In the aftermath of Saturday’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal fans will be thinking about something other than next season. But now that Mikel Arteta has left the Puskas Arena, if we know anything about him, it means the Spanish manager has already made his first move of pre-season.
The match was evenly tied at 1-1, but the sight of Martin Odegaard trudging off the pitch was a sight to behold. How many top European clubs change their captain with 23 minutes left in a regular game?
It wasn’t just a one-time thing either. Odegaard is often sacrificed at key moments of matches as Arteta wants to shuffle the pack. However, from a tactical point of view, captains should not be easily dispensed with. The captain’s role is much more important than that.
They’re the ones who rally the troops when the chips are low and provide extra motivation and leadership to help drag the team over the line. There’s no doubt he’s a gentleman behind the scenes, but if Arsenal want to reach the heights they want, they need someone who can do it on the pitch.
The good news for Arteta and Arsenal is that the perfect candidate is waiting in the wings. Declan Rice comes forward.
Deep inside the Puskas Arena, it was Rice who spoke with such clarity and determination. He is exactly what a captain should be. His head was held high and his words were clear: Arsenal will be back.
He told TNT Sports: “We’re all disappointed. This is the final of the Champions League. The emotions and the stakes are very high. We took the game to penalties. It’s a draw. It’s football, you know. Either you win with the pen or you lose with the pen. Some of the best teams of all time have lost on penalties in the final.”
“Tonight, we were on the receiving end of it. But look, we win together and we lose together. I’m so proud of this group and these players. What a season. An unbelievable season. I can’t say enough about everyone. Obviously I’m disappointed, but I’m just trying to be a little more objective.”
Speaking about the two Arsenal players he missed in the penalty shoot-out, the would-be Gunners captain said: “If it wasn’t for them both this season, we wouldn’t have won the Premier League, that’s for sure. Gabriel… I’m at a loss for words for him, as a person and as a player.”
“And the same with Eze. The decisive goal he scored for us this year. It happens. That’s football, it’s cruel. But you know, we take the positives and keep moving forward.”
That’s the man who should wear the Arsenal armband.
