Arsenal lead the Premier League by five points and are shaping up for a superb campaign, led by a group of pivotal stars — including one John Terry feels deserves far more credit.
While Manchester City have a game in hand over the league leaders, the title is Mikel Arteta’s side’s to lose. After beating Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon, the Gunners have just two remaining away games outside of London left to play, one of which is at the Etihad.
That said, City are beginning to round into ominous form, having won seven of their last eight matches across all competitions.
Whatever Arsenal do manage to achieve this term will be predicated on the performances of one specific star whom Terry has opted to single out for deserving more praise.
John Terry says Declan Rice still isn’t appreciated enough at Arsenal
Declan Rice made an uncharacteristic, yet critical, error against Tottenham, gifting the ball to Randal Kolo Muani in the lead-up to the home team’s equaliser. Wayne Rooney accused Rice of being overly emotional in recent weeks, arguing that the midfielder has to tone down his enthusiasm and remain composed in the run-in.
Former Chelsea defender Terry has taken a different approach when talking about Rice this week. Speaking on Zac Djellab’s YouTube channel, the 45-year-old revealed his belief that the England international doesn’t get enough flowers for his importance to Arsenal.
“Dec, who’s like for me one of the best in the world,” Terry said.
“Him and Caicedo have been incredible. I would put him in that bracket, but I think a lot of Arsenal’s really good play goes through Dec as well.
“Of course, a lot of their defensive work gets stopped at the source with him as well. So, defensively, they’ve been very good, but also, he cleans up a lot of their attacks and stuff like that for me.
“So, I just talk in terms of again being a defender, this is how I see the game, and I see it that those boys don’t get appreciated enough.
“Whereas a midfielder, an eight or a 10 can go have a bad game, go miss him for 85 minutes, get one on the edge of the box, put it top corner, and everyone goes, ‘Oh, he’s been man of the match’.”
Declan Rice’s possession play at Arsenal is underappreciated
Rice is one of the most revered midfielders on the planet. He certainly gets his fair share of plaudits, and this is reflected in the fact that he’s been nominated for the Ballon d’Or twice.
That said, Terry was right to specifically highlight the idea that Arsenal’s possession runs through Rice. The 27-year-old is consistently praised for his off-the-ball work, but is rarely celebrated for what he brings to the Gunners when they have the ball.
In fact, some have often been critical of Rice’s passing, despite the fact that he profiles exceptionally in this aspect of the game statistically.
| Statistical Comparison 2025/26 | ||
| Stat | Rice | Caicedo |
| Appearances | 10 | 10 |
| Goals | 2 | 3 |
| Assists | 2 | 1 |
| Shots per 90 | 1.01 | 1.05 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 1.8 | 0.53 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.22 | 0.07 |
| Touches in Opposition Penalty Area per 90 | 1.8 | 0.42 |
| Pass Accuracy | 84.6% | 90.8% |
| Progressive Passes per 90 | 7.19 | 5.68 |
| Progressive Carries per 90 | 2.81 | 0.84 |
| Tackles per 90 | 1.69 | 3.26 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 0.9 | 2.63 |
As shown by the data above, Rice is significantly more influential in possession for Arsenal than his counterpart, Moises Caicedo, is for Chelsea. The Gunners’ talisman is more progressive with his passing, creates far more for his teammates in the final third and is an outstanding carrier of the ball.
Rice is often dismissed as merely being a physical powerhouse who dominates the game with his athletic attributes, underplaying his immaculate technical level.
