Declan Rice has had an exceptional couple of years with Arsenal since his big-money move from West Ham, solidifying himself as one of the standout performers in Mikel Arteta’s squad. Despite his position as a central defensive midfielder (CDM), Rice has already contributed a remarkable 10 goals and assists this season, including 3 goals and 7 assists. This is an impressive feat, considering CDMs are typically not associated with significant goal-scoring contributions, yet Rice continues to break the mold with his dynamic performances.
However, despite his impressive stats, Rice’s season has had its ups and downs. Arteta has often rotated him due to the grueling festive period, a time when Premier League teams play almost every 2-3 days. As Arteta put it,
“We have 9 games in this period, this month, and he had some niggles in the last few games. He had to come off, and we have to manage every player, and there are no exceptions.” This cautious approach to Rice’s fitness has, at times, seen him dropped to the bench, particularly during key festive fixtures.
Despite these challenges, Rice has been a major reason Arsenal are still in the hunt for the Premier League title, even though they now sit 8-9 points behind Liverpool. However, Arsenal’s title hopes took a significant blow with a 1-0 loss to West Ham in the latest round of Premier League fixtures. The defeat not only hurt their pursuit of the title but also marked the end of a 15-game unbeaten run in the league.
As the clock ticked down to 8 minutes of normal time, West Ham made a substitution, replacing match-winner Jarrod Bowen with Evan Ferguson, a striker signed on loan earlier in the month. But it was Bowen, assisted by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who found the back of the net after a defensive lapse involving Rice, Gabriel, and Califiori. The goal came after a breakaway, and Bowen’s header sealed the win for West Ham.
Arsenal’s hopes were further dashed when Miles Lewis-Kelly, already on a yellow card, was sent off for a last-man foul on Mohammed Kudus, following a VAR check. This was the second red card for Lewis-Kelly this season, having previously been sent off against Wolves. Despite Arsenal’s 20 shots, they only managed two on target, and West Ham defended resolutely to secure the win. The defeat also marked back-to-back victories for West Ham at the Emirates, following their 2-0 win last season.
But more than the result, it was the chants from the West Ham supporters that sparked widespread attention across social media. As Arsenal’s title hopes crumbled, West Ham fans in the away end seized the opportunity to mock their former player, Declan Rice, with two particularly scathing chants.
Chant 1: “You Should Have Signed for a Big Club”
The first chant was simple yet pointed:
“You should have signed for a big club!”
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player so rattled as Declan Rice was this afternoon.
— Jack Heffer
Glorious to see. pic.twitter.com/Ynd86gdu9D(@Jack_Heffer02) February 22, 2025
This was a direct jab at Rice, whose move to Arsenal was partly motivated by his desire for silverware. Rice moved to Arsenal in a £100 million ($130m) deal in July 2023 and in a farewell post to West Ham fans when he made the move, Rice said,
“I want you to know how tough a decision it has been for me to leave an environment that I have loved and cherished so much. Ultimately though, it has only ever been about my ambition to play at the very highest level of the game.”
While some fans understood this ambition, others felt betrayed by his words, especially considering that West Ham had won a major European trophy, the UEFA Conference League, just two years ago.
Rice’s assertion that he was leaving West Ham for a higher level of football seemed ironic, given that the club had more recently won a major European trophy than Arsenal, a club still chasing that elusive piece of silverware. In a sense, this chant was West Ham fans’ way of reminding Rice that, despite his ambitions, they had already achieved something significant while Arsenal’s trophy cabinet remained empty.
This fact was highlighted by West Ham fans and even resurfaced through a tweet from the popular fan page West Ham Central, which posted an image captioned:
“Watch Declan Rice’s first and last trophy won as a professional player.”
This mocking tone implied that despite Rice’s ambition, his former club had still managed to claim more silverware than his current one and that this caption still holds true till this date.
The chant further rattled Rice during the game, and his performance was visibly affected. He received a 5/10 rating from Yahoo Sports and a 6.49 rating on WhoScored. He was substituted in the 56th minute, making way for Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Chant 2: “You’re Just a Sh*t Andy Irving”
The second chant went something like this,
“You’re just a sh*t Andy Irving,”
It was a reference to a cult hero at West Ham, Andy Irving. Irving, a 24-year-old Scottish midfielder, is well-loved by West Ham fans for his humble attitude and hard-working performances. His rise at the club has been particularly remarkable, as he came through lower-league football in Scotland and Germany before making a name for himself in West Ham’s youth system. Irving’s journey included time at Hearts, Berwick Rangers, and Falkirk, where his performances as an all-action midfielder caught the eye of West Ham scouts and eventually the hammers signed him for 1.5 million british pounds.
The chant was a direct insult to Rice, comparing him unfavorably to a player who had not only contributed significantly to the team but had also shown a stronger emotional connection to the club. Irving’s performances, especially in pre-season this season, had earned him the nickname “Portobello Pirlo” after he demonstrated his impressive ball-playing ability alongside his tough tackling. His rise from the third tier in Germany to West Ham only further endeared him to the fans, and they now saw him as more of a West Ham player than Rice had ever been.
Additionally, the West Ham United away fans have also used this same chant in their game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier this season for forward Cole Palmer, as well.
As West Ham fans belted out both chants, it was clear that they were still hurting from Rice’s departure, and the emotional weight of his decision was evident. Despite Arsenal’s superior position in the league, West Ham had the upper hand on this occasion, both in the stands and on the pitch.
In the end, Rice’s desire for trophies may have taken him to a “bigger club,” but it’s clear that the move hasn’t been as smooth as he may have hoped. West Ham fans continue to remind him of his roots, and with chants like these, it’s clear that the relationship between Rice and his former supporters will never be the same.
