Nottingham Forest spent the summer recruiting several new players to give boss Sabri Lamouchi the very best chance of a successful season.
No fewer than 12 new players checked in at the City Ground and a large number of them have integrated nicely into the squad.
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The Reds beat Brentford on Saturday to go second in the Championship and things appear to be on an upward curve for Forest.
With the second international break of the campaign now upon us, we at Seat Pitch are beginning to assess the starts made by the new Forest recruits. Up next is Sammy Ameobi:
What’s the background?
The versatile attacker was released by crisis-club Bolton Wanderers during the summer and subsequently joined Forest on a free transfer.
The 27-year-old boasts 123 appearances in the Championship and penned a one-year deal at the City Ground.
How has Ameobi looked on the pitch?
Pretty good. For a free transfer, Ameobi has proved a decent piece of business for Forest if the first 11 games are anything to go by.
He has started seven games, scoring once and registering one assist.
His goal against Stoke proved to be the catalyst for Forest to go onto secure a vital three points on the road having trailed in the game.
Ameobi has highlighted to Lamouchi his versatility. He has operated on both flanks, as a lone striker and in the no 10 role during his short time at the City Ground.
The ex-Newcastle youngster has looked unplayable at times during the early stages of his Forest career, looking like a very shrewd piece of business indeed.
What does the future hold?
It’s fair to say that if Ameobi is in top form he has the potential to be a matchwinner for Forest.
His second-half performance at Stoke was a joy to behold at Potters full-back Tom Edwards will have been delighted to finally see the back of him that night.
What the 27-year-old must strive for now is consistency. He can occasionally look clumsy in possession, whilst he sometimes tries one piece of trickery too much.
Ameobi seems like a reliable player to have in the squad, however, and it’s fair to say he has proven that he is capable of contributing to the Forest cause this season.
Verdict…
Some people were extremely cynical when Forest opted to offer a contract to a player who played for a relegated team last season.
Considering the situation at Bolton, however, that is probably a little bit harsh on Ameobi and he has set about proving some supporters wrong during his short time at Forest.
He has shown himself to be a very committed player and on current form, you wouldn’t bet against him earning an extension to his one-year deal. 7/10
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