Pundit Tony Cascarino has told England which Arsenal star would help get the best out of Declan Rice at Euro 2024.
The 25-year-old midfielder has had a mixed summer with the Three Lions out in Germany, with Rice impressing in England’s opener against Serbia, before being slammed on Thursday after a dismal 1-1 draw against Denmark.
As is the nature with English football fans and the media, full-on crisis mode is now ringing out in the background, with Rice’s performance against Denmark being used as a sticking point for why all is now doomed at this summer’s Euros.
And pundit Cascarino has suggested that England are lacking a player similar to an Arsenal star to get the best out of Rice.
England lacking Martin Odegaard-like player to unlock Rice
Speaking on TalkSport, the former Republic of Ireland international noted how England don’t have a player like Martin Odegaard, who at Arsenal this season has formed a real connection with Rice that has helped the midfielder take his game to new levels.
With England not having anyone remotely similar to the Norwegian international, it’s easy to understand why Rice has struggled in patches for the Three Lions, with the midfielder not having the creative support the 25-year-old is offered at Arsenal with Odegaard.
READ MORE: Everything to know on Arsenal’s Declan Rice from his girlfriend to height
Cascarino said on Rice struggling without a player like Odegaard for England: “Declan Rice has Odegaard in his team. Odegaard controls. He is the guy that controls everything in the midfield.
“Declan gets the ball, moves it, and he is a really good player at doing the A, B, Cs of football. England don’t have an Odegaard to give the ball and keep it for a long time.”
Odegaard claim highlights just how badly England need their own creative mastermind
It speaks volume that even with a starting XI featuring Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden that England struggled to get an ounce of creativity going against Denmark earlier this week.
And Cascarino’s claim that the Three Lions need their own version of Odegaard is an opinion that a lot of England fans will hold as well, with Gareth Southgate yet to discover that one player who can do what the Norwegian does for Arsenal.
Indeed, English football has a core problem with being unable to create and develop players with the technical brilliance and football IQ of Odegaard, and it’s an issue that should be addressed ahead of the next era of the Three Lions national team.
Arsenal winners and losers at Euro 2024
In this week’s episode, Will Jones and Rahul Lakhani discussed the first few days of the European Championships. With Arsenal players such as Kai Havertz and Kieran Tierney experiencing mixed starts to the tournament, the pair assessed which Gunners were the winners and losers from the group stages so far.
There was some talk about transfers based off the Euros, with Arsenal-linked Amadou Onana’s display for Belgium discussed, whilst Leandro Trossard’s poor performance was analysed, and Bukayo Saka’s sensational England showing lauded.