Opinion: Latest manager snub sees Nottingham Forest man fall further down the pecking order
Soccer Football - Championship - Burton Albion vs Nottingham Forest - Pirelli Stadium, Burton-on-Trent, Britain - February 17, 2018 Nottingham Forest's Costel Pantilimon gestures Action Images/Alan Walter EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Costel Pantilimon has been on the periphery at Nottingham Forest this season and hasn’t played a single minute of football under Sabri Lamouchi. The 32-year-old was nearly moved on over the summer before Olympiacos withdrew their interest, but he might be on his way out of the City Ground in January.
The arrival of Arijanet Muric and Brice Samba pushed Pantilimon down the pecking order, but Lamouchi’s decision to name Jordan Smith on the bench in the EFL Cup suggests the Romanian international is now fouth-choice between the sticks.
Samba has been a regular in goal this season, making six appearances in all competitions since joining Forest from SM Caen in August. He’s impressed early into his career in the East Midlands, conceding just two goals and keeping four clean sheets.
Muric was a regular at the start of the campaign, but his error-prone performances led to Lamouchi swapping his goalkeepers. Smith has been out of the matchday squad like Pantilimon, but the Forest boss prefers him as a No.3 to the former.
Pantilimon has no other option but to seek a move from the City Ground as he’s unlikely to get any opportunities unless injury struck.