'At one point': Pundit is still annoyed by what £5m Nottingham Forest man did against Chelsea

https://cdn1.tbrfootball.com/uploads/27/2024/10/GettyImages-2176292542-scaled-e1728401979824-1024x527.jpg

Nottingham Forest delivered a fantastic display against Chelsea on Sunday.

Even after going down to ten men in the 78th minute when James Ward-Prowse was dismissed, the Garibaldi continued to trouble the Blues, forcing Robert Sanchez to make some breathtaking saves.

The spirited display leaves Nottingham Forest tenth after a fine start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign – which has seen Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side suffer just one defeat.

PositionTeamPlayedMPWonWDrawnDLostLForGFAgainstGADiffGDPointsPts
10Nottm ForestNottingham Forest724176110

However, there was one thing Matz Sels did in the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge that is still irking talkSPORT pundit Andy Jacobs, days on from Sunday’s draw.

Andy Jacobs slams Matz Sels for “cheating” during Chelsea 1-1 Nottingham Forest

The £5m Nottingham Forest glovesman has now been branded a cheat by the 77-year-old for time wasting on Sunday.

Jacobs told talkSPORT: “It was so boring. One of the match reports said Forest were experts at game management – or cheating as I call it. The time wasting, Sels at one point went down injured, I mean we can all see there's nothing wrong with him.

“The referee should have added on at least 25 minutes, but that's the way it goes. Chelsea have played Nuno teams nine times now and won twice. He plays this terrible, spoiling football and if I had to watch that football every week I don't think I'd bother.”

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

As you probably realised while reading that, Jacobs supports Chelsea.

These dark arts are part of football – whether you like it or not – and several Premier League champions have adopted such tactics in the past, as fans of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United and Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea will tell you all too well.

Carlos Miguel arrival has reenergised Matz Sels

Nottingham Forest had real issues in the goalkeeping department last season, as the Reds stumbled between naming Matt Turner and the equally ineffective Odysseas Vlachodimos in between the sticks.

That was until January, when Sels arrived from Strasbourg.

Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images

The Belgium international helped Nottingham Forest stay in the Premier League with some vital stops, but only managed to keep one clean sheet in his 16 Premier League appearances.

However, the £4m arrival of Carlos Miguel from Corinthians back in July seems to have sparked Sels into life, with the 32-year-old making several huge saves against Chelsea, namely from Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku.

Nottingham Forest did also consider Sam Johnstone, but opted for the Brazilian glovesman instead as backup to Sels.

Competition for places often breeds success in football, a theory which is currently being proven right by the Belgian’s fine start to the 2024/25 campaign.

img

Top 5 Football

×