Normally when a team gets promoted from the English Championship to the Premier League, they can expect a season of struggle ahead.
In nine of the last ten top-flight campaigns in England, at least one of the three promoted teams has suffered immediate relegation, and so Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest will be hoping that the same fate doesn’t befall them in 2022/23.
The latter have gone down the route of throwing the kitchen sink at the transfer market, bringing in £85 million worth of talent, in the hope that will be enough to stave off demotion.
But the jury is out on whether that strategy will work. After the 0-2 opening day defeat to Newcastle United, Forest are second-favourites for the drop according to the odds at https://www.paddypower.com/bet, with only Bournemouth more likely to be relegated according to the bookmakers.
If they are to, literally, defy the odds, the Tricky Trees will be relying upon the goals of Super Eagles ace Taiwo Awoniyi to get them out of trouble. The 25-year-old scored 15 goals in 31 German Bundesliga games for Union Berlin and a further four in eight in the UEFA Conference League, so you can expect his name to feature regularly in the latest sports betting tips for those interested in the first or anytime goalscorer market.
Awoniyi has spoken of his desire for Nigerian football fans to support Forest this season, and hopes that the team’s progressive playing style will persuade them on board. He told https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/62334949: “I know Nigerians like some clubs already, but when you have one of their own and play attractive football, you will automatically get them on your side."
Having started out as a youngster at Liverpool without breaking into the first team picture, Awoniyi will be hoping to make up for lost time in Nottingham and prove himself to be a regular Premier League goalscorer.
Forest Blossom Under Cooper
Incredibly, as of September 2021, Nottingham Forest found themselves in the relegation zone of the Championship – not even the most optimistic of supporters would be dreaming of promotion at this point.
But in came the unassuming new head coach, Steve Cooper, who quickly set about changing the dynamic of the club from top to bottom.
The Welshman won four of his first five games in charge, pretty much putting to bed any relegation fears, and Forest then embarked on a run of 15 matches in which they only tasted defeat once – and that was to eventual champions Fulham.
All told, the Tricky Trees only lost six of their last 37 Championship games under Cooper’s stewardship, thrusting them up the league table and into the play-offs… which they duly won by defeating Huddersfield Town in the final.
Confidence and momentum is everything in sport, and Cooper will be hoping that his players can carry that strength into their first Premier League appearance in 23 years. Having spent big on new talent like Awoniyi, it’s absolutely imperative that they avoid the dreaded demotion.
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