The American made the most of an opportunity to shine on Wednesday but his future at the City Ground is still uncertain
Matt Turner must have been so damn happy in that moment. His teammates were surrounding him, embracing him one by one. They were chanting "USA, USA USA!" in his honor. He was the hero here, the man who had led Nottingham Forest to victory.
What made that moment so sweet was knowing what came before it and, truthfully, what will come after it. Wednesday was one of few highlights for Turner this season. It's been a season of mistakes and criticism and setbacks, one that has almost certainly cost Turner his position as Nottingham Forest's starting goalkeeper.
Turner had his moment in the sun on Wednesday, having been handed the start due to FA Cup rules. He made the most of it, making the penalty kick save that booked them a spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup and a date with Manchester United.
Realistically, though, Wednesday may end up being as good as it gets this season for Turner, who, despite his FA Cup heroics, now finds himself in a tough, tough spot on the club level ahead of some major moments on the international stage.
GettyA series of mistakes
'Nightmare' may be a bit too harsh, but it's close to being a fair way of painting this picture. Turner's move to Forest was supposed to give him a new stage to shine. It has instead wrecked his confidence thanks to a series of mistakes that seemingly couldn't stop snowballing.
Turner's shot-stopping ability has never been questioned. It has gotten him this far, after all. Despite a relatively late start as a goalkeeper, his ability to simply keep the ball out of the back of the net got him from Fairfield University to the New England Revolution and, ultimately, to Arsenal. Even that, however, has let him down in this first half-season as a Premier League starter.
Largely, Turner's errors have come when asked to play with the ball at his feet. Manchester United legend Gary Neville labeled the American as "useless" with the ball after a number of errors culminated in a Marcus Rashford goal in December.
Those errors seemingly sapped his confidence, as Turner hasn't even looked like his old self when it comes to saving the ball anymore. A recent finish by Gabriel Jesus in a loss to Turner's former club, Arsenal, earned Turner further criticism, as many believe the American could have done more to keep the ball out.
AdvertisementGettyTurner responds
Turner, more than most, knows the loneliness of the goalkeeping position. His first real introduction to an American audience came due to a mistake, with a sequence during his college days landing him a spot on SportsCenter's Not Top 10. Since then, mistakes have largely been few and far between. That is, until this season.
Turner knows it, too. He's aware that things haven't gone well. And, in a recent interview with ESPN, he took ownership of it all.
"This is a results business," he said. "And we haven't been getting the results that we probably deserve or need."
"Everything that could possibly have gone wrong in certain moments has gone completely wrong," he added. "Sometimes as goalkeepers you might get away with one or two things, and it feels like this season I've gotten away with zero. It's tough to take."
Turner is tied for second in the Premier League in errors leading to goals with three. And, inevitably, those errors led Nottingham Forest, a notably unstable club, to try and shake things up in the January window.
Getty/GOALForest make a move
Turner's status as No. 1 was always on shaky ground. Shortly after signing him from Arsenal this summer, Forest brought in another international goalkeeper, Greece's Odysseas Vlachodimos. For a time in the fall, Vlachodimos took over for Turner, who snatched the job back heading into the new year.
Forest, though, weren't done wheeling and dealing. Before the January transfer window closed, the club went out and signed Belgian shot-stopper Matz Sels from Strasbourg, seemingly in response to Turner's errors. In just a matter of months, the club went out and signed three legitimate first-team goalkeepers, proving that Forest had little faith in Turner despite their move for him in the summer.
Upon his arrival, Sels was immediately thrust into the XI, for a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, a potentially key result in the relegation race. It's expected that he'll be back in goal this coming weekend against Newcastle, too.
But, in between, Turner was handed a chance at redemption in the FA Cup, and he certainly made the most of it.
GettyTurner saves the day
With Sels ineligible for Wednesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay against Bristol City, Forest turned back to Turner. For some, it would have been difficult to rise to such an occasion. Just days after being told you weren't good enough, Turner was thrown back into the team, not on merit but because of a technicality.
Forest went up 1-0 early, with a goal from Divock Origi easing any nerves. Those nerves came rushing back just moments later, though. After a fantastic diving save from Turner on a long-range effort, Forest still conceded, with the team's inability to clear the ball leading to a looped finish from Jason Knight in the 14th minute.
Turner, despite his save, earned some criticism for that sequence. It was unfair, truthfully, with those on social media going at him largely basing that criticism on his past mistakes. There would be no criticizing him by the end, though, as he proved to be Forest's hero.
Long a penalty shootout expert, Turner flexed his skillset yet again on Wednesday. One big stop was all he needed, and it came in the second round of kicks when he pushed away a shot from Sam Bell. Forest's takers took care of business and onto the next round they went, thanks at least in part to Turner's big save.
“It has to give him confidence," said Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo. "We know it is not easy for him after the decision we took to change in the Premier League, but his response is of a top professional. We are so happy. It was tough but it was worth it. The attitude and the character to never give up makes me very happy."