Speaking after Arsenal's draw at Brentford, Declan Rice sent a clear message that fans needed to hear as Mikel Arteta faces questions over another poor Eberechi Eze performance
06:00, 13 Feb 2026
Declan Rice spoke perfectly after Arsenal's draw with Brentford in the Premier League
View Image
Declan Rice spoke perfectly after Arsenal's draw with Brentford in the Premier League(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Take the point and get out of there. That is certainly how I felt when the full-time whistle blew after an impressive Brentford side pelted Arsenal in the most ironic fashion possible through long throws and set-pieces.
If this season has taught us anything, it is that the dead-ball situation must be, both offensively and defensively, something you can reliably deal with. It can win you matches and equally cost you points as the Gunners discovered in west London.
On balance, despite even having the chance to snatch it late on, there is no discernible way to argue that Arsenal deserved more than a single point. Of their remaining away trips, this was certainly the one billed as their most challenging behind going to the Etihad Stadium.
Yet what will frustrate supporters most, and rightly so, was the performance. If you watched this game in isolation, there is very little chance you could conclude Arsenal were a side challenging for the league, let alone looking to move six points clear once again.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
Viktor Gyokeres has taken plenty of scrutiny this season, but there is a good argument that the bigger disappointment so far has been Eberechi Eze. Some might posit that he is not being given enough opportunities; this was his first league start since December 13.
But when these chances come along, you need to do more. And Martin Odegaard, who replaced Eze at half-time, immediately changed the energy and momentum of the game, right up until the equaliser where he defended poorly at the back post and was punished for not being aerially physical.
Arteta, asked by football.london why he made the change to bring Odegaard on, said: “Because with the way that they were pressing, I think we needed another kind of profile to generate many more problems for them around those areas and I think he came on in the pitch really well and the team had another gear and more threat to arrive to the areas that we wanted to do and that's the decision.”
He was further asked if he is concerned by Eze’s lack of impact: “Well I think he had moments and it's not easy when you move to a new club.
“It's always like this and when you play against a team that is like this and the ball is a lot of times not on the floor and you have to be constantly breaking the play and do that, especially for attacking and creative players, it's more difficult.”
From the point Odegaard did get that knock he couldn’t press or influence the game as he would have perhaps liked, but stayed on the field. With Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino out and Eze already off, options were perhaps limited.
Keith Andrews spoke of how he wanted his side to be brave, to be unpredictable. They were that and more, and have caused so many big sides problems and perhaps Arsenal can just say they are the latest one but after Man City won at a canter on Tuesday, it would be fair to say many were hoping for a bigger reaction and a better performance.
But perhaps Declan Rice said it best post-match to add some perspective. “It’s been a rollercoaster of a season,” he said. “If anyone thinks it’s going to be easy going for the title, they’re naive.”
Arsenal may look back on this result as a good point come May. Social media can be a terrible place at the best of times, but if there is one lesson fans can learn, it is to turn it off when the club fail to win.
Because if there are any worries about the mentality of this team, dare not look at the reaction when this team fails to win at one of the toughest places to go in the league. Arsenal move on, and all will be forgotten with a couple back to back wins at Wolves and Tottenham.
Article continues below
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings