Eyebrows were raised earlier this month when Nottingham Forest signed Keinan Davis on loan from Aston Villa. Just two games into his time at the club and those that were cynical about his arrival have been firmly silenced.
Steve Cooper made no secret of his desire to sign another striker. Lewis Grabban and Lyle Taylor are both in their thirties and there will come times when a younger, more energetic option is sought.
Enter Davis. Against Arsenal, he gave Ben White and Rob Holding nightmares. His powerful presence provided the Gunners duo with a torrid evening on Trentside and saw him instantly worshipped by Forest fans.
On Saturday he was named in the starting line-up once again. This time he featured on the pitch at the same time as Grabban and shone once again against the Lions.
Davis has struggled for goals during his time at Villa. After just two games in a Forest shirt, however, supporters are already aware of what he can bring to the team.
Some statistics from Who Scored showcase exactly where Davis shone during Saturday’s massive win for Forest.
He made an unbelievable eight successful dribbles during his 72 minutes on the pitch; a record for any player during a single Championship fixture this season.
Class: Davis feat highlights shrewd Forest business
Forest are currently trying to sign Jed Wallace from Millwall. He is known for his delivery into the box, his ability to go past defenders and his versatility.
Despite five goals and six assists this season, even Wallace has failed to complete eight successful dribbles during one game during 2021/22.
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Davis was signed as a powerful presence; one that would likely provide Forest with a different option in the final third.
Very few would have anticipated that within a couple of appearances he’d be dictating games with his ability to glide past opponents.
It’s early days of course. The early signs are good though and Forest might have hit the jackpot with Davis.