Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is slowly but surely trying to get back up to speed on the fitness front.
The Reds talisman missed a large chunk of pre-season to tend to some personal matters and fitness wise that has set him back.
Awoniyi has come off the bench in all three of the Premier League games that Forest have played so far this season without finding the net.
He played 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle, with the striker missing the decisive fifth penalty in the shootout.
On Saturday, the Reds drew 1-1 with Wolves at the City Ground, leaving Forest unbeaten with five points from the team’s opening three games of the season.
Taiwo Awoniyi shares what really disappointed the Nottingham Forest dressing room on Saturday
It was a bit of a shame that Forest couldn’t get three points on the board for the first time at the City Ground for the first time this season on Saturday.
That’s a view shared by Awoniyi and the Forest dressing room after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde equalised just moments after Chris Wood had given the Reds an early lead.
Awoniyi told Flash Score: “For us, we did everything right and did everything we needed to, but unfortunately, we didn’t get the three points, which is the only thing missing.
“This is something we feel bad about. As a team, we played really well. We delivered, we scored a goal and also scored another that was cancelled.
“The season is still just started and we still have a long way to go. For us, the City Ground would always want to win, it doesn’t matter who we are playing against.
“Even when we get a draw in tough matches, they still feel like we should have won. So for us, we always want to win every game.”
Awoniyi must prove fitness after international break
Some of the stuff that has been said about Awoniyi during the transfer window has been completely untoward.
The player who signed for Forest from Union Berlin in 2022 has often bailed Forest out since he signed for the club and he needs a bit more respect.
However, there will come a time this season when Awoniyi has to get fully fit and rediscover his confidence on the pitch.
Against Newcastle, he looked like a player with the weight of the world on his shoulders and that just isn’t the Awoniyi we know and love.
Nuno Espirito Santo didn’t choose to sign a new striker this summer and now the pressure is on Awoniyi to get back on the goal trail.
He should get some minutes for Nigeria during this international break and with a tough run to come, the striker needs to start scoring again.
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