---
title: "Stuart Pearce admits West Ham are ‘looking to improve’ key player"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2021/09/03/stuart-pearce-admits-west-ham-are-looking-to-improve-key-player/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2021-09-03T18:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-09-03T18:00:00Z"
---

# Stuart Pearce admits West Ham are ‘looking to improve’ key player

[West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2021/09/03/virals-west-ham-set-to-miss-out-on-highly-rated-fabio-carvalho/) first-team coach Stuart Pearce has been speaking about the improvements to [Declan Rice](https://readwestham.com/2021/09/03/pundits-heap-praise-on-declan-rice-following-resounding-england-display/) in the wake of the midfielder’s second England goal.

The 22-year-old fired home from long-range late on as the Three Lions [brushed Hungary aside 4-0](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12397993/hungary-0-4-england-gareth-southgates-side-can-continue-to-improve-all-the-way-to-the-world-cup) in Budapest.

Rice was at the heart of the victory and a goal was just reward for a [fine display](https://www.sofascore.com/player/declan-rice/856714) from the Hammer.

Speaking to [talkSPORT](https://talksport.com/radioplayer/live/index.html?interstitial=true) this morning, Pearce admitted that the strike was something both club and country are working on.

> It was nice to see. I see it every day in training. He can whip a ball in with curl. It’s a part of his game Gareth Southgate and we at West Ham are looking to improve. He’s got the physical stature to do it, that’s for sure.

In what remains a fledgeling career, Rice has only managed [five goals in 134 Premier League outings](https://www.premierleague.com/players/15202/Declan-Rice/stats) thus far.

In fact, overall the 24-cap England man has only got [seven goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/declan-rice/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/357662) in 205 senior appearances.

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

If there was ever one area of [Rice’s game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/332325/Show/Declan-Rice) that needed development, it was adding goals.

Valued at £63million and under contract until 2024 at the London Stadium ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/declan-rice/marktwertverlauf/spieler/357662)), if the London-born ace can indeed bring further goals – not unlike midfield partner Tomas Soucek – there truly would be a star in the making.