Declan Rice highlights a shift in Arsenal’s mindset following their disappointment in the previous Premier League title race, emphasizing enhanced mental strength and a collective learning experience from past mistakes.
In the 2022/23 season, Arsenal led the Premier League table for an impressive 248 days. However, a late-season downturn allowed Manchester City to snatch the title, setting a record for the most time spent at the top without securing the championship.
To bolster their squad, Arsenal delved into the transfer market and secured the services of West Ham United captain Rice for a then-British record fee of £105 million. Since joining the North London club, Rice has established himself as one of the nation’s top midfielders.
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Speaking at the London Football Awards, Rice shared insights into the transformed mentality of the Arsenal squad since his arrival.
“Last year, Arsenal were the best team in the league,” he remarked. “They slipped up at the end, and obviously, City always come on so strong. I think the word that they said now is that they can’t believe they lost the league, obviously eight points ahead.
“This year, I feel everyone, including the manager and the staff, has learned from their mistakes. Everyone’s stronger; they have more belief. If we go a goal down, there’s still that confidence and mental strength in us that we can push on and win games.
“Like I said, the league is so strong this year, and anything can happen with 12 games to go. The main thing is, we’re right in it. Because at Christmas, we had a little wobble; we lost two games on the bounce, which wasn’t good.”
Presently, Arsenal occupies the third spot in the Premier League table with 58 points, trailing only behind City (59) and Liverpool (60). Mikel Arteta’s team is set to return to action on Monday with a visit to struggling Sheffield United.