Oliver Glasner’s start to life at Nottingham Forest has not gone quite as smoothly as the club would have hoped during the opening weeks of the 2026-27 Premier League campaign.
Forest entered the new season with renewed optimism after making changes to the squad and handing Glasner the responsibility of taking the club forward. However, five league matches into the campaign, the Reds find themselves sitting 13th in the table, with the disappointing 1-0 defeat to Coventry City still fresh in the minds of supporters.
There have been encouraging moments, including a hard-fought draw away at Liverpool, but Forest have struggled to produce consistent performances. No player has scored more than once in the league so far, while Morgan Gibbs-White remains the side’s most influential creative presence.
That slow start has inevitably placed additional pressure on Glasner. Football Insider’s Mick Brown recently suggested that the Forest manager’s position may not be completely secure, particularly given owner Evangelos Marinakis’ history of making decisive managerial changes.
Glasner should still be given time to establish his ideas, but the early-season performances have highlighted several players whose individual situations have changed considerably.
Here are three Forest players whose stock has taken a noticeable hit during the opening stages of the campaign.
IBRAHIM SANGARE
Ibrahim Sangare’s situation is perhaps one of the more surprising developments at the City Ground.
When fully fit last season, the Ivory Coast international established himself as one of Forest’s most reliable defensive midfielders. His ability to protect the back four, win challenges and provide composure in possession made him an important component of the team.
That consistency had also attracted attention from elsewhere, but Sangare ultimately remained at Forest.
The problem for the midfielder now is that breaking back into the starting XI has become considerably more difficult.
James McAtee and Xaver Schlager have both emerged as strong options in midfield, leaving Sangare facing increased competition for minutes. At 28, regular first-team football remains important, and spending significant periods on the bench represents a considerable change from his previous role.
There is still plenty of time for Sangare to reclaim his place, particularly over a long Premier League campaign where injuries, suspensions and fixture congestion will inevitably create opportunities.
For now, however, his reduced role means his stock has clearly dipped.
MATZ SELS
Matz Sels is another experienced player whose early-season form has attracted scrutiny.
The Belgian goalkeeper enjoyed an excellent 2024-25 campaign and was rewarded with the Premier League Golden Glove after producing a series of important performances between the posts.
That standard has been harder to reproduce this season.
Sels has managed just one clean sheet in Forest’s opening five league matches, and there have been moments when the goalkeeper has appeared less assured than supporters have become accustomed to seeing.
The summer transfer window also provided Forest with an opportunity to strengthen the position, although replacing an established goalkeeper is never straightforward.
Steven Benda and John Victor remain alternatives, but neither has done enough to convince supporters that Forest possess an obvious upgrade waiting on the bench.
That leaves Sels under pressure to rediscover the form that made him such an important part of Forest’s recent progress.
A goalkeeper’s confidence can have a major influence on an entire defence, so Forest will be hoping Sels can quickly return to his best.
DAN NDOYE
Dan Ndoye is perhaps the most frustrating player on this list because his ability has never really been in question.
The Switzerland international has shown flashes of genuine quality since arriving at Nottingham Forest, but producing those moments consistently has been the major challenge.
His goal against Liverpool demonstrated exactly what Ndoye can offer. He has the pace, technical ability and attacking intelligence to cause problems for Premier League defenders when everything clicks.
The issue is that those performances have too often been followed by quieter displays.
Ndoye recently reminded everyone of his ability while representing Switzerland, providing two assists against Scotland on Tuesday, September 29. It was an important reminder that the talent remains firmly in place.
However, Forest need that quality to translate more regularly to the Premier League.
At his best, Ndoye can be one of the most dangerous attacking players in the squad. At his worst, he can drift through matches without making the kind of impact his ability suggests he should.
That inconsistency has inevitably affected his perceived value and makes the coming months particularly important.
Forest’s season is still in its early stages, and none of these players should be written off. Sangare, Sels and Ndoye all have the experience and ability to change the narrative.
For Glasner, the challenge will be finding the right combinations and getting his key players back to their best before a difficult start develops into a much bigger problem.
