Stuart Pearce sums up Declan Rice's performance in one word as Arsenal star helps England win at Euro 2024

07/01/2024 01:15 AM

Stuart Pearce used one word to describe the performance of Declan Rice as the Arsenal midfielder helped England squeeze through to the quarter-final of Euro 2024.

The Three Lions must be wondering how exactly they have managed to set up a tie with Switzerland in the last eight in Germany after finding themselves seconds from going out against Slovakia on Sunday.

Thankfully for England, Jude Bellingham scored a stunning overhead kick in stoppage-time, while Harry Kane nodded home the winner right at the start of the extra half-hour in Gelsenkirchen.

Declan Rice played the full 120 minutes for England, with the highlight for the Arsenal man undoubtedly coming when he hit the post with a brilliant strike from just outside the penalty area.

Stuart Pearce disappointed as Declan Rice toils for England

No England player won more tackles than the 25-year-old, according to Whoscored. But England were far from being at their best, and Stuart Pearce has told talkSPORT (broadcast on 30/6; 19:49) that Rice appeared to struggle in the game.

"If you are being really, really genuinely honest and say which one of our players played well, I am struggling. I mean, Jordan Pickford has not done a great deal wrong. He was beaten by a shot that he had no chance, but beyond that, across our back-four, there were mistakes. We were littered with giveaway mistakes. In midfield, Declan was flat in there, Kobbie Mainoo did not have the impact he did the other night, and across the front four, I thought Jude was poor, Phil tried but it was not a virtuoso performance," he said.

Midfielder yet to find Arsenal form

England fans are probably yet to see the player Rice has been for Arsenal since his club-record move last summer, with the midfielder one of a number of stars yet to reach anything like their best in Germany.

England clearly have the talent to go all the way at Euro 2024, but many of their key men have looked jaded. Neither Bellingham or Kane had impressed before their goals against Slovakia.

Rice has given so much to Arsenal over the last year, nearly inspiring them across the line in the Premier League title race, so it is hardly surprising that he has been poor so far.

The Euro 2020 finalists will need to step up considerably if they are going to win this tournament, but while they are still there, the door remains open for their star players to finally come to the party.