Taiwo Awoniyi has featured in just three games for Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League this season…
Former Burnley head coach Sean Dyche has highlighted a key attribute that Taiwo Awoniyi possesses, which could help Nottingham Forest going forward, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Reds have had a tough start to the 2025/2026 English Premier League season, winning just one game and losing six.
Forest are currently 19th in the English top-flight, four points above Wolverhampton Wanderers. They’ve also sacked two managers this season – Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.
Sean Dyche was brought in last month, but has been unable to turn the tide around in quick succession as the two-time UEFA Champions League winners have scored four goals in their previous four games.
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Dyche might turn to Awoniyi soon
Forest have an apparent goalscoring problem. Chris Wood, who scored 20 Premier League goals last season, has been struggling with a knee problem this season.
The Reds splashed €19m to bring Igor Jesus from Botafogo, but the 24-year-old is without a goal in nine league games.
Meanwhile, Taiwo Awoniyi and Arnauld Kalimuendo are struggling with fitness due to a lack of playing time.
The Nigerian didn’t play Forest’s midweek Europa League draw against Sturm Graz, but the club’s coach has now hinted Taiwo’s doggedness in the box might be useful in this weekend’s clash against Leeds United.
“Igor (Jesus) was obviously suspended, and we’ve got the three players (Taiwo Awoniyi, Omari Hutchinson and Jair Cunha) who are not part of the Europa League group. That’s challenging in itself,” the former Everton boss said in quotes revealed by Nottinghamshire Live.
“Taiwo is slightly different. He has been around a bit longer. He can hold it up and get it in the box, but you have to get quality into the box.
“That is one thing I questioned heavily about Bournemouth – we hardly put any crosses in. We were in terrific areas to cross it from and yet we didn’t do that.”
“We put a cross into the right area against Porto and got a penalty. It is not always about a clean goal, it is also about the scruffy ones,” he added.
“Over the season, you want scruffy goals. The good ones take care of themselves.
“What about finding the scruffy goals? What about finding set-pieces and balls bouncing around the box? They are as important as any goal. We are reminding the players of that.”
“We have also had players who have been in and out with soft tissue injuries.
“We have tried to be careful and have tried to get through this busy period using the squad as best we can.
“They need games. This is the challenge of coming in once the season is up and running.
“It is not like pre-season, where the outcome is not as important, and the outcome you want is fitness.
“The outcome is important – these are big, important games
“At the same time, you are trying to get people fit, sharp and understand things. And it has been a third change of manager in a short period.
“There has been a lot going on for these guys. They have been excellent so far, and we just want to continue that.
“We want to get through the next two really important games and then get a break for some of them.
“Hopefully, we will also get some of them back from injuries
“It is not like we will have two weeks working with all the players because a lot of them go away on international duty.
“We are just doing everything we can to fast-track the players into our way of working,” the Nottingham Forest head coach concluded.
Awoniyi has yet to play a full game for Forest this season. He was taken off at half-time against Chelsea, before coming off the bench at half-time against Bournemouth, and then another twelve minutes against Manchester United a week ago.