We're ready to press high and really get on the front foot

RICE BACKING ENGLAND TO REVIVE BELIEF

- Andy Dunn

DECLAN RICE is a player who wears his heart on his sleeve and says what he thinks.

What you see is what you get with a young man who has become the life and soul of this generation of England players.

And when he spoke to the media in the bowels of the Frankfurt Stadium last Thursday night, Rice was unusually exasperated, annoyed with own and team's performance.

But on the eve of England's Group C finale, the Arsenal midfielder was back to his bullish, bubbly, optimistic self. And this was no act.

Rice goes into the game against Slovenia in Cologne on a mission to restore fans' faith and confidence in Gareth Southgate's side, promising they will witness a display unrecognisable from the one in which they scraped that tortuous draw against Denmark.

He said: "You will see an England team that will have a different pressing style that we've been working on. You'll see a team that wants to be on the front-foot and to press Slovenia high up the pitch.