“He can’t read the game” — Clinton Morrison explains why Taiwo Awoniyi lacks of playing time

By Monsurah Olatunji

Former Premier League forward and pundit Clinton Morrison has explained why Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi is struggling for regular game time at Nottingham Forest.

While Awoniyi has started all three FA Cup games for Forest, scoring once, his Premier League appearances have been limited.

Due to a mix of form and injury concerns, he has only started 7% of the 20 league games he has played in, scoring just one goal.

Across all competitions, the former Liverpool man has netted only 2 goals in 25 appearances this season.

In Awoniyi’s absence, New Zealand striker Chris Wood has been in red-hot form, contributing 18 goals and 3 assists in 27 Premier League matches, which has helped keep Forest in a strong position in the league.

Morrison, who played for clubs like Crystal Palace, Birmingham City, and Sheffield Wednesday between 1998 and 2012, explained that one aspect of Awoniyi’s game could be the reason behind his limited minutes.

“Taiwo Awoniyi doesn’t read the game like Chris Wood does,” Morrison said during the BBC’s coverage.

“You can see he’s a striker coming back to full fitness.”

It remains to be seen if Awoniyi can improve in this area and earn a more prominent role as Forest continues its fight for a strong finish to the season.