RICE: WE HAVE TO STEP UP – AND TAKE HEAT
DECLAN RICE has told England to show some b***s – and deal with the pressure of wanting to win Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions have been left licking their wounds in the wake of their shambolic draw with Denmark in Group C on Tuesday night.
England starred in their own fright night in Frankfurt, with a clueless performance that left them facing fierce criticism.
Southgate’s men started as Euros favourites but some of them have failed to deal with the expectation.
And Rice believes it is time for England to stand up and be counted.
Rice said: “We are all so desperate to do the country proud. We are all so desperate to win, to be leaders, to give people memories for lifetimes.
“And sometimes I maybe feel like we put too much pressure on ourselves, where we could just go out and let it take care of itself.
“There is probably more pressure now from the outside, just because of the seasons some of our players have had. If you look at the goals our front four have scored this year, it’s over a hundred between them.
“There is expectation, because they are the best players in the world.
“There’s going to be that pressure. This is England at a major tournament. But this is our job and this is what we have to deal with.
“We’ve played in high pressure games and high pressure environments.
“It’s all about us on the pitch, to be able to get it done. I think as a group, even just speaking after as a team, we know we can be collectively better. We’ll review it again and be ready for the next one.”
Southgate claims some of his stars are too tired from a long season to produce the high-pressing game he wants.
Rice has revealed players will never admit to that – and reckons the balance of the team has to change instead.
The Arsenal midfielder added: “It’s hard to say. You only know yourself. Lads are never going to admit if they’re tired or not.
“Like I said, it’s about getting that balance. It’s tournament football. I watched France the other night, portugal changed to a back five. They’re not pressing full throttle.
“I’ve seen a few teams do it, the top top teams, So it’s about getting that balance of when we can press and when we can’t.
“Because, the further it goes on, we’re going to play against better opposition, more world-class players.
“And if you don’t get your press right you’re going to get picked off.”