Emmanuel Dennis: Still Struggling at the Tricky Trees

When Watford was relegated last season to the Sky Bet Championship, Super Eagles forward, Emmanuel Dennis was bent on retaining his Premier League status and therefore refused to sink with the Vicarage Road side. He eventually joined newly promoted Nottingham Forest for a record £20m move. So far, the Nigerian has only managed a goal and with Forest 19th on the log, a Championship campaign for Dennis next season looms

After links to Leeds United and West Ham failed to materialise, silver lining came for Emmanuel Dennis from Nottingham Forest as the Tricky Trees splashed a record £20 million for the signature of the Nigeria international. However, the Super Eagles forward is yet to justify the huge money splashed on him having just managed a goal in six games so far in the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest were given a cold entrance in their first game after they returned to the Premier League in more than a decade with a 2-0 defeat from Newcastle. They are struggling in the Premier League and might be walking their way back to the Championship at the end of the season.

Forest head coach, Steve Cooper has shown how much distrust he has in Dennis. He has handed the Nigerian international only two starts in the Premier League this season in the Week 9 encounter against Aston Villa in which Dennis opened his goals account for Nottingham Forest, making it his third goal in as many matches against Villa after he scored home and away against the same team for Watford last season.

Everton star Andros Townsend has however hailed Cooper for handing Dennis his first Premier League start at the club against Aston Villa at the City Ground. The Nigerian international repaid his manager’s faith in him by scoring his side’s only goal of the encounter as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Steven Gerrard’s men.

While speaking on Cooper’s starting XI selection for the match, Townsend noted that the English manager made the right call by handing Dennis a starting berth. He pointed out that the former Watford forward has the quality to start and lead the line in the Premier League after his exploits with the Hornets last season.

“He’s Premier League quality. He’s proven and can score goals,” Townsend said on the live broadcast from the Premier League Production studios.

The Super Eagles forward bagged an assist in his first appearance for Nottingham Forest, a 3-0 victory over Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup. Since then, Dennis has made only substitute appearances for Nottingham Forest with other players preferred to lead the line.

With his first goal on his first start, Dennis would hope to retain his place in the starting XI of Nottingham Forest. The former Cologne star took the Premier League by storm last season, scoring 10 goals and registering six assists, directly involved in almost half of Watford’s goals last term.

With six assists last season, his 16 goal contributions were one of the highest in the league and by far, Watford’s best. Indeed, his performance caught the eye of a number of big clubs, including Spanish LaLiga side, Villarreal, according to a report on Daily Mail.

Dennis emerged as one of the bargain signings of last season’s summer transfer window, with Watford paying four million euros to Club Brugge to sign the striker.

Meanwhile, Everton are celebrating their decision not to sign Dennis. After only survivng a drop into the Championship last season, it was essential that the recruitment was spot-on over the summer.

Everton signed nine new players and the improvements in the team in their first nine league games have been discernible, now unbeaten in their last seven games.

Indeed, there was a huge desire at the club to add another striker over the summer following Richarlison’s exit and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ongoing injury problems, but may have dodged another transfer disaster at Everton on one particular target.

Dennis was consistently linked with a move to the blue half of Merseyside this summer but was eventually snapped up by Nottingham Forest instead in a deal worth £20 million. However, the centre-forward hasn’t had the best start to life at the City Ground.

The Nigerian talent, who was dubbed “selfish” by Belgian pundit Mo Messoudi.

Granted, Dennis has only averaged 20 minutes per match, with his longest being on the field for 71 minutes against Aston Villa, a clear indicator of Cooper’s lack of trust and belief in the striker’s ability to put Forest in a better position with his performances, something which could’ve been a nightmare for Frank Lampard had the 24-year-old been snapped up by the Toffees.

Everton have been plagued with forward players who lack contribution and the ferocity needed to win matches, with Salomon Rondon and Cenk Tosun just two players who failed to offer anything much during the club’s most vulnerable times last season, scoring a mere three goals between them.

With that in mind, the decision not to splash £20 million on Dennis was the right call. Even in a Forest team desperate for goals, the striker is clearly not showing signs that he can make a difference in the forward line to improve their bleak situation at the City Ground.

Former Nigeria international Ifeanyi Udeze has questioned the duo of Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis’ decision to join struggling Nottingham Forest in the summer.

Awoniyi, Dennis and their Forest teammates have endured a poor start to life back in the Premier League since their promotion last season.

While Awoniyi has scored three goals in nine Premier League appearances, Dennis scored one after six outings.

And reacting to the latest setback for Forest Udeze, speaking on Brila FM said: “Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis should be thinking about their move to Nottingham Forest. Dennis most especially would be thinking about the move after joining from relegated Watford. He would feel wouldn’t it be better to stay back in the Championship than get relegated again.”

With goals not easy to come by for Nottingham Forrest and a leaking defence, a return to the status-quo looms for the Tricky Trees and indeed Dennis.