Nottingham Forest higher-ups are growing increasingly alarmed by the plummeting form of veteran goalkeeper Matz Sels, with insider reports warning that the Belgian shot-stopper’s costly errors could directly trigger the sacking of manager Oliver Glasner.
The 34-year-old, who has served as Forest’s undisputed primary goalkeeper since arriving in 2024, is facing an unprecedented crisis of confidence. Following a dismal 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, fingers inside the City Ground are squarely pointing at Sels as the root cause of the team’s defensive collapse.
With Forest managing just a single clean sheet in six Premier League matches and languishing near the relegation zone with five points, owner Evangelos Marinakis is reportedly losing patience with both the coaching staff and his underperforming stars.
Sels’ Horror Run: The Numbers Behind the City Ground Panic
Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown revealed that Sels’ decline is no longer an isolated slump, but rather a systemic problem that is actively damaging team morale and defensive stability.
Before the Palace loss, Sels was already under intense scrutiny after a catastrophic handling error gifted Coventry City a 1-0 victory at the City Ground. His inability to command the penalty area has transmitted nervous energy directly to his backline, completely undoing Glasner’s tactical structure.
Addressing Sels’ form, Mick Brown delivered a blunt assessment of the situation:
“The goalkeeper Sels, for example, has been miles off the level expected of him and I think that has been the case for a little while now, so that is going to be a worry for them.”
“It’s difficult to point at a moment against Crystal Palace where he might’ve done better, but he conceded three goals and has struggled to keep clean sheets all season. His performances have been inconsistent, and when the goalkeeper is struggling, it rubs off on the defenders and the rest of the squad as well.”
“Ultimately, though, it’s the manager who gets the blame and if his players continue to fall below his standards then there is every chance they could get him sacked.”
Evangelos Marinakis Ready to Wield the Ax Again
The crisis surrounding Sels comes against the backdrop of growing turmoil in the Forest boardroom. Evangelos Marinakis, notorious throughout European football for his ruthless managerial turnover, is reportedly “furious” with the club’s poor domestic start.
Having cycled through five managers over the past 12 months, Marinakis is actively considering another mid-season managerial overhaul if results do not turn around immediately.
Reports indicate that Sels is at serious risk of being axed from the starting lineup ahead of Forest’s upcoming fixtures, with scouting staff already instructed to identify long-term replacements for the January transfer window.
Unless Sels produces an immediate turnaround, both he and Glasner could find their City Ground tenures coming to a sudden, bitter end.
