Nottingham Forest
Among the worst I’ve ever seen” Alan Rogers says Nuno must bench the 29-year-old Forest star
Alan Rogers thinks Nuno Espirito Santo has to drop Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner.
The man who made 178 appearances for the Reds has been speaking with The Red Side of the Trent podcast.
So, what has Rogers said about Forest custodian Turner? Let’s take a closer look…
What Rogers has said about Forest stopper Turner
Rogers has never been one to sit on the fence and his views on Turner have kept him true to form.
Turner signed for Forest from Arsenal in the summer, with the club parting with £10 million to sign him.
Although his shot-stopping capabilities have been rather steady, his distribution has left a lot to be desired.
Turner has made high-profile errors in games against Liverpool and Arsenal, with the goalkeeping situation at Forest providing Nuno Espirito Santo with a conundrum.
Rogers believes that Turner simply can’t play for Forest moving forward and thinks the head coach will address the situation.
He told The Red Side of the Trent podcast: “Matt Turner isn’t a bad goalkeeper but he’s one of the worst I’ve ever seen with the ball at his feet. Now, the way Nuno wants to play and the way football is now, it might sound stupid to say this but he can’t be in goal for Forest. He just can’t, he has to be replaced. He’s costing Forest.
“When you’ve got a goalkeeper who is going to give you a leg-up like that, you just can’t do it. It could be the difference between being comfortable in the Premier League and relegation.
“Look, I think Nuno will address that in the window and I think he will address it sharpishly. Unfortunately, it’s cut-throat but Turner can’t be in goal for Forest this season, otherwise, he will cost us many, many points.”
Goalkeeper situation in perilous state at Forest
This really is becoming quite a desperate situation for Forest – and Rogers makes some very valid points on Turner
Had Forest not come back and defeated Manchester United, Turner would have cost the team points once again.
His failed attempt to find Danilo with a pass in front of his posts, resulted in Alejandro Garnacho setting up Marcus Rashford to equalise for United.
Against Blackpool in the FA Cup, Odysseas Vlachodimos was handed the chance to stake his claim for a place.
It’s fair to say that he didn’t cover himself in glory with Blackpool scoring with their only two shots on target during the contest.
Jose Sa is one goalkeeper who has been linked with a move to Forest from Wolves.
That particular deal might be a relatively easy one to complete but will the hierarchy justify another goalkeeper purchase?
Having forked out £20 million for two stoppers only six months ago, Forest might instead want Espirito Santo to stick with either Turner or Vlachodimos.
Given the continued discrepancies with the two goalkeepers, it will be fascinating to see how the head coach views things with the transfer window now open.