Stuart Pearce claims West Ham’s Joe Hart is struggling with nerves, urges him to be nastier

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West Ham United signed Joe Hart from Manchester City this past summer.

Stuart Pearce has told Sky Sports’ The Debate that he thinks West Ham United’s Joe Hart is showing real nervousness – and needs to be nastier.

England are back in action this evening as they host Slovenia at Wembley Stadium, with Gareth Southgate hoping to seal a win to take the Three Lions to the World Cup in Russia next summer.

Southgate has a number of selection decisions to make, but one player who appears to be safe right now is goalkeeper Joe Hart, with another start expected this evening.

Hart, 30, has been England’s clear first-choice stopper for the last seven years now, with 73 caps to his name since emerging as the Three Lions’ best option between the sticks.

Hart even kept his place last season, when Manchester City allowed him to join Torino in Italy, and whilst he has returned to the Premier League with West Ham United this season, questions remain over his ability.

The former Shrewsbury youngster has been hit-and-miss for the Hammers, who have continued to leak goals even with Hart in goal, and some fans want to see Jack Butland or Jordan Pickford replace him as England’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Now, pundit and former England international Stuart Pearce has told Sky Sports’ The Debate that he thinks Hart is under real pressure, and is currently showing ‘a bit of nervousness’ in his play for club and country.

Pearce added that he spoke to Hart at Euro 2016, and wants to see him add nastiness to his game, in terms of berating his back four when they concede a goal – and it remains to be seen whether Hart can heed that advice.

“He’s under a bit of pressure, but he’s got to rise to that challenge,” said Pearce. “It surprises me that, at the age he’s at, he’s got 70-odd caps. He should be the stand-alone goalkeeper, like how we look at Buffon playing for Italy; you think there’s no challengers, you’re there, you’ve got everything, you’re composed. I just see with Joe…a bit of nervousness.”

“I spoke with Joe a while back and I said to him at the European Championships last summer, the ball went in the back of the net against Iceland, and he didn’t get up and berate his back line. I think Joe probably needs a bit of nastiness in his game,” he added.