Rice leads Arsenal, leaving a void haunting MU

Declan Rice is a regret for MU.

Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Athletic Club in the early morning of September 17 was a clear demonstration of the mettle of a team that is eager to reach the top of Europe. Martinelli and Trossard may have scored, but the name that everyone had to mention after the match was none other than Declan Rice. And while the praise was heaped on Arsenal’s number 41, in Manchester, perhaps many “Red Devils” fans could only sigh: “If only…”.

All-round performance at San Mames

Bilbao are not an easy place to win. Athletic Club, with their fiery style and passionate Basque spirit, make life difficult for any team. Arsenal were no exception: they were deadlocked in the first half, struggling to escape the press and rarely threatening Unai Simon's goal.

But in the midst of all that pressure, Rice stood tall like a true leader. He was present at every hot spot, recovering the ball, intercepting passes, and then immediately launching counter-attacks.

68 touches, 47/58 accurate passes, 10 deliveries into the final third, 6 accurate long balls and 3 key passes - all said one thing: Rice was the silent conductor keeping Arsenal afloat during the storm.

Not only did he defend brilliantly with 5 recoveries and 2 dangerous blocks, Rice was also the one who helped his team escape the pressure and create breakthroughs in midfield. He was both a shield, a bridge, and an engine for Athletic's pressing runs in the second half.

Manchester United have every right to be bitter when they see Rice play like that. In the summer of 2023, the “Red Devils” had the opportunity to bring him to Old Trafford. But instead of focusing on competing with Arsenal and West Ham, they struggled with other deals, from Mason Mount to Sofyan Amrabat.

Rice played well as Arsenal beat Athletic Bilbao.

Looking back now, the gap in Old Trafford’s midfield is clear. Casemiro has been in decline, Mount has been injured frequently, and new signings like Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have failed to fill the organisational gap.

MU dreams of a "midfield boss" who can sweep the ball, pass accurately and lead the play - but it all only exists on the TV screen every time they see Declan Rice shine in an Arsenal shirt.

Rice - the difference between stability and chaos

Manchester United have emerged under Ruben Amorim as a team lacking control. The 0-3 loss to Man City and a series of poor results have shown that they are always inferior in the midfield area. The gaps between the defense and midfield are often exploited, and the "Red Devils" do not have a player with enough courage to stand up and put out the fire.

Arsenal in Bilbao, on the other hand, set the opposite example. They didn’t need to dominate possession or create many chances, but with Rice, the club had security, balance and belief. He was the factor that allowed Arteta to bring on Martinelli and Trossard to kill the game, because there was an “anchor” behind to keep the balance.

If Manchester United had a player like Rice, they wouldn’t have been swept away at the Etihad or struggled against lower-ranked opponents. The difference between Arsenal and Manchester United at the moment can sometimes be summed up in one name: Declan Rice.

The £100m Arsenal spent on Rice was once considered absurd. But after just over a year, everyone has to admit it was a wise investment. Not just because of the statistics, but because of the intangible influence - the way he creates reassurance, the way he makes his teammates believe and opponents wary.

Rice is the big difference between Arsenal and MU.

Manchester United, meanwhile, spent hundreds of millions of pounds on names that did not bring about the corresponding results. When comparing Rice with the failed investments of the “Red Devils”, the regret is even greater. Because clearly, MU does not lack money, just lack vision and decisiveness at the right time.

The win in Bilbao may have been just a small step in Arsenal’s long journey. But for Manchester United, it was a bitter mirror image: they are paying the price for missing out on Rice. While Arsenal are improving and dreaming of the Champions League, the “Red Devils” are still struggling to find their feet.

Rice’s career is still long, but his performance has confirmed that this is the type of midfielder that every big team desires. And for Manchester United, each of his sublime performances is etched with a pain called “if only”.

Source: https://znews.vn/rice-dan-dat-arsenal-de-lai-khoang-trong-am-anh-mu-post1585858.html