Nottingham Forest have told Joe Lolley that he doesn’t feature in the club’s plans. The player will not be part of Steve Cooper’s Premier League squad and is currently training with the under-23s.
Lolley played during a friendly against Coventry in Spain. Following the 3-1 defeat, however, Cooper has banished the player to the youth ranks and he’s now on borrowed time.
In truth. the 29-year-old has fallen out of form in recent season. Lolley scored once during 2021/22 and even that one went down as an own goal credited to Lee Nicholls in th eyes of some people
The winger checked in at Forest in 2018. He joined from Huddersfield and it looked as though Aitor Karanka had hit the jackpot, such was his brilliance when he first checked in.
It was the 2018/19 campaign when Lolley was really in fine form. He scored 12 goals and claimed 11 assists that season as the Reds endured something of a turbulent campaign.
Lolley claimed a further 19 goal contributions during 2019/20. Forest finished outside of the play-offs after a ridiculous turn of events on the final day of the season and that seemingly hurt the forward.
The player has been praised b his teammates recently. Last October, he was called ‘unbelievable’ by Lyle Taylor following his cameo performances during a 2-1 win over Bristol City.
Last season was a real struggle though. Of the 30 appearances he made. just 11 of them came as a starter and Cooper has never really utilised him regularly.
Now, Lolley’s future looks to lie elsewhere and as a result, the player won’t be adding to his 170 appearances in the Garibaldi.
Lolley told by Forest that he won’t feature but he deserves a decent move
Hopefully, the Reds performer can get himself hooked up. Although he’s lost his way in recent seasons, it’s fair to say that he could thrive if he starts playing on a regular basis once again.
Lolley needs to be playing. He will be 30 in August and that’s no age to be sitting on a bench and kicking his heels for long periods of time.
The versatile forward has played his best football from the wing. In Cooper’s system, he’s never been quite as effective as a number 10 and that has hampered his form.
Lolley will leave Forest with best wishes from the supporters. He’s served the club with distinction and for that, he deserves to depart with his head held high.