Declan: why declan's emotion is under scrutiny after Arsenal beat Tottenham
Declan Rice’s temperament has come under fresh scrutiny after Arsenal beat Tottenham 4-1 on Sunday, with former England captain Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes voicing concern about Rice’s emotion. The criticism follows a first-half error that led to Spurs’ equaliser and a volatile display that has drawn attention during Arsenal’s title run-in.
Declan's error and the equaliser
The north London derby opened with Eberechi Eze lashing in Arsenal’s first goal and the Arsenal players forming a celebratory huddle. Rice appeared to take charge of the regrouping, repeatedly pointing to his temples and urging focus. Within 24 seconds of the restart, Rice’s poorly judged attempt to dribble in the right-back position allowed Randal Kolo Muani to run into the box and slam the ball past David Raya to make it 1-1.
Rooney on composure and the run-in
Wayne Rooney said Rice was hindered by how much he wants to win and advised composure. "It was a mistake and you make mistakes on the pitch, " Rooney said, noting that Rice has often escaped tight situations but that his animated behaviour in recent weeks has stood out. Rooney added that Rice has been getting more animated over the past four weeks, is "wanting to win that much that sometimes it's not helping him, " and urged him to "take a deep breath and compose yourself" to help in this run-in.
Second-half response and Gyökeres' impact
Rice responded by concentrating on the simple, defensive tasks: winning battles, dominating the centre and trusting team-mates to supply goals. Two of those goals came from Viktor Gyökeres, who twice troubled Tottenham after a first-half shot that flew past the far post. At the start of the second half, Spurs allowed Gyökeres five yards of space; he controlled and hit a shot from 20 yards that he buried past Vicario. His second strike, which made it 4-1, came after he shrugged aside Archie Gray on a run down the inside-left channel.
Gyökeres' season and squad context
The analysis of Gyökeres in the match sits alongside wider scrutiny of his season. In all competitions he has 15 goals and two assists in a little under 26 matches' worth of playing time, but he has only scored in seven of 26 league appearances and has managed only one goal and three shots on target against the other sides currently in the top half. Critics say he looks short of the required standard in the Premier League, lacking the pace or power to offset technical limitations, although his presence has enhanced the centre-forward reputation of the persistently injured Kai Havertz. Observers also noted that when Gyökeres got space against Radu Dragusin he produced dangerous moments similar to those he delivered in Portugal.
Scholes, Butt and the leadership debate
Paul Scholes described Rice as "almost too emotional, " saying the midfielder is lively and vocal — "Come on! Come on! Come on!" — and that the emotion can precipitate mistakes. On the same discussion, Nicky Butt argued Arsenal lack old-school leaders like Roy Keane or Martin Keown and suggested that the side would benefit from greater calmness on the pitch. Butt said he believes Declan Rice and William Saliba are leaders but that the team still needs someone to exert a tougher, rallying presence. Scholes recalled the steadiness Keane brought, and contrasted that with what he sees in Rice.
Result and league picture
Arsenal’s 4-1 victory contained nervy moments but ultimately left them with a statement win. Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres each scored twice in the comprehensive win. The result followed Arsenal’s midweek capitulation at Wolves and left the club five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who kept pressure on with a 2-1 defeat of Newcastle 24 hours earlier. Tottenham were managed in the match by Igor Tudor and were on the receiving end of a dominant second-half display.
Players, commentators and former professionals have focused on the sequence of events — Eze’s opener, Rice’s team regathering, the 24-second restart equaliser and the second-half goals from Gyökeres — and on repeated calls for Rice to temper his intensity. Rooney and Scholes urged composure, with Rooney stressing the simple prescription: take a deep breath and compose yourself.
