Declan Rice has moved to reassure Arsenal supporters that he is fully equipped to handle another demanding campaign, having addressed the fitness struggles that hampered him during England's World Cup run last summer.
The midfielder endured an exhausting season on both club and international duty, racking up 69 appearances as Arsenal reached the Champions League final and England advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament. That relentless schedule left Rice battling fatigue by the time the World Cup arrived, but he says a proper break afterwards has restored him to full fitness heading into the new campaign.
Rice pointed to his track record of durability as evidence he can continue performing at a high level despite a congested fixture list. "I think for the last six seasons, even since my West Ham days when it was in Europe, I've played 60 plus every season," he said. "So I think it is sustainable because I've shown that I can do it."
The 25-year-old stressed that consistency, rather than simply featuring in matches, is what matters most to him going forward. "It's just about maintaining it, maintaining the level and the consistency of the performances," Rice explained. "For me, that's the main thing, showing up every week, giving a good account of myself and helping the team win. I've been lucky enough to be able to do that. So I'm really hungry to be able to do that again this season."
Rice's comments come on the back of Arsenal's positive start in the Champions League, with the Gunners edging past Napoli 1-0 courtesy of a Martin Odegaard goal. His improved condition will be a welcome sign for manager Mikel Arteta, who relies heavily on the England international in midfield.
Looking back on the difficulties he faced at the World Cup under Thomas Tuchel, Rice admitted that a nagging hamstring issue, compounded by the physical toll of a long domestic season, made it hard to feel at his sharpest in the United States. "Yes, it was tough," he said. "I think everyone knew I had an issue with a neural hamstring. But also on the top of the Premier League season, which was so demanding, the Champions League, to then play a World Cup in that heat really does take its toll. I'm a player that goes on the pitch, wants to be fresh and give 100 per cent every time I put on an England shirt."
Rice acknowledged that his form fluctuated throughout the tournament, further complicated by an illness before England's group-stage match against Norway. "There were stages where I felt really, really good and stages where I didn't feel I was good," he said. "And obviously I had the illness going into the Norway game, which didn't really help. So there were a few things that frustrated me, just with myself, just not feeling 100 per cent. But there were games where I felt really good, like Congo. So it's one of those things I just had to manage. And like I said, in the summer, I just took a complete time off."
With a full pre-season rest now behind him, Rice appears determined to put those frustrations aside and deliver sustained performances for both club and country in the months ahead, starting with Arsenal's continued push in the Champions League and Premier League.
Based on reporting from The Independent.