Nottingham Forest’s goalkeeper issue has been discussed following the summer transfer business.
Latest Nottingham Forest news as head coach Steve Cooper reflects on Reds’ summer transfer window business
After the deadline-day arrival of Odysseas Vlachodimos, goalkeeper Matt Turner knows he’ll have to fight for his Nottingham Forest shirt.
When it comes to starting games, Steve Cooper believes there is no such thing as a fixed No. 1 and No. 2. The amount of competitiveness among his keepers exemplifies the Reds’ new depth throughout the squad.
Turner has made a strong start to his Forest career after joining from Arsenal earlier this summer. However, Vlachodimos is a Greece international and will compete with him for a starting spot, while Wayne Hennessey is back in action after recovering from a knee injury. With the additions of Turner and Vlachodimos, there was no room for Ethan Horvath when the club announced their 25-man squad earlier this week.
“There’s a lot of competition,” Cooper stated ahead of Monday’s game against Burnley. “It’s a very competitive area of the pitch right now.”
“We have the competition we desire in every area. It’s always a specific question when it comes to goalkeepers, but you can look at players in any position and observe how they compete.
“It’s quite beneficial. Danny Alcock, the goalkeeping coach, has put his team in a position where they must now press hard. Everyone has exceeded our expectations.
“Wayne has returned to training with us and is in good shape. Because of his age and level of expertise, he has a significant influence on the group. We’ll try to make use of it.
“Hopefully, the player is in a position where he knows he needs to perform well. That’s exactly what you want.
“I don’t believe it’s as simple as having a No.1 ranking.” Matt’s wife has just given birth to a baby girl, which is wonderful news for him, as Cheikhou (Kouyate) did a few days ago.
“Every position is the same. It’s cutthroat, and everyone is vying for the jersey.”
