Arsenal: Declan Rice shares Mikel Arteta demand amid striker search as Gunners star makes huge admission

Evening Standard

·22 gennaio 2025

Arsenal: Declan Rice shares Mikel Arteta demand amid striker search as Gunners star makes huge admission

The midfielder was critical of his own display as the Gunners cruised to a 3-0 win

Declan Rice reacts after missing a chance to score against Dinamo Zagreb.

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Declan Rice says he was ‘annoyed’ despite scoring his first ever Champions League goal in Arsenal’s win over Dinamo Zagreb.

The Gunners cruised to victory at the Emirates Stadium to put themselves in a great position to qualify for the last 16 stage and avoid two extra play-off fixtures next month.

Rice got the ball rolling inside two minutes before second half strikes from Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard capped off an impressive night.

However, the England midfielder wasn’t totally happy with his own personal performance, citing a missed chance in the second half that he should have put away.

After being picked out in the box by a brilliant cross from substitute Ethan Nwaneri, Rice timed his header all wrong and failed to even test the Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, the miss was very much on Rice’s mind: "I'm so annoyed honestly because I had the same position against Manchester United [in the FA Cup] and I missed and the same there," he said. “I'm getting in the right positions when I play eight, obviously I scored a good goal in the first-half, but I'm annoyed I didn't get a second.

"That's where I have to be a bit more clinical. But to get my first Champions League goal, it's taken me two seasons but I'm so happy and hopefully many more to come."

With both Rice and Odegaard on target, two of Arsenal’s central midfielder were on the scoresheet.

Amid talk of the Gunners looking to bolster their attack before the January transfer window shuts, Rice has revealed what Mikel Arteta has said about sharing the goals around.

“Yes, it’s so important, the manager has been on us really hard about midfielders arriving because so many goals can come from there, it’s down to us to make up that extra five, 10 yards,” he added.

“Martin obviously did it right at the end of the game, I did for the header, so we got to keep arriving there but everyone is contributing.

“Look it was an important win tonight. It’s been a very positive Champions League campaign, so we’ve got one more to go now, hopefully we can win that as well.”