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Iwobi labels Declan Rice an “annoying” opponent, praises Arsenal man’s work rate

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Iwobi labels Declan Rice an “annoying” opponent, praises Arsenal man’s work rate

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nigeria international Alex Iwobi has singled out Arsenal star Declan Rice as one of the most difficult players he has faced, describing the England midfielder as “annoying” to play against due to his relentless energy and technical quality.

Rice has been a standout performer for Arsenal since his arrival from West Ham United last summer, helping to propel the Gunners to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals this season.

Speaking in an interview cited by TBR Football, Iwobi praised Rice’s all-around game and revealed how challenging it is to face him on the pitch.

“Nah, he’s a big baller. Even when he was at West Ham. Not only is he great technically, he runs everywhere, he covers every blade of grass,” Iwobi said. “When I’ve played in midfield, it’s annoying trying to track him and get away from him.”

Despite his frustrations on the pitch, Iwobi—who came through Arsenal’s Hale End academy and now stars for Fulham—acknowledged Rice’s exceptional value to the Gunners.

“He’s good on the ball and he’s gonna work as hard off the ball,” Iwobi added. “He’s a great player for Arsenal to have, and for me, he’s definitely one to be world-class.”

Iwobi has faced Rice on several occasions both during Rice’s time at West Ham and now at Arsenal, and while the Fulham man holds a competitive record against him, he admits the 26-year-old continues to impress.

Rice has received widespread praise in recent weeks following commanding performances against Real Madrid in Europe, underlining his growing status as one of the Premier League’s elite midfielders.

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Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
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