Nelson Oliveira, the deal is almost done and most people are underwhelmed. It seems 26 goals in 143 games (1 every 5 and a half games), doesn’t buy you a lot of love in a Norwich fanbase desperate for a striker.
Critics will point to the fact the 6ft 1 Portugal international has had a new club every season, or that he failed to hit the net much at all in the Premier League during his 10 appearances for Swansea back in 2015.
Interesting side note; he has more Premier League goals than Kyle Lafferty.
More recently Oliveira has been plying his trade in the Championship, where he spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest. On paper 9 goals in 28 games (1 in 3) looks underwhelming, but, and there is a big but, Forest fans seem to love him.
A winning goal against Derby helps of course but the consensus seems to be that Oliveira succeeded even in a team that floundered around the bottom half all season and struggled to create chances, let alone tuck them away.
We spoke to Forest fan David Marples for his take on Norfolk’s newest Nelson;
“Banging in what turns out to be the winning goal against your local rivals provides the kind of currency that can get you things should you ever be unfortunate to find yourself behind bars. If the aforementioned winning goal skims in off Richard Keogh’s arse then you are king of the penitentiary.
Lord Nelson – remember, winning goal against Derby – treads the line between looking outrageously talented one minute yet having sausages for feet the next; sometimes all in one beautifully clumsy moment. He’ll run around a lot early doors in a game; less so towards the end. He is not blessed with pace. He is prone to sustained bouts of glove-wearing.
His absence for the tail end of last season through a groin injury laid bare the team’s struggles in front of goal. Indeed, after he limped of having scored what turned out to be the winner in a 1-0 victory over Preston on 8th March, Forest suffered a horrendous run: chalking up only a point from their next 8 games and scoring only 4 goals. With Britt Assombalonga out for the season, he was pretty much our only realistic goal threat. Besides, even when he was provided with a strike partner, that man was usually Chris O’Grady so, you know, you can only work with what you’ve got.
In short, he’s not John Deehan but he’s probably better than Cameron Jerome. “
David writes for Bandy and Shinty, a Nottingham Forest quarterly fanzine. You can follow him on Twitter @DavidMarples
James Chaplin official signing rating
N’elson Oliveira. A Portuguese international who made several appearances for his country as a 21 year old in Euro 2012, Oliveira has been somewhat of a journeyman in his club career. Now aged 25, City will be his eighth senior club after the Benfica man has had multiple loans away from Est’adio da Luz and I have to question why he hasn’t settled anywhere.
At6’1″ and broad-shouldered, Oliveira is a powerful, aggressive player and his performances for Forest last season suggest he is a decent all round striker with a good workrate and an eye for goal. Will provide some much needed competition for Cameron Jerome.
If the rumoured price tag of lb5m is in the right ballpark, he will be good value for money. 72 footballs.