Declan Rice has become so consistently brilliant that anything less than excellence now feels disappointing.
The Arsenal midfielder has set incredibly high standards over the last two years, helping the Gunners win the Premier League title and establish themselves among Europe’s elite.
That is why Gary Neville’s assessment of Rice’s performance against Croatia raised a few eyebrows.
After England’s 4-2 victory in their World Cup opener, Ian Wright could not resist challenging the former Manchester United defender over what he felt was a surprisingly harsh rating.
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Ian Wright questions Gary Neville after his Declan Rice rating
Rice was once again trusted by Thomas Tuchel in England’s midfield and helped the Three Lions begin their World Cup campaign with a victory.
It was not one of his most eye-catching performances, but England remained in control for large periods of the game before he was substituted after an hour.
When the pundits were discussing player ratings afterwards, Neville’s score immediately caught Wright’s attention.
The former Manchester United captain awarded Arsenal star Rice a 6.5 out of 10, which felt low compared to some of the other ratings being handed out.
Wright certainly thought so.
“Declan, I’m going 6.5 with Declan because he was subbed after 60 minutes,” Neville said on the Stick to Football podcast.
Wright immediately responded: “I’m giving him seven at least, at least! Why are you being like that with Declan? There is something. You’re going with it, it’s a precautionary thing.”
Neville defended his score and insisted there was no agenda behind it.
“I’m not being like that with Declan. I love Declan. Wrighty, he played 60 minutes. He’s usually an 8/10 every week. I give him the man of the match award most times on Sky. It’s not a case of anything. I thought last night was one of his most quiet games I’ve seen,” he replied.
It was a light-hearted exchange, but Wright’s reaction summed up how highly Rice is regarded.
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Declan Rice is now being judged by his own impossible standards
There was probably some truth in what both pundits were saying.
Rice was not at his absolute best against Croatia. By his own standards, it was a relatively quiet evening and certainly not one of the dominant midfield displays Arsenal supporters have become accustomed to seeing.
At the same time, a quiet Rice performance is often still a very good one, and he even picked up an assist in the 60 minutes he was on the pitch.
The Premier League-winning midfielder has reached the stage of his career where people almost expect him to control every game he plays. When he does not completely dominate proceedings, it stands out far more than it would for most players.
That is the price of being one of the best midfielders in world football.
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