July 10th 2024.
Declan Rice has been a key player in England's midfield under the leadership of Gareth Southgate. However, former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves is worried that Rice's current approach may backfire for the team in their upcoming game against Netherlands. Despite starting in all five games at Euro 2024, the 25-year-old has not been able to replicate the stellar performance he displayed for his club, Arsenal, last season after his record-breaking transfer from West Ham.
Hargreaves, who excelled in the same defensive midfield position during his own playing career, has a deep admiration for Rice. He feels that the young player may be feeling the pressure to compensate for England's lack of creativity in the midfield, which has led to him overcomplicating his game. In a conversation with Rio Ferdinand on his Vibe with Five channel, Hargreaves shared his thoughts, saying, "I love Declan, he's an amazing player and a really nice kid. He loves football and is a student of the game, which I appreciate."
Hargreaves also noted Rice's physicality, saying, "Declan is much bigger than you would expect. I remember when I first met him, I was surprised by his 6ft 3in frame. I told him he's lucky he's not a centre back with his size." Hargreaves believes that Rice has the potential to become a world-class defensive midfielder and prefers him to play in that position. He feels that trying to make him a box-to-box midfielder may not be the best approach and that Rice himself has expressed his desire to play as a defensive midfielder.
However, Hargreaves also acknowledges that Rice's performance may be affected by the personnel around him. He points out that at Arsenal, Rice had players like Martin Odegaard, Jorginho, and Kai Havertz to rely on, but with England, he does not have a similar partner in the midfield. This lack of familiarity and understanding of each other's game may be hindering Rice's performance. Hargreaves believes that Rice is constantly striving to improve and does not make excuses for any setbacks.
In the upcoming semi-final, Hargreaves suggests that Rice should simplify his game and focus on playing in front of the back four and maintaining a strong defensive position. He believes that this could be the deciding factor in the team's success. As Hargreaves sums it up, "If you hold your position in the semi-final, it could be the difference between winning and losing." Ultimately, Hargreaves has high hopes for Rice and believes that he has the potential to become a top-notch player for England.
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