Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Defends Declan Rice from Graeme Souness Criticism

Declan Rice's performances for both Arsenal and England have been consistently strong, but Graeme Souness has remained a vocal critic of the midfielder. However, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has now come to Rice's defense, offering a contrasting assessment of the Arsenal midfielder's qualities.

What happened?

Graeme Souness has continued to criticize Declan Rice, despite the midfielder's impressive performances for both club and country. Souness has argued that Rice is more limited than many observers believe, but Hasselbaink disagrees.

Why it matters for Declan Rice

Hasselbaink's comments suggest that Rice has the potential to improve and become an even more dominant force on the pitch. Hasselbaink believes that Rice can score more goals and shoot more at goal, but this will require a boost in confidence.

What comes next?

Declan Rice will continue to face criticism from some quarters, but with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in his corner, he may be able to silence his doubters. Rice's performances for both Arsenal and England will be closely watched, and he will be hoping to prove his critics wrong.

Declan Rice is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the game, and his consistent form has been a key factor in England's reliance on him during the World Cup. Despite not being fully fit, Rice continued to deliver impressive performances, and his value to the team was evident.

Hasselbaink's comments suggest that Rice has the potential to improve and become an even more dominant force on the pitch. Hasselbaink believes that Rice can score more goals and shoot more at goal, but this will require a boost in confidence. Hasselbaink has seen Rice in training and in games, and he is convinced that the midfielder has the ability to improve.

Rice's performances for both Arsenal and England will be closely watched, and he will be hoping to prove his critics wrong. With Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in his corner, Rice may be able to silence his doubters and continue to deliver impressive performances.

The date of the World Cup semi-final, where England were defeated, was 12 July 2026. This was a significant result for Rice, who will be hoping to bounce back from the defeat and continue to deliver impressive performances for both club and country.

In conclusion, Declan Rice faces criticism from Graeme Souness, but Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has come to his defense, highlighting the midfielder's strengths and potential for improvement. With Hasselbaink in his corner, Rice may be able to silence his doubters and continue to deliver impressive performances.

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