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West Ham United: ExWHUemployee talks potentially troubling Declan Rice and Jesse Lingard moment

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West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee thinks that the club could have had a potential disaster on their hands with Jesse Lingard and Declan Rice during the game against Sheffield United.

After the Hammers were awarded a penalty in the first half, the two England internationals argued over who was going to take it, with Rice eventually winning the talk and duly slotting the ball away. Speaking on The West Ham Way podcast, host Dave Walker compared the incident to the disagreement between Paulo Di Canio and Frank Lampard in 2000, although claimed it was a ‘watered-down version’.

And ExWHUemployee added to that point, saying that Lingard taking the penalty could have spelt bad things for the club.

He said: “To be honest with you, I’m glad that Declan took the penalty.

“I think it would have been an absolute disaster if he given that penalty to Lingard because as a captain of the club as well – when you’re a captain, you cannot have the new signing take the ball off you when you are the penalty taker, it just undermines your authority as captain.

“So even if Declan had taken it and missed it, I’m glad he took that penalty because I think it would have really undermined him. I can understand why Lingard wanted it, obviously he got the penalty and was buzzing from it.”

Could West Ham sign Lingard this summer?

Yes

Yes

No

No

TIF Thoughts on ExWHUemployee’s comments about Declan Rice and Jesse Lingard’s penalty argument…

ExWHUemployee is perhaps going a little overboard here talking about a potential power struggle over the simple matter of a penalty. The optics of it might not have looked good, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s something that appears to have been easily dealt with.

In a way, Lingard should be credited for trying to argue his case.

It shows that he wants to take responsibility for a potentially game-changing moment in what could be a special season for West Ham in their hunt for European football, despite the fact his long-term future at the club is currently unclear. It shows that he truly is invested in what the club are going for and isn’t just there to make up the numbers.

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Freelance sports journalist & broadcaster.