{"id":562210,"date":"2020-08-15T17:23:07","date_gmt":"2020-08-15T21:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonfootball.com\/?p=562210"},"modified":"2020-08-16T05:31:45","modified_gmt":"2020-08-16T09:31:45","slug":"lyle-taylor-nottingham-forest-transfer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2020\/08\/15\/lyle-taylor-nottingham-forest-transfer\/","title":{"rendered":"Lyle Taylor: What to Expect as Striker Becomes Third Nottingham Forest Signing of the Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nottingham Forest<\/a> have announced the signing of Lyle Taylor<\/a>, but what exactly will the 30-year-old bring to the City Ground?<\/span><\/p>\n

What Nottingham Forest Fans Can Expect From Lyle Taylor<\/h2>\n

Importance of Adding Attacking Options<\/h3>\n

The 30-year-old scored 11 goals for Charlton Athletic<\/a> last season, leaving the Addicks towards the end of the season. Finishing as the London side\u2019s joint top-scorer, he scored at the rate of a goal every other game. But how much of an impact will the former Bournemouth<\/a> striker have at the City Ground?<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to acknowledge the position in which Forest head into the 2020-21 season. Sabri Lamouchi<\/a>\u2019s side saw their play-off hopes crumble away in dramatic style at the end of last season; the Reds lost back-to-back and allowed a five-goal difference swing that saw Swansea City<\/a> leapfrog Forest into sixth. One positive taken from the season, however, was Lewis Grabban<\/a>\u2019s excellent goal-scoring exploits.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 32-year-old – described by his manager, Lamouchi, as \u201cprobably our best player\u201d and \u201ca leader on the pitch\u201d – netted 20 goals in 45 league appearances, finishing the season as Forest\u2019s top-scorer. Despite his strong season in-front of goal, in which he contributed to 37 per cent of Forest\u2019s goals this term, improving the options in attack remains a priority for Lamouchi.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the Reds entered the January transfer window, attacking improvements were desperately needed with Grabban Forest\u2019s only out-and-out central striker. The addition of Nuno da Costa<\/a> provided competition up-front, but the 29-year-old failed to score in his ten appearances before the season\u2019s conclusion. Tyler Walker<\/a>, meanwhile, returned from an encouraging loan spell at Lincoln City<\/a> but, with just seven appearances to his name, he remained back-up to Grabban.<\/span><\/p>\n

Almost a month on from Forest\u2019s final competitive match of the season – an abysmal 4-1 home defeat to Stoke City<\/a> – and the Reds have got their man. Lamouchi\u2019s interest in Taylor was first reported in December 2019 and, despite failing to complete a deal in January, Lamouchi has finally tied down his man.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taylor, who said<\/a> “it wasn’t easy” to choose between eight reportedly interested clubs, arrives as a huge boost to Forest\u2019s attacking department. No longer must they rely on Grabban to provide the largest share of the goals; now, they can explore a possible attacking duo which features both Taylor and Grabban.<\/span><\/p>\n

Right Footed, Clever Runs and Positional Awareness<\/h3>\n

Throughout last season, the ex-Addicks man used positional awareness, an array of passing and his strength to make him a difficult striker. The 30-year-old has a clear preference towards high right foot, using it to score ten of his 11 goals last season.<\/span><\/p>\n

None of his goals came courtesy of a left-footed strike and only was a headed goal, against Nottingham Forest in August last year. The former Sheffield United<\/a> man is known for having a trademark penalty stutter in which he slowly walks towards the spot, striking with his right foot into the bottom right corner – of his four successful spot-kicks, three have gone to the \u2018keeper\u2019s left and one to their right.<\/span><\/p>\n

His positioning commonly creates openings for his team-mates or gives him the chance to convert.<\/span><\/p>\n

Against Forest, the 30-year-old well-timed run beat Michael Dawson<\/a> to a right-wing cross, allowing him to head across Brice Samba<\/a>; meanwhile, against Brentford the clever-thinking striker pulled away to the left, dragging the right-sided defender with him, allowing Conor Gallagher to drive into space and beat the goalkeeper from close range.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the 3-1 victory over Stoke City, he switched the ball onto his right foot to curl into the top corner – his only goal from outside the box last season. He later helped Gallagher grab a goal too, darting in front of the first defender to flick the ball out to the on-rushing midfielder.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is clear that Taylor\u2019s role in the squad is not just to provide goals. His intricate passing under pressure and clever runs allow his team-mates to convert; it could, therefore, prove vital for Forest as they gun for promotion this season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>