during the last six or so weeks, and after having that healthy five-point lead, or even at times, an eight-point lead at the top.
That collapse killed them, including a game, ironically enough, against Rice’s West Ham, but Hartson thinks he will now put an end to all of that.
“Nothing will phase him,” said Hartson. “He looks calm. He looks ready for the challenge and is excited to be at Arsenal by having the responsibility of being at the club.
“They came so close last season. They were at the top of the league for months and months and months. Just fell away at the end.
“He will be the one to be that player ‘right, we aren’t doing that this year’. I think he will embrace the challenge.”
Pressure on Rice
The England midfielder is now dining with the big boys and there will be a bigger spotlight on his head this season.
Even when he feels he isn’t doing much wrong, he will get criticised, so he has to prepare for that.
But whilst many don’t argue that Rice will enhance the team, it’s a case of does he have the quality to push them over the line.
The post ‘He will be the one’: John Hartson thinks Arsenal 24-year-old will help them win PL title appeared first on HITC.
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