Martin Keown believes Arsenal star Declan Rice has been mismanaged and asked to do ‘too much’ for England at Euro 2024.
Rice has thrived in a No.8 role since joining the Gunners from West Ham, with Mikel Arteta enabling him to make driving runs forward and contribute in the final third. The midfielder ended the 2023/24 season with seven goals and nine assists to his name in 38 Premier League appearances.
For England, however, Rice is used in a more withdrawn role, providing a shield just in front of the centre-backs while contributing in possession from a deeper position.
His function within the team has allowed Kobbie Mainoo to act as the box-to-box midfielder, while also freeing up Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden to find space between the lines.
Keown accuses Southgate of mismanaging Rice
Rice has made more tackles (18) than any other player at Euro 2024 so far, while he’s third for passes completed (449) and fifth for possessions won in the middle third (14).
However, according to former Arsenal and England centre-back Keown, Southgate would get even better results from Rice if he were allowed to play in a more advanced role.
In fact, Keown even believes Rice has often been asked to do ‘too much’ for England at this summer’s tournament.
“He plays alongside [Martin Odegaard at Arsenal], so maybe [Thomas] Partey or Jorginho sits there [in lone defensive midfield role],” Keown told talkSPORT.
“It allows Declan, with the incredible range he has of running, to get up and down.
“We’re not using him in that manner, we’re using him to play quite deep.
“And I felt in the earlier games, he had two players either side of him and was being asked to do too much.”