Arsenal came from behind to beat Leeds 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium, but it was far from convincing for large stretches of the game.
The first half was goalless and largely flat, with Leeds restricting Arsenal to minimal chances. The visitors took the lead early in the second half through James Justin, and for a period, Mikel Arteta’s side looked short of the intensity that we have come to expect.
Former England defender Stuart Pearce, speaking on talkSPORT during the game, zeroed in on one player in particular.
“I’ve got to say, Declan Rice is looking very slow and sluggish,” he said. “He’s just been late to things. You don’t get caught on the ball if you’re Declan Rice — he’s usually quicker than that, he’s usually sharper than that. But he’s looking slow and sluggish.”
Arsenal vs Leeds TalkingPoints
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal fans might not like that assessment, but in fairness to Pearce, Rice was uncharacteristically below his usual standards for much of the afternoon. Leeds were pressing with intensity and for long periods Arsenal could not build through their midfield in the way they normally would.
But the full picture is more nuanced. Paul Merson had suggested before the game that Rice would come back better and recharged after his international break rest, and once Bruno Guimaraes came on after 63 minutes and changed the dynamic of the game, Rice seemed to find another gear entirely.
The backheel assist that set up Guimaraes’ winner was a moment of pure quality, and he should have had another assist when he showcased incredible close control on the byline and put it on a plate across goal but it somehow didn’t go in.
Rice now leads the Premier League for assists this season with three, making Graeme Souness look silly again. The ‘slow and sluggish’ version Pearce saw in the first hour was not the finished article, and the second half showed exactly why he remains irreplaceable.