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Keane: Rice was shocking v Man City

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Roy Keane has claimed that Declan Rice should be able to hold down a position in England’s midfield for the next decade, but has suggested that the West Ham ace was “shocking” against Manchester City on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.

Rice earned his fourth England cap in a 4-0 stroll past Bulgaria at Wembley on Saturday evening, but Keane believes that he still has some growing to do.

Speaking on ITV prior to that game (Saturday September 7th, ITV, 17.20), he said: “With the type of attacking players England have got, he should be able to do this job with his eyes closed over the next few years.

“But I’ve already seen him this season, when he played against Man City when he went away from that role, and he was shocking.

“He’s got to learn his trade. He’s a young player, he’s entitled to have a bad game, but he should be able to do this job for England for the next ten years.”

Is Keane right about Rice?

Although his comments may seem harsh, Keane is absolutely bang on the money.

Realistically, despite claiming that the youngster had a shocker against Man City on the opening day, nothing he said was inaccurate or over the top.

Rice is a sublime player, no doubt about it, and as Keane rightly says, he has the potential to be an England regular for the rest of his career, should he want to be.

Already this season, Rice 3.5 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per match for the Hammers in the Premier League, as per Whoscored.

He has also averaged a pass completion rate of 83.6%, and to all intents and purposes, looks like the ideal top flight holding midfielder.

But, as Keane hints toward, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the 20-year-old.

That opening weekend was an absolute disaster in many respects.

He was pulled from pillar to post by a rampant City side, and for large spells he looked entirely out of his depth.

Admittedly, that was predominantly because he was lacking the presence of Mark Noble alongside him, but what Keane is driving at here is that he needs to be able to adapt and control matches regardless of who he has as a partner.

When he learns how to do that there is nothing stopping him from being one of the best in the world.

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