Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest | England)

A few weeks ago I would have definitely said he is going nowhere. But that miss in the FA Cup loss to Sheffield Wednesday was a bad one, and seems some of the fans haven't forgiven him yet.

Also what of the Garang Kuol factor. Now over the border at Hearts on loan. Debuted against St Mirren on the weekend, though not in match day squad against Aberdeen overnight (Hearts won 5-0, Cam Devlin with 5th goal).

But is Kuol looking good is training? Adapting fast to the UK scene? I'm sure Hearts are talking to Newcastle all the time. He's a genuine talent.

Could Kuol return to Tyneside from his loan at season end, and overtake Wood in the pecking order? Plus there are always going to be rumours about cashed up Newcastle chasing this big name or another. And if they qualify for the UCL, that will make them a shark load more attractive for any ambitious striker. The Woodsman's days wearing black & white stripes may well be numbered.

Loan move to Forrest would be good for him.

Ninja

Loan move to Forrest would be good for him.

Forest is an interesting club and squad this season tbh! Not sure if it would be the best place to build a case to continue as a PL footballer or not.  It’s all a gamble I guess. 

My gut instinct is that if he can survive at Newcastle he could get more minutes and turn it around. Wilson is injury prone. The others can play through the centre, but it’s not necessarily their main strength. I’ve seen Isak play several frustrated games.  He is a different kind of player Howe can call on, but on the other hand that was a very visible miss. It’s unlucky. 

Look at the last performance against Fulham. A chance is put away in the last gasp and the misses of the game are forgotten. But everyone else who might have been vulnerable has more credit in bank including Murphy and especially Almiron. Wood’s got his emphatic penalty finishes which show his popularity with the players, but not many other highlight moments. 

He might be out of luck with any or all of the fans, owners or coaching staff. But, yeh, I kind of feel that if he can stay at Newcastle there are a lot of games and chances. 

Elemenop

I cant see it. Newcastle don't have the depth to let him go. And they'd want some serious cash for him. 

Gee how things can change in a month

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64332088

Looks pretty likely to be done and dusted by the next game.

I guess it is just a loan deal. A Wood in a Forest does sound like an ideal home!

He came in last season and did a good job. 

But tbh it’s clear he just doesn’t cut the mustard. Missed some absolute sitters and doesn’t offer what’s needed for our style of play.

Hopefully this means we are getting a new signing soon!

If on loan, do you think they will bring someone in if Forest don’t end up buying him? 

nufc_nz

He came in last season and did a good job. 

But tbh it’s clear he just doesn’t cut the mustard. Missed some absolute sitters and doesn’t offer what’s needed for our style of play.

Hopefully this means we are getting a new signing soon!

If he manages to stay in the Premier League he's done well. Best for him to take up Forest gig.

Forest loan move confirmed:
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/23263215.newcastle-united-agree-loan-deal-nottingham-forest-chris-wood/
and here:
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12790419/chris-wood-nottingham-forest-agree-deal-with-newcastle-to-sign-striker-on-an-initial-loan-deal
The deal is a loan with an obligation to buy depending on certain conditions. The obligation price is in the region of £15m.
  Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth told the Transfer Show: 

"The Chris Wood deal is a loan with an obligation to buy depending on certain conditions. We're not privy to those conditions but you might guess it will relate to Nottingham Forest staying in the Premier League and perhaps based on appearances.
He is heading to Nottingham to undergo a medical and complete personal terms. Forest are away to Bournemouth and if they can get the deal done by midday tomorrow, he will be available for that game."
 One factor in the Wood move is that Nottingham Forest are set to be without £17m forward Taiwo Awoniyi for a couple of months after he picked up an injury in the recent 1-0 win over Southampton. 

 

Oh well hopefully he can have a great few months at Forest, they stay up and he's there next season.

I'd say deal ends any dreams he had of playing in the UCL/UEL next season? That's unless he goes on a scoring spree for Forest, but they still go down, and Newcastle decide to keep him and see out his contract with them. Unlikely scenario.

FYI - Sligo Rovers play Nottingham Forrest Under 21’s next Monday pre season, in Nottingham. Could the Woodsman get a run, and lineup against Mata & Pjinaker!

tbh even if we get European football next year, I can’t see Wood playing anything more than a minor role in the greater squad. 

He’s just not good enough.

nufc_nz

tbh even if we get European football next year, I can’t see Wood playing anything more than a minor role in the greater squad. 

He’s just not good enough.

Granted, he's not good enough for a club with huge Saudi oil money who now have fan expectations to win the biggest tournies in europe. He was 'good enough' when you needed him to help avoid relegation though.

I think he peaked 2/3 years back (wasn't having a good season for Burnley before his Newcastle transfer even). He's still 'good enough' for the premier league though I reckon, at least another year in him.

If this gives him some game time and his goal scoring form back then good move for all parties involved. From an All Whites perspective I think our national team is suffering from our bigger talents just not getting regular minutes at club level.

Who knows a successful stint at Forest and he may have bought himself a couple of extra seasons in the premier league as a relegation survival specialist? Maybe Everton or Sheffield United come a knockin' next season ...

Yes don't be so dismissive of a NZ football great. 54 EPL goals. I'll be surprised if I see another Kiwi do that in my lifetime.

Didn't score many for the Magpies, but a big part of why they stayed up last season.

The way Dyche setup Burnley got the best out of the Woodsman (and Barnes). No idea how Forrest play, but hopefully he can re-discover a bit of his scoring mojo there.

Tbh a big part of why he helped Newcastle stay up last season was that his transfer also relegated Burnley. It was a perfect deal from Newcastle’s perspective. 

He went four seasons in a row scoring 10 or more goals, combine that with his hold up play and his ability to pull in defenders and he's very much good enough if he recovers that form.

siac

nufc_nz

tbh even if we get European football next year, I can’t see Wood playing anything more than a minor role in the greater squad. 

He’s just not good enough.

Granted, he's not good enough for a club with huge Saudi oil money who now have fan expectations to win the biggest tournies in europe. He was 'good enough' when you needed him to help avoid relegation though.

I think he peaked 2/3 years back (wasn't having a good season for Burnley before his Newcastle transfer even). He's still 'good enough' for the premier league though I reckon, at least another year in him.

I’ll ignore the snark…

Yes he was good enough in a relegation scrap. 

No, he’s not good enough to be in a team pushing for a top 4 spot, like we have happened to find ourselves in.

What don’t you get?

Headline: The Forest needs Wood.

Forest win the League Cup and they get European Football.

The look on his face is one of "I don't really want to be here". A resigned to his fate kind of look.

It took a while but the wood is in the forest where he belongs

Probably gets him more minutes in the PL. Those 5 min sub appearances aren't good for your matches to goal ratio!

I'm a bit sad he won't have a chance to win any silverware in the EFL cup though (and cup tied from even playing in it for Forest who are also in semis).

At least the possibility of Wood playing CL football hasn't been completely ruled out yet, whether he does return to Newcastle next season or not, he has my full support. :)

So can go back to disliking Newcastle and their fans? Actually didn’t dislike them before this thread.

He hasn’t hit his straps, but certainly has a good record in the PL prior to Newcastle and he’s had plenty of chances to show his stuff at Tyneside. Feel like he wasn’t in a hurry to go back to Leeds! He’s certainly good enough to be in a Newcastle squad, but also feel Howe likes forwards who can play across a front three and dribble. 

Guna hope he stays up and out scores Wilson and Isak. 

Not sure if he's really guaranteed more game time at Forest they have a lot of strikers Johnson, Dennis, Awoniyi, Surridge, and even Gibbs-White has been playing up top last couple of games. I'd say Awoniyi and Johnson would be the main two he's competing against though so maybe will get a solid 20-30 min sub contribution until he can outplace them.

Forest (13th) travel to Bournemouth (17th). Awoniyi is injured.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/01/21/england/premier-league/afc-bournemouth/nottingham-forest-fc/3800178/

I watched the match this morning. Chris got 75 mins (replaced when 0-1 down, the striker subbed on scored with a few mins left to finish 1-1, so Wood might find himself down the pecking order next match).

I thought he had a poor game (despite working hard as usual). According to commentary he hadn't trained with the team at all prior to the match. He lost the ball a few times with some heavy touches and the only half chance he had pretty much missed the ball/scuffed his shot. He also got the ball near the edge of the box once and looked for a pass instead of a shot when he had some space, I think it showed a lack of confidence as it was a spot I think a few years back his instinct would be to try and smash it in.

Nottingham Forest looked really poor (maybe I was getting used to the heights of watching a top 4 team when he was at Newcastle!) and were lucky to get a draw.

That sums up his performances for Newcastle tbh.

Not surprising.

Credit though- Wilson and Isak were scintillating against Palace. 4 tame shots straight at the keeper, after getting a lucky late on the other round.  I’d be bragging when Pope was your best player in a 3 v 12.

Edit: not many Newcastle fans outside this forum throwing shade at Wood after their recent record of 4 games, 60 shots and 1 goal. But hey- it was all Chris Wood…

Forest host Man U, tomorrow morning in 1st leg of their League Cup semi. Unfortunately Wood is cup tied to fellow semi finalist Newcastle.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/01/25/england/league-cup/nottingham-forest-fc/manchester-united-fc/4017303/

Newcastle won their first leg away to Southamptom so are looking very likely for a final. Feel a bit sad for Wood that he won't be part of the final (he even scored one of his few Newcastle open field goals earlier in the cup).

coochiee

Forest host Man U, tomorrow morning in 1st leg of their League Cup semi. Unfortunately Wood is cup tied to fellow semi finalist Newcastle.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/01/25/england/league-cup/nottingham-forest-fc/manchester-united-fc/4017303/

"Unfortunately" for United! Wood's stats are abysmal this year. 

https://footystats.org/players/new-zealand/chris-wood

It's a big mountain for Forest to climb, plus they won't have the home advantage next time and will face pressure from probably 70k United fans. Incredibly frustrating for Wood or any player to be cup tied.

2nd leg League Cup tie, Forest 0-3 down from the 1st leg, with a mountain to climb travelling to Old Trafford. Probably already focusing on the home EPL game against Leeds this weekend.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/01/england/league-cup/manchester-united-fc/nottingham-forest-fc/4017305/

coochiee

2nd leg League Cup tie, Forest 0-3 down from the 1st leg, with a mountain to climb travelling to Old Trafford. Probably already focusing on the home EPL game against Leeds this weekend.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/01/england/league-cup/manchester-united-fc/nottingham-forest-fc/4017305/

 Gutting that he's cup-tied to Newcastle. Not often we get to watch Kiwis play at a godly hour of the day!

Man U 2-0 winners (2-0 agg). Be interesting to see if Wood starts on the weekend verus Leeds

coochiee

Man U 2-0 winners (2-0 agg). Be interesting to see if Wood starts on the weekend verus Leeds

Surely he will. They started him last time with no training sessions.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

coochiee

Man U 2-0 winners (2-0 agg). Be interesting to see if Wood starts on the weekend verus Leeds

Surely he will. They started him last time with no training sessions.

Could depend if Awoniyi is back from sickbay.