Matz Sels, starter at Nottingham Forest, surprising third in the Premier League: “I had some great seasons at Strasbourg but we saw him less”

Matz, how do you explain this more than successful start to the season?

“It’s true that we started well. We took 5 points out of 9 in the first three games (1-1 against Bournemouth, 0-1 victory at Southampton and 1-1 against Wolverhampton). But the turning point was this 0-1 victory at Liverpool. This gave us confidence for the future.”

And this is how Nottingham Forest, which fought for a long time to remain last season, found itself on the podium in mid-November…

“Yes, but we’ve only played 10 games. There are still 28 left and that’s a long time. It’s a snapshot of the season. Obviously, it’s better to start like that. But our goal remains to take 40 points as quickly as possible to ensure maintenance. We will then perhaps see if we can set new objectives.”

The Red Devil Matz Sels confides in his role as guardian: “My pleasure? Diving in the mud!”

This good start to the season can be explained in particular by the solidity of your defense which only conceded 7 goals: only Liverpool (6) and Leipzig (5) do better in the five major championships.

“When you don’t concede a lot of goals, it’s easier, of course, to take points. Because the matches we’ve won are often 1-0 or 2-1. Apart from 3-0 against West Ham last weekend But it’s the whole team’s job, not mine or the coach’s too: he wants us to play closer together. others, that there is less space between the lines so that we are more united and for the moment, it is very difficult to score us goals.

Even in set phases whereas last year, you were almost systematically in danger when you conceded a corner or a free kick. How did you work on it?

“The credit goes to the coach: where some people stick to their principles, he is not afraid to change when it doesn’t work between marking and defense in the zone. And it’s really thanks to him.”

Which allows you to have 4 clean sheets after 10 days. No one, with the exception of Onana, is doing so well this season in the Premier League…

“It’s a little personal satisfaction. I’m happy to have kept zero four times. But above all I prefer to win: I prefer that we win 4-3 rather than having a clean sheet. Despite injuries in the middle, we have good players in attack, it works well too and we form a real team At the moment, we are a really good team, difficult to beat and it is really a pleasure. to play with this team.”

A new goalkeeper, Carlos Miguel, arrived in the summer where there was also much talk about the potential loan of Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool. How did you experience this uncertainty around your place in the hierarchy?

“I think I had a good second half of the season when I was bought and played my part in maintaining it. Afterwards, there are always rumors. It’s part of football. And if the club wanted to take a goalkeeper, It’s like that. I can just show on the pitch what I can do. It’s the only thing I can do. I started the season well like the whole team.”

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Your coach, Nuno Espirito, explained that competition is good for everyone. While adding: “Matz gives confidence to the team and has saved us so many times. He is very important for us.”

“It’s all the more pleasing because he’s a former goalkeeper who knows the position. I’ve had a few good matches, like the whole team. We have to continue now, keep the momentum as long as possible. It’s “It’s easy to talk about one player or the other, but it’s the whole team that performs well.”

What changes for a goalkeeper when he plays in Ligue 1 and the Premier League?

“Here, the goalkeepers are less protected, especially on aerial balls. The game goes faster. There is more intensity and it is more publicized. I was captain, in the end, at Racing. I had some great seasons in Strasbourg but we saw him less (smile). We still finished sixth once. I was also voted best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 but I was more under the radar. I was less publicized, we talked about it less. But it’s a double-edged sword: if you perform well here, everyone sees it. But when things aren’t going well…”

They’re going pretty well for you because you’re in the running for the save of the month trophy when you took that Eze strike against Crystal Palace out of your corner.

“It’s up to people to vote: maybe if the Belgians vote, I will win (laughs). More seriously, I was already nominated last year but the most important thing is that people are starting to talk a little about Nottingham because we are having a good first part of the season and we deserve to be here for now.”