Rice feels every corner could lead to an assist; James dismisses injury talk

Declan Rice believes he will provide an assist "every time" he takes a corner and says England fans should be "excited" for the World Cup. England opened their tournament with a 4-2 win over Croatia, looking dangerous from set-pieces. Harry Kane's first goal came from a penalty after Noni Madueke was fouled following a Rice cross, and Kane headed in his second from a Rice corner.

Rice was part of an Arsenal side that scored a record 19 goals from corners last season on their way to a first Premier League title in 22 years. However, Arsenal faced criticism for a pragmatic style and reliance on set-pieces (25 set-play goals overall). Rice became Arsenal's designated set-piece taker in January 2024 after a training camp in Dubai. He now feels confident: "I feel like now every time I put down a ball for a set-piece... I feel like I'm going to get an assist or make something happen that's dangerous."

England manager Thomas Tuchel, who took over in January 2025, wants to replicate Premier League style. Rice says the team has worked on set-pieces since Tuchel's arrival, but tactical aspects dominate training. The set-piece plans have been in place for a year, so players know what to expect.

Chelsea captain Reece James, who can also take set-pieces, acknowledged the "huge threats" in the England squad. James worked with Tuchel at Chelsea and is playing his first World Cup as England's first-choice right-back. He has battled injuries, missing England's games against Japan and Uruguay due to a hamstring injury at the end of the 2025-26 season that kept him out for four weeks. James returned for Chelsea and ended the season with 39 appearances in all competitions. He dismissed injury concerns: "People always talk about injuries and availability... it's so boring now. I just focus on myself, my body, trying to perform the best I can."