Joe Lolley is the ‘Lionel Messi of the Championship’, says Nottingham Forest teammate Alexander Milosevic.
And he says facing the winger on the training ground every day can help the Reds defence prepare for anything they will face in the Championship in future.
The big Swede believes Forest’s attacking threat can be one of their major assets next season.
Milosevic was impressed by the manner in which Forest showed their teeth in the 3-0 demolition of Middlesbrough, which was inspired by the brilliance of both Lolley and Joao Carvalho.
While, without being so rampant, the Reds also created enough openings to have scored more goals against QPR last weekend, in their 1-0 success.
Milosevic is impressed by the attacking threat Forest possess throughout their squad - but by Lolley in particular.
“When I speak to my friends about Joe Lolley, I tell them that he is the Messi of the Championship,” said 27-year-old Milosevic. “He is just a fantastic player. He is a great person as well.
“It is the same with Joao, you could see against Middlesbrough, how well he can play.
“He got his assists and continued our attacks.
“We have so many attacking players, that we could field 11 of them on the pitch at one time - although then we might concede a few goals!
“But they are all fantastic players; they can all be an asset for us.”
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Many might presume that facing the likes of Carvalho, Lolley, Lewis Grabban, Karim Ansarifard, Daryl Murphy, Arvin Appiah, Ben Osborn and Matty Cash on the training ground every day would be something of a torment for the Forest defenders.
“I look at that differently. I think that is good for us,” said Milosevic.
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“I think as defenders it is good for us to face such players every day, because it means we get better all the time ourselves.
“You can get used to coming up against good players.
“If we are playing against Joe every day, there is not much more that can be thrown at you in the Championship, is there?
“But, like I said, they are not just good football players, they are good guys as well. They are fantastic characters.”
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Lolley has contributed ten goals and 11 assists in the Championship this season, which is the third most assists in the division.
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