Ex-teammate explains why Declan Rice struggled to work with Mikel Arteta early in Arsenal career

Arsenal will head into 2025 sitting third in the Premier League table, in what has been an interesting year for the Gunners.

From missing out in the Premier League title race back in May to trailing the summit by nine points heading into the new year, Mikel Arteta’s work is just beginning.

The Gunners are behind Arne Slot’s side not just numerically, but in quality too, as Arsenal’s weaknesses compared to Liverpool have been consistently highlighted.

Arsenal finished top of the pile in the 2024 Premier League table however, will step into January 2025 in third place, stressing the work that needs to be done if standards are to be maintained. 

Cedric Soares reveals Declan Rice’s early struggle at Arsenal 

The summer transfer window of 2023 was a masterful piece of work by Arteta, who welcomed players who could influence Arsenal’s position in the title race.

The same can’t be said for this year, as Arteta has been criticised for his failures in the 2024 transfer market.

One of the players welcomed in 2023 was Declan Rice, a £105m signing who so far, has portrayed that he was worth every penny, changing the level of quality in the Arsenal squad.

While Rice has been one of the shining lights at the Emirates following his arrival, we have only seen the glitz and glamour of the Englishman, who actually struggled behind the scenes after he left West Ham.

That’s according to former Arsenal defender Cedric Soares, who opened up about his North London career when speaking to The Athletic. 

“I remember speaking with Declan (Rice) when he arrived and after training he came to talk to me,” Cedric said before revealing a conversation he had with the midfielder. 

“I was putting on my boots and he came to me and said, ‘Brother, I don’t know how to do it. It is just too many things to think. He wants me to receive with this foot and move there at the same time. It’s hard’.”

The fullback revealed that Rice found adapting to Arteta’s demands difficult, before sharing how he advised his teammate

“My advice was to just try to flow. Mikel doesn’t expect you to understand everything in one session or two sessions. Don’t forget what brought you here. It means you already have your quality, now you just have to adapt your quality to Mikel’s idea.”

Where Mikel Arteta has evolved Rice’s game

Arteta’s high demands of his bank-breaking signing paid off, with the manager’s meticulous methods being the same for every player.

Cedric explained how the boss works at Colney, which in turn, displays just why Rice’s game has transformed from his days at West Ham.

“It will take time, but he will tell you if a player cannot go here or there. If it’s wrong, he will correct you again and with time you will understand. Correct, correct, correct. Then suddenly it becomes your habits,” Cedric said.

Statistic	22/23 at West Ham	24/25 at Arsenal
Shot-creating actions	2.75	3.37
Key passes	1.02	1.76
Crosses	1.21	5.97
Expected assists	0.05	0.20
Progressive passes received	1.02	2.88

When revising the changes in Rice’s game by comparing his statistics in the 2022/23 campaign, his last at West Ham, to his numbers this season, it’s abundantly clear to see just what Arteta’s demands entailed. 

The midfielder has gone from an impressive defensive midfielder to a progressive talent who has many strings to his bow.  

While Rice found his early days at Arsenal rather startling, the 25-year-old has unlocked the benefits, becoming an integral part of Arteta’s project.