Nottingham Forest fought tooth and claw to get a striker to the City Ground during the summer transfer window.
However, Nuno Espirito Santo has been forced to rely on Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi as his attacking options.
Santiago Gimenez was linked with Forest, although he reportedly rejected the club three times.
Then there was Eddie Nketiah, who told Forest no after speaking with Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner before the season began.
Forest formed a loose contact with Omar Marmoush, but he always appeared to be destined for greater things.
It’s evident that Forest are still looking for a new striker, as some of the January links show.
Yuri Alberto is one player Forest have been linked with, and he might be the type of striker the Reds look for in January.
For the time being, there is nothing anyone can do, and Awoniyi needs to have the same kind of support as Wood.
Fans must lay off Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi.
Awoniyi was formerly seen as the messiah by Forest fans, and without him, it was widely assumed that the Reds would struggle to score goals.
The positions have now been flipped, with some fans predicting that Awoniyi is finished, much as they did when the Reds bought Chris Wood in January 2023.
Wood is the man with the goals right now. He has eight goals in 11 starts and is one of the Premier League’s top scorers.
Because of his skill, Awoniyi hasn’t gotten much of a chance, and after a lot of injuries, he’s suffering for sharpness.
That does not make him a bad player, however. Furthermore, it is not as if Awoniyi has never performed admirably for Forest since joining from Union Berlin for £18 million.
With the Nigerian, Forest would very probably have been demoted at the end of the 2022/23 season.
His form at the conclusion of the season was amazing, as he finished with 11 goals – a consistent return in a struggling side during his first season in England.
Forest fans can’t go back to their former ways. Awoniyi is now experiencing a confidence issue, but with the correct level of support, the striker should be able to return to scoring form shortly.
Awoniyi vs Arsenal in numbers
The fan verdict at the weekend when Awoniyi started against Arsenal was split, with some assuming he was finished and others believing he did well while eating on crumbs.
Awoniyi did well, and the numbers show it
According to Who Scored, Awoniyi won three aerial battles more than any other Forest player, including both central defenders.
He only had 22 touches on the ball, implying that he was feeding off scraps and was frequently forced to drop deep to participate in the play.
During his 62 minutes on the pitch, Awoniyi made a tackle and a clearing to assist the defence.
During his 62 minutes on the pitch, Awoniyi made a tackle and a clearing to assist the defence.
He was also the only Forest player who attempted a single through ball during the 90-minute match.
Ultimately, the Reds were always up against it against Arsenal, but one plus was that Awoniyi now has more minutes in his legs and is prepared for a difficult run of games.
It’s doing no one any favors to repeatedly criticize Awoniyi everytime he plays, and it might be worth considering everything he’s accomplished throughout his tenure at the football club.
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