GET OFF JESSE’S BACK
Cook claims Lingard flak is unfair and has backed him to keep Forest up this term
STEVE COOK insists Jesse Lingard will come good at Forest after copping relentless flak.
Lingard has struggled to nail down a regular starting place at the City Ground following his high-profile summer arrival from Manchester United.
The 29-year-old attacker (with boss Steve Cooper, right) finally got off the mark for the season in Forest’s 2-0 Carabao Cup triumph over Tottenham in midweek, and Cook said that can be the springboard for a resurgence.
“He’s received a lot of criticism – not from Forest fans but from those outside this club,” said Cook.
“It’s been unbelievably harsh. It’s part and parcel of playing for a big club and Jesse has had a fantastic career. “And he was superb against Spurs. “When you don’t have a pre-season it sometimes takes time to get up to speed and he has been showing that in training. We know how good he is – as a player and as a lad. He’s great to have around the changing room.
“The social media side of things is a different side to Jesse. That brings a lot of eyes on him.
“But he is a great lad, one of the nicest guys I know. He is very down to earth and gives everything in training.
“We saw that on Wednesday and I’m sure he’ll kick on now.”
Forest, who entertain Crystal Palace today, are now unbeaten in their last four home games in all competitions, but they are still bottom of the Premier League heading into the final game before the World Cup break.
Defender Cook said: “Winning games breeds confidence. We beat a strong Tottenham team, not a lowerleague side. Now Palace is a huge game for us. We spoke this week about the points we want to have.
“If we beat Palace it takes us to somewhere near where we want to be at a timely break for us.
“Then we can regroup and work on more things and put the teams above us under more pressure.”
After winning promotion, Forest broke the English record for the most signings in one transfer window when they brought in 23 new players over the summer.
“We knew it would be a tough season and the circumstances this club would be under bringing in so many players was going to be difficult,” added Cook. “But we felt if we were close to the teams in and around us at this break we would have a great chance of succeeding.
“In football you are always judged, especially in the Premier League. Eyes are always on you.
“You have to judge us at the end of the season. We still have a lot of football to play.”
Cook expects one of the toughest games of the season today against Palace, who after a slow start to the season have climbed into the top 10. And he claims Patrick Vieira’s men operate under the radar.
“Palace are an unbelievable team,” he said. They have young talent mixed with experienced, top players. I think Palace go under the radar. Patrick Vieira has them playing some lovely stuff, it’s going to be a tough game.”