Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper has bemoaned Matt Turner after his error against Tottenham on Friday night. The Reds were beaten 2-0 after goals from Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski to leave them without a win in six matches.
Turner was recalled to the starting eleven against Wolves last week. He helped the team claim a 1-1 draw and end a run of four successive defeats and kept his place for the visit of Tottenham.
The 29-year-old did have some good moments in the game. However, as is usually the case with goalkeepers, when mistakes are made they typically end up in goals.
Cooper unhappy with Forest goalkeeper Turner
It’s rare that the gaffer singles out individuals, however, he’s made an exception here. In a manager’s way of sugarcoating things, he’s suggested that Turner should do better for the second goal conceded by Forest.
Turner fluffed a clearance with his weaker foot before allowing a pretty tame Kulusevski shot to squirm straight through his hands and into the net – much to the Forest head coach’s dismay!
Cooper told The Athletic: “The players will support him. But at the same time, we all have to own the things we can do better. Sometimes they will be individual moments, sometimes they will be collective things.
“Now is not the time for anyone to delve into it too much. But we will review things with the players as we do. But of course, it’s not something that should happen at this level.”
Cooper now has a decision to make
Turner has been recalled to the Forest team at the expense of Odysseas Vlachodimos, who had nicked the gloves from the 29-year-old after a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool in October. Now, however, he is at risk of losing his place once again.
In truth, the two goalkeepers show much of a muchness. The pair have both made mistakes, although Vlachodimos has perhaps made fewer glaringly obvious ones than Turner has when playing for Forest.
The player was nominated to be the USMNT Player of the Year last week. However, he will want to forget this performance against Tottenham as quickly as possible.
Forest face Bournemouth on Saturday desperately needed to claim a big Premier League victory. Turner will now face an anxious wait to see if he keeps his place in the Forest team.
Receive a digest of our best Nottingham Forest content each week direct to your mailbox
