Kevin Nolan was critical of former West Ham United and Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard’s costly error during Nottingham Forest’s 4-0 defeat to Leicester City on Monday night.
The West Ham coach was reacting to Lingard’s poor attempt of a clearance on the edge of his own box, which fell into the path of Leicester players, before James Maddison took a shot from distance and his deflected effort went into the back of the net.
That opened the scoring for the previously-winless Foxes, who were sitting bottom of the Premier League table, with the most goals conceded after seven games in Premier League history and only one point to their name.
Forest, who have now moved to the foot of the table, then capitulated, with Harvey Barnes adding a second moments later with a wonderful effort from the edge of the area.
Before Maddison turned it up a notch and scored from a free kick and Patson Daka just added salt to Forest’s wounds by scoring a back heel effort in the second half.
Nolan was on punditry duty for yesterday’s game, as he analysed Lingard’s mistake which he will be ‘disappointed’ with, as he told Premier League Productions (03/10/22 at 10:10 pm)
“Jesse is going to be disappointed because a man of his talent and quality should be clearing that,” said Nolan.
“His quality is there for all to see, but that’s where the ball (Lingard’s attempted clearance) should end up (towards the halfway line). But two seconds later, it’s in the back of the Forest net and that was the start of the end for Forest.”
THINGS GOING VERY WRONG FOR LINGARD
There was a lot of talk about West Ham possibly bringing Lingard back to the London Stadium during the 2022 summer transfer window – it was even reported they offered him £127k-a-week (Telegraph).
Manchester United had just let him go, after his contract expired, and there were suggestions David Moyes wanted him back.
Instead, the attack-minded midfielder, who is earning a reported £80k-a-week at the Midlands club with add-ons (Telegraph), headed towards the City Ground and signed a one-year contract with Forest.
Well, fast forward to the present and he is yet to score and assist, and he has fans on his back for his abject start to the season.
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