Kiwi Players Elsewhere

Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest | England)

5546 replies · 955,748 views
over 2 years ago
martinb
Looks like it will be Nuno for Forest. 

Did Wood’s hamstring injury after his two goals against Luton doom Cooper? They really lost cohesion and shape after that quite badly, and Wood was briefly getting some good service. 

Hard to say if Wood would be in Nuno’s immediate calculations, but I guess we’ll find out. 

The press I saw was a bit rough and reactive the last few weeks calling for Origi and then for Gibbs White to start up front. Seemed like Cooper tried it too, which just seemed like desperation. Or an admission he’d lost control. A front 3 of Elanga, Gibbs-White and Wood seemed like the way to go with Awoniyi out imo, to build on their Luton success. 

Anyway. Anyone watch Nuno at Wolves? What kind of football does he play?

Limited ambition football at Wolves. Limited ambition football at Spurs. Don't care about Saudi, but my left nut says it was crap there too. 
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over 2 years ago
Limited ambition football at Wolves that got them in to Europe after gaining promotion to the Premier League.

Three for me, and two for them.

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over 2 years ago
Buffon II
Limited ambition football at Wolves that got them in to Europe after gaining promotion to the Premier League.

That was probably more to do with the relationship with a certain agency that allowed them to get top players for not much. 
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about 2 years ago
On the flip side this quote:
‘’A backup striker for Taiwo Awoniyi is a must, and the club are considering signing a right-sided centre‑back but, in all likelihood, will need to sell first.’

And this:
‘Nuno’s Wolves implemented a 3-4-3 in the Premier League but adjustment will be required if he is to get the best out of the key man, Morgan Gibbs-White, a Cooper disciple, who Nuno believes is most effective centrally. ‘

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/dec/20/steve-cooper-nuno-espirito-santo-nottingham-forest

Which suggests at least 3 players are to be favoured centrally before Wood. 



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about 2 years ago
Will be in Nuno’s first starting line up! 
Can he stay there and will he get the service and deliver today? 


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about 2 years ago
The bad news is 10 man Forest went down 2-3 to an injury time goal... the good news is that Wood had a good match with an assist and goal.

The sending off was ridiculous so Forest can feel hard done by.
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about 2 years ago
Well, if you want to be in your managers plans moving forward, that is about as good as introduction as you can offer.
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about 2 years ago
MetalLegNZ
Well, if you want to be in your managers plans moving forward, that is about as good as introduction as you can offer.

Assist was mint, made the tackle, wins the ball and set up the goal.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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about 2 years ago · edited about 2 years ago · History
Seems like the pattern from before- the attack is scoring goals and usually two of them. That should at least be enough for a point! 

Watched the highlights- yeh and the first one really roused Forest after the card. There was a third there for Forest. They looked good on attack. 

Bournemouth’s winner was such a heartbreaker. They’d defended attack after attack. 90 seconds left and they leave Solanke unmarked and even then the keeper gets a hand to it. 


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about 2 years ago
That red was unbelievable. Won the ball comfortably and shouldn’t even have been a foul. I only saw highlights so unsure if it went to VAR but if it did and wasn’t overturned then wow.
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about 2 years ago
loyalgunner
That red was unbelievable. Won the ball comfortably and shouldn’t even have been a foul. I only saw highlights so unsure if it went to VAR but if it did and wasn’t overturned then wow.


Right up there with one of the worst decisions i have ever seen. Ridiculous if this is what our game is coming to.

Three for me, and two for them.

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about 2 years ago
loyalgunner
That red was unbelievable. Won the ball comfortably and shouldn’t even have been a foul. I only saw highlights so unsure if it went to VAR but if it did and wasn’t overturned then wow.
it was a second yellow, var can't intervene 
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about 2 years ago · edited about 2 years ago · History
Wood, Elanga and Gibbs White looking sexy AF as an attacking triumvirate. Wood gets another goal as a great combination from the other two puts it on a plate for him. 

Hudson-Odoi also no slouch.

1-1 in the 48th minute.

Wood looking as good as he’s been in recent memory. He’s looking athletic and hungry and dominant as he moves around the park. Another favorite moment so far was when Burn went to give him a bump to remind him he was there and hurt himself. 


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about 2 years ago
Suddenly hits some scoring form!
5 now in this EPL season. Up there with his days at Burnley.



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about 2 years ago
And that is the up there with the best of his ever. Does Burn like a dinner, cuts back onto his left foot and cushions a chip over the keeper. Great ball from Elanga.


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about 2 years ago
And the hat trick! Wood is back!


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about 2 years ago · edited about 2 years ago · History
What a player!
Great stuff Woodsman - Have been waiting for him to be in a setup that plays to his attributes, and he looks to be really hungry. Things really clicking into gear, especially over the last couple of performances. 👏
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about 2 years ago
Everyone watched his Burnley goals (mostly laid on brilliantly by McNeil) and think he’s a set piece bully in the air or a six yard poacher.

But that’s much more point of the spear, ball in front of him, like he was at Leeds or honestly as good as he’s ever been. That combination with those 3 has been brewing for a two to three months. And he’s been this fit for a similar length of time. 


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about 2 years ago
People provide some really great stuff on twitter. But this is my absolute favourite from this morning.



😂😂😂
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about 2 years ago
I saw a post match interview and the guy said "3 class goals, the last two very non traditional chris wood goals" hahaha. 

Chris's reply " thats a bit harsh" with a cheeky smile on his face haha. 
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about 2 years ago
All three on the left peg too if you don't mind
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about 2 years ago
Hopefully that silences some of his critics and allays any fears the new manager won't rate him/play him.
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about 2 years ago · edited about 2 years ago · History
MetalLegNZ
Hopefully that silences some of his critics and allays any fears the new manager won't rate him/play him.

If anything seems Nuno Espirito Santo may bring out the best in Wood (a 2nd coming?), by setting up with a structure that suits the big Kiwi. Early days! On another day he is just offside for the 3rd one.

But how he must have enjoyed last night. Returning to a big club, where alot of fans didn't rate him highly and getting a hattrick. The 2nd goal especially was high class.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/301032590/chris-wood-scores-hattrick-on-return-to-newcastle-to-lift-nottingham-forest-to-vital-win

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about 2 years ago · edited about 2 years ago · History
Some cool stuff off Niche Cache. Savour it. A Kiwi scoring a hat trick in the EPL (or any top 5 league), may not happen again in our life times (depending on your age!). TV1 Sport may even consider it news.











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about 2 years ago
He’s the 82nd highest scorer (equal) in premier league history. Big man needs to crack the top 50!
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about 2 years ago · edited about 2 years ago · History
Show's what Wood can do when he gets service AND front foot ball. We all knew how good he is at headers but it turns out he can take on defenders 1-v-1 as well - great goals! He's looking very fit and very quick.
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about 2 years ago
This has probably been said to death on this forum, but it will never cease to amaze  how long Wood has been around. 

Yes he did make his senior national debut and first feature in the Premier League/Championship when he was only in his late teenage years, but in my opinion, there's just something about Wood's several milestones and achievements in his club and international career that can make you forget he's only 32.

As always, Keep up the great work Woodsy!
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about 2 years ago
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about 2 years ago
Flying Kiwis. Agree NES. I've watched that 2nd goal about 5 times at least.

Nuno Espirito Santo: “And the way he did it was amazing. The goals are important but how he finished the second goal is beautiful. Something that I’ll enjoy seeing over and over again. It’s beautiful. Congratulations to Chris. And for Chris to score goals, they have to work very hard behind [him]. All of them. The fans. Let’s enjoy this moment but let’s not stop here.”

What’s especially funky is how he’s suddenly running at defenders... he didn’t have a successful take-on at all under Cooper this term now he’s 4/4 under Nuno. Note also that he scored all three hat-trick goals with his left foot. He’s yet to score with his right at all in 2023-24... four with his left, three with his head. His overall Prem career reads: 26 right-footed goals, 21 headed goals, 14 left-footed goals, and 1 other.

You probably also spotted that he was too classy to celebrate against his old club. A nice touch in a game that was full of nice touches from this bloke.
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about 2 years ago
Wonder which is better: Kosta’s finish over the block from Marcelo or Wood’s finish for that second goal? Kind of similar finishes in a way.


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about 2 years ago · edited about 2 years ago · History
Struggling to think of him scoring a better goal amongst his 62 in the EPL. Remember liking his late goal on debut for Burnley against Spurs at Wembley. But that was more the occasion. Then of course one at Old Trafford to defeat Man U. No doubt there are some headers that you need to watch twice to fully appreciate how well they were executed.

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