Danny Mills has claimed that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice is facing a difficult spell because of the form of his teammates.
The Hammers are currently winless in six in the Premier League, and Sky Sports pundit Mills has suggested that Rice is struggling to help stop that rot because of the position he plays.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “It’s hard at times. We’re not talking about Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo where you can give them the ball and they can do something out of nothing and score two or three goals.
“It’s difficult to really showcase yourself in a poor team at times who are low on confidence.
“Declan Rice has just got to stay confident, keep doing what he’s doing, work hard, if not harder, than he has been and just keep it simple. Not try too hard and overcompensate for other people.”
OPINION
Mills is absolutely spot on. Rice could be playing out of his skin for the Hammers, but he needs those around him to pull up their socks and put in a shift too. So far this term, he has averaged 2.9 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game in the Premier League, as per Whoscored, plus a pass completion rate of 89.6%. He has, in many ways, been the model defensive midfielder for most of the campaign, and has not dropped his form too greatly, even when the Irons have been in a serious slump. The youngster is quality, and while he may not be the most eye-catching of players, it’s important to recognise that every team needs somebody to do the dirty work. The issue the Hammers are having at the moment is that they haven’t got people to do the fancy stuff. Unless that changes, this could be a long, difficult season.
