Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest | England)

coochiee

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2023/2/3/looking-back-on-chris-woods-53-weeks-as-a-newcastle-united-player

 
Fairly thoughtful analysis. I did get the feeling there was a good chunk of the fandom that a) liked him anyway as a no nonsense character in an industry where nonsense comes standard and b) appreciated that he’d been an important part of the turn around in results, even if he hadn’t been smashing in the goals. Watching as much as I did at Newcastle I felt he didn’t die with the ball at Newcastle.

Newcastle is an auteur manager project. It’ll be interesting to see what happens and what is happening at Forest. 

As well, you might have missed a few chances that annoy you (and all the forwards at Newcastle have had some shockers) but it’s still probably quite nice to take home 6 or 7 million a year for your work in any case! 

Forest (14th) host one of Wood's former clubs Leeds (17th). He should now have had a few weeks of trainings to have a good idea of how the team is setup. Fingers crossed for a goal - he's (over)due

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/05/england/premier-league/nottingham-forest-fc/leeds-united-afc/3800195/

Starting for Forest.

Kick off in about 10 minutes.

Poetry from the commentators when Boly clips Navas, his own keeper, in his head-
“Hopefully it’s just a gentle glance of the studs…”

Watching the game, interesting one. 

I missed the game, sounds like he was pretty poor though based on player ratings on a couple of sites. Interesting that Navas (the Costa Rican keeper from the WC playoff) was in goal making his debut for Forest.

siac

I missed the game, sounds like he was pretty poor though based on player ratings on a couple of sites. Interesting that Navas (the Costa Rican keeper from the WC playoff) was in goal making his debut for Forest.

Woodsman came off at 73 mins (1-0), in a 1-0 win. Forest up to 13th, 6 pts above the drop zone.

Edit - barely features in the match highlights. Weird to see him in the same team as Navas (or is it Terry Savas according to the commentator). Our CR nemesis made some good saves in this one.

https://highlightsfootball.net/video/nottingham-forest-vs-leeds-united-highlights-2/

Hardly any chance to influence the game. Leeds pressured and pressured, dominating. Forest got the odd scrappy breakout and a well taken goal on one of them. No service to Woodsy at all.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

Hardly any chance to influence the game. Leeds pressured and pressured, dominating. Forest got the odd scrappy breakout and a well taken goal on one of them. No service to Woodsy at all.

Did what he could perfectly well, but a very scrappy game. 

Needs a goal, desperately. 

Forest (13th) travel to Fulham (8th)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/11/england/premier-league/fulham-football-club/nottingham-forest-fc/3800201/

Wood listed in the starting 11. Holding his place above Surridge.

Interestingly Shelvey (ex Newcastle teammate a few weeks back) on the bench for Forest after making a late transfer in the window.

Off at 63 mins (1-0) in a 2-0 loss.

Shelvey had a good assist for him last season iirc. Hopefully they’ll get a bit of game time together…

Yes, unfortunately today Shelvey only subbed on just before Woodsy subbed off. Little chance for them to reconnect. You would hope the manager might see this as a useful link. The right winger did put in a beautiful cross which Woodsy would have got on the end of, if some bloody defender hadn't just managed to intercept first.

Sure he wasn't getting many mins at Newcastle, but interesting they have only managed 3 draws since Wood left. Also looks like Callum Wilson is injured again (missed game at Bournemouth yesterday).

https://highlightsfootball.net/video/fulham-vs-nottingham-forest-highlights-2/

I see the Woodsman's gone permanent at Forest for $15m...

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1626538855804313600?s=20

Chris Wood completes permanent move to Nottingham Forest from Newcastle as buy obligation clause has been triggered after 3 appearances.

#NFFC

Newcastle will receive £15m fee — it was never in doubt and already agreed in January.

reg22

I see the Woodsman's gone permanent at Forest for $15m...

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1626538855804313600?s=20

Chris Wood completes permanent move to Nottingham Forest from Newcastle as buy obligation clause has been triggered after 3 appearances.

#NFFC

Newcastle will receive £15m fee — it was never in doubt and already agreed in January.

That's pretty good business from Newcastle then 15m + 4m loan fee. 6m loss in a year you'd take that as he hasn't been in great form and is entering the latter stage of his career.

Forest (14th) host top of the table Man City

https://au.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/18/england/premier-league/nottingham-forest-fc/manchester-city-football-club/3800215/

Celebrates his permanent move by scoring an 84th min equaliser in a 1-1 draw. Had only been subbed on 5 mins earlier, and now also very popular in North London

First Kiwi to score Premier League goals for 4 different teams?  Another record for his collection!

What a way to become an instant hero. Yeah Woodsy!

Those Nottingham fans were happy! Feels a bit like the pressure is off in Nottingham. Navas made some great saves, and a nice run from Wood, and he got a pass! 

7 mins of match highlights, with about half of it dedicated to Wood's goal!
Didn't realise it went to VAR, but the big guy stayed onside just.

https://highlightsfootball.net/video/nottingham-forest-vs-manchester-city-highlights/

Obviously a big goal re the title race. Forest host Arsenal in the 2nd last game of the season.

They travel to relegation threatened West Ham this weekend. Woodsman has scored a few verus the Hammers. He has 3 goals this EPL season now (2 at Newcastle), and 55 in his EPL career.

Interesting to see Navas the GK from Costa Rica is now Woods team mate.

Ted Striker

Interesting to see Navas the GK from Costa Rica is now Woods team mate.

Navas made some amazing saves too (MOTM from that I saw) - I don't watch much world football other than games kiwis are in, so it's kind of cool to see Navas in the same team as Wood, remembering him from the CR match. 

They had probably both studied each other regarding pens prior to that match; I wonder if they needle each other about that VAR goal Wood scored past him that was controversially overturned...

Even if the goal was a 'tap in' it was a nice run, losing his defender, and he stayed onside perfectly.  The type of poacher goal he used to get on the end of at Burnley; Morgan Gibbs-White seems to be able to play in those fast crosses to the back post (I believe it was also him who put in a similar ball a couple of weeks back that a defender just got in a toe on, denying Wood a similar tap in) so that combo might suit Wood well... lots of people think he scores goals just with his head, but lots of his goals at Burnley (and Leeds prior to that) were similar to this one (from a cross, with either foot) if my memory is correct.

Not the most spectacular individual goal - a great team one though - but huge in the context of the premier league (Arsenal fans will be loving him right now) and for Forest in their relegation battle.

Was watching SBS news in Aussie last night and the Kiwi scoring against Man City was shown in their sports segment. A huge goal in context of the EPL race, that will be getting airtime briefly around the world.

Hopefully kick starts the rest of this season and his next in the EPL. Will be a big confidence boost for him

Out of curiosity, Newcastle haven't won an EPL game since Wood left. 3D & 1L.

coochiee

Out of curiosity, Newcastle haven't won an EPL game since Wood left. 3D & 1L.

 Burnley get relegated when he leaves, Newcastle fall out of the top four when he leaves. Interesting...

Fitzy

coochiee

Out of curiosity, Newcastle haven't won an EPL game since Wood left. 3D & 1L.

 Burnley get relegated when he leaves, Newcastle fall out of the top four when he leaves. Interesting...

To be fair Burnley were already in deep trouble when he left. 
Though to keep a bit of a theme going, after he (and others like Trippier arrived) Newcastle turned their 2021/22 season around. 

Magpies weren't helped in their 0-2 loss to Liverpool on the weekend, by Wood's ex Clarets team mate Nick Pope having a brain fade at only 22 mins in & getting a straight red. I think he now misses the League Cup final at Wembley against Man U this weekend, where Newcastle's (now 5th in the EPL) long trophy drought could be ended. But you get the feeling now they may just end up battling for a Europa League spot (5th).

Steve Cooperball 👌🏽
All 11 players touching the ball before the equaliser .
Brennan Johnsons dribble & shimmy before slipping it to MGW for the assist 🤩#NFFC pic.twitter.com/D5vS1YJYts

— 🆁 (@TheyCallHimR) February 19, 2023

I hadn't actually seen the goal before this, and I'm not going to lie, that is a beautifully worked goal.

The kind of play we've become accustomed to seeing from City over the years.

From Flying Kiwis.

Steve Cooper on Chris Wood:

"I’m so pleased the supporters gave him the reception they did afterwards, and equally as pleased with the reception he got off the players when he came in the dressing room. He got a massive round of applause." #NFFC @nottslivesport pic.twitter.com/NVZ9Y6zie0

— Callum Castel (@callumcasteln) February 19, 2023

Chris Wood has now been sold for £15m or more on three separate occasions in his career. The top three transfer fees ever paid for a New Zealander were all for Chris Wood.

Another good quote:

“The fans are guna like Chris, you know? They’re guna like him for what he is. It wasn’t just his goal…for me Chris has a lot of good attributes that really typifies the attitude that we want.”

Forest (13th) travel to East London to play West Ham (18th). Both teams fighting to avoid the drop.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/25/england/premier-league/west-ham-united-fc/nottingham-forest-fc/3800227/

Forest thumped 4-0. Was 0-0 until 70th min
Wood started and off at 77 mins (2-0)

Jarred Gillet was the ref

Forest (14th) host Everton (18th)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/03/05/england/premier-league/nottingham-forest-fc/everton-football-club/3800235/

Woodsman off at 71 mins with Forest down 1-2. They score few mins later to make it 2-2, and that’s how it finishes 

Nice to see Wood now a starter

Wood up against big James Tarkowski and a couple of other ex Burnley team mates plus Sean Dyche in this one. CW with the pre assist for Forest's first goal, a nice layoff. Might have scored himself with a glancing header if Tarkowski hadn't got in the way.

https://highlightsfootball.net/video/nottingham-forest-vs-everton-highlights/

Newcastle still to win an EPL game since Wood left (3D & 2L). They play Forest in a fortnight, I guess Woodsman can play since his move is now permanent.

Back to the bench for today's game against spurs.