Sideways Sammy

Heading into a Premier League season with the most experienced striker being Ellis Simms, with three previous starts in this division, was probably too great a risk for the club to take. Former Nottingham Forest striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, arrives at Coventry City to add the crucial elements of experience and physicality that this team was otherwise short of. The 29-year-old Nigeria international excelled for Forest in their first season in the top-flight, four years ago, and while he hasn’t kicked on from a promising second half to that campaign amid injury issues, he is someone whose raw qualities addresses some very immediate needs for Coventry.

A centre-forward with a powerful physical frame, Taiwo Awoniyi is less a traditional target-man who will win headers and play with his back to goal and more someone who looks to run the channels, muscle off opposing defenders and get in behind. Awoniyi will offer Coventry City a valuable out-ball to play into if they get under pressure in their own half, buying time for the team to get up the pitch in transition. Someone who likes to run in behind, Awoniyi’s finishing can be patchy but hopefully the team can benefit from his physical presence to bring others into play.

The addition of Taiwo Awoniyi looks to be part of a clear drive to add physicality to what was otherwise a pretty technical Coventry City side from last season. There is a concern that it could see the Sky Blues lose their way somewhat if they start to fill the team with players who can’t quite execute the style of play the team has been built around, but it seems overall a sensible approach given the types of teams who have tended to stay up in the Premier League. Someone who adds a different profile and some much-needed experience to the team’s striker options, Taiwo Awoniyi seems an eminently sensible signing for Coventry.