Nuno faces big challenge after failed Nottingham Forest experiment
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi made his first Premier League start of the season against Fulham
by Sarah Clapson · NottinghamshireLiveLast Saturday represented a first Premier League start of the season for Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi. How long he has to wait to make his next one remains to be seen.
Against Fulham, the front man showed glimpses of his old self. There was one moment early on when he used his strength to bully his marker off the ball and won a corner for his effort. And he almost marked his appearance with a spectacular goal, going close with an acrobatic effort after an Ola Aina throw had been flicked on.
However, he was substituted at half-time as Nuno Espirito Santo’s old-school 4-4-2 experiment didn’t quite have the desired impact in the 1-0 defeat at the City Ground. It would be a surprise if the Reds head coach goes down that formation route again any time soon, even if you could argue his plan had worked to an extent by stifling the visitors in the first half.
If Nuno reverts to his tried and tested 4-2-3-1 or even goes with a 4-3-3 at Chelsea on Sunday (2pm kick-off), it may well be Chris Wood who gets the nod to start up front. After all, the New Zealander has started each of Forest’s six league games so far.
Wood also has three goals to his name this term. Nuno has been able to get the best out of the 32-year-old since he took charge last December.
The same cannot quite be said, up until now at least, where Awoniyi is concerned. The challenge for Nuno - and for the former Union Berlin man - is to change that.
Injuries and absences have undoubtedly played their part. In the early part of this term, the Nigeria international still seemed to be building up match fitness and sharpness after missing a chunk of pre-season.
Nuno had admitted after the Reds’ first friendly of the summer that it would be an important period for the forward after being sidelined for spells in 2023/24. “For all of them, it (pre-season) is important, and more so for Taiwo,” he said at the time.
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When Awoniyi is fully fit and firing, he is a handful for defenders. He has the ability to cause any opponent problems, and he can find the back of the net.
He has already shown what he can do in the Garibaldi. Indeed, not so long ago it didn’t seem inconceivable he would be able to improve on the 11-goal tally he managed in the 2022/23 campaign.
If he is going to do that this time around, he needs to force his way back into the starting XI on a more regular basis. Nuno conceded Awoniyi’s confidence would have taken a hit after his penalty miss in the Carabao Cup shootout defeat to Newcastle United, but if he can just get up and running with a goal this season there is no reason why he cannot build from there.
Forest still need Awoniyi. Having failed to bring in a striker over the summer, it is left to the 27-year-old and Wood to hold the fort until January at least. Wood may have the edge over his teammate in the pecking order at the moment but, as Nuno has repeatedly pointed out, the Reds are going to need everybody - Awoniyi included.