Kiwi Players Elsewhere

Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest | England)

5546 replies · 955,748 views
over 1 year ago
This is a thing in chess. Should the GOAT be someone who was hugely ahead of his competitors, as in the case of Fisher or Morphy, even if it was for a short period of time? 
Or should it be someone who while closer to the pack was dominant for longer such as Kasparov? And how does improved computer analysis affect the claim of modern players, many of whom consider Carlsen the obvious GOAT? 

Wood in the past year and start to this season is in the most dominant form of his career. If he can play to 80% of this month’s form over the next two years, perhaps it’s a conversation to be had again. The only other thing to say is that the PL is an incredibly strong competition, which should be considered when counting his achievements. Though not the defending for that second goal yesterday! 

That said, a project to make matches and play of Rufer’s available for young Oceanian footballers to view would also be cool. I remember his skills as an old guy who played a bit for the Kings. 


over 1 year ago
I think it's the longevity agrument that at least makes it a debate now.

Wood 236 games in the EPL with 76 goals.
Rufer 174 games in the Bundesliga with 59 goals.

I don't think anyone is suggesting the Woodsman is a better player, more it's now getting to the stage you could agrue he's going to finish with a better career.

Who knows how Wynton would have gone in England if he'd managed to get that work permit. If he had less time in Switzerland (had 7 seasons there) and more time in Germany, there would be less room for a debate.

over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
martinb
This is a thing in chess. Should the GOAT be someone who was hugely ahead of his competitors, as in the case of Fisher or Morphy, even if it was for a short period of time? 
Or should it be someone who while closer to the pack was dominant for longer such as Kasparov? And how does improved computer analysis affect the claim of modern players, many of whom consider Carlsen the obvious GOAT? 

Wood in the past year and start to this season is in the most dominant form of his career. If he can play to 80% of this month’s form over the next two years, perhaps it’s a conversation to be had again. The only other thing to say is that the PL is an incredibly strong competition, which should be considered when counting his achievements. Though not the defending for that second goal yesterday! 

That said, a project to make matches and play of Rufer’s available for young Oceanian footballers to view would also be cool. I remember his skills as an old guy who played a bit for the Kings. 

Rufer scored a Kingz goal with one of the most amazing volleys I've ever seen: ball came at him from distance and he hit it first time on the turn as it dropped over his shoulder.
over 1 year ago
I'm personally hoping Wood overtakes Viduka and becomes the highest scoring Australasian in the Premier League. Looks possible after his exploits so far this season 
over 1 year ago
Anyone know what the Forest fans are chanting?

Oh and I had to do some digging after the above post. Viduka 92 EPL goals, so 17 more for the Woodsman to overtake him. It would be a very nice thing to have over Aussie football fans.

over 1 year ago
Gotta be Chris Wood’s on fire? 

Like the Krishna chant we had?


over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
imanixsupporter
I'm personally hoping Wood overtakes Viduka and becomes the highest scoring Australasian in the Premier League. Looks possible after his exploits so far this season 

Someone may have grabbed your idea imanix

Wood to go past Viduka on the last day of the EPL season as Forest host Chelsea (26th May), the same weekend as an all NZ, ALM Grand Final is confirmed.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360465840/where-chris-wood-sits-english-premier-leagues-all-time-scoring-list

92 – Kevin Phillips, Mark Viduka
While Wood makes his way up this list, there’s one name many New Zealand football fans would like to see him pass, thanks to the age-old trans-Tasman rivalry with Australia, that of their leading Premier League goalscorer, Mark Viduka.
over 1 year ago
Goosebumps, If you skip too Woody scoring goals, I guaranty this will make your day!!
over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Hutcho137
Goosebumps, If you skip too Woody scoring goals, I guaranty this will make your day!!

Yeah fast foward to about the 10 min mark if you are time poor.

'Your defence is terrified, Chris Wood's on Fire' indeed. What a buzz to be playing in agruably the world's no 1 league, and have hundreds of fans chanting your name. Bonus that both goals he scored were down the Forest away supporters end.

To think at the start of the season there was some debate whether Awoniyi should be starting ahead of him. The Nigerian ain't looking like getting many mins this season at all.
over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Nuno tried both of them together and took Wood off when he was on a hat trick to give Awoniyi time.  
I think Nuno would love to have a revolver on each hip shooting venom! It’d close out games by being 2 up instead of low block madness. 

But agree as long as Woodsy keeps scoring and keeps fit he’ll retain his number 1 status. 

There’s also a YouTube of Wood playing Carragher at a quiz game too. But you can google for yourself…


over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Hutcho137
Goosebumps, If you skip too Woody scoring goals, I guaranty this will make your day!!

Freakn! Edit: they hadn’t finished singing his name from the first goal when he got the second? Or just a nice trick of editing?


Never more seriously considered upping sticks and moving to the UK! Plus also thanks to Rik Mayall and Eddie (also on YouTubes, live show) I learned how to speak the local language…
‘Ere,’ere Arsenal are sharke!


over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
If you were a young football mad Kiwi on your London OE now would be a good time. Both Waine and Wood a short train ride north in the Nottingham area.

Bindon at Reading even closer

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/10/28/nottingham-forest-in-talks-to-extend-chris-wood-deal/

Forest are hopeful of reaching an agreement quickly, with the new contract likely to be up to two-and-a-half years.

over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
martinb
Hutcho137
Goosebumps, If you skip too Woody scoring goals, I guaranty this will make your day!!

Freakn! Edit: they hadn’t finished singing his name from the first goal when he got the second? Or just a nice trick of editing?


Never more seriously considered upping sticks and moving to the UK! Plus also thanks to Rik Mayall and Eddie (also on YouTubes, live show) I learned how to speak the local language…
‘Ere,’ere Arsenal are sharke!
I was watching a Leicester Fan video, you could hear it on the far side of the pitch, looks like they were signing when he scored 

over 1 year ago
Niche Cache.

The Athletic: “Wood’s seven goals represent 64 per cent of the 11 goals Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have mustered this season — no player has provided a bigger percentage of their side’s goals. Haaland is next with 53 per cent (10 of Manchester City’s 19). What makes it even more impressive is that Wood has achieved all of this from only 19 shots in his nine league appearances. His conversion rate of 36.8 per cent is the best in the division among players who made five or more shots. Haaland’s goals, in comparison, have come from 35 shots at a conversion rate of 28.6 per cent. Only Haaland (23) and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (16) have had more shots on target than Wood (13).”
over 1 year ago
Napier Phoenix
Have a look at some Chris Wood porn. Some high praise from some very impressive strikers themselves.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/teams/nottingham-forest

Yipe some really strong praise in that list of articles. As one pundit said, Nundo seems to have a system he likes, similar apparently to what he had at Wolves. Speedy wingers and a strong central striker. It's working


Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer says Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood is "in the form of his life" after netting his sixth and seventh league goals of the season against Leicester City.

Speaking on Match of the Day, Shearer said: "He is unbelievable. He is in the form of his life. He is in the place where you're not hoping you are going to score goals, instead you actually know you're going to go out and score them.

"He is just full of confidence. He scored two very different goals against Leicester. For the first one, it is his movement to go into the box and get around the defenders, then his first touch and the swivel, then how he wraps his foot around the ball the way that he did.

"He had no other thought in his mind. He knew exactly where the goal was and there wasn't even one thought about passing it to anyone else. He just wanted to get the shot away - and why shouldn't he with the form he is in?

"For his second goal, he is just too strong for Wout Faes. His awareness of where he is, where the goalkeeper is and what he has to do is so impressive. It was a clever finish to just guide it in with his head, over the goalkeeper.

"It should be a great feeling for him."
over 1 year ago
Called it. Get those votes in! 
over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Forest (7th) host West Ham (13th). One of the Woodsman's favourite teams for a goal the Hammers.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/11/02/england/premier-league/nottingham-forest-fc/west-ham-united-fc/4366814/

Wood starts



over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Beautiful!

Thank f-. I needed that after today. 
Great movement from Wood and great delivery from Moreno. 

1-0 to Forest and they’re singing his name again.


over 1 year ago
And in addition to scoring Wood is proving an all purpose hero- he’s got a block off the line on West Ham’s only shot too. Good half from him and Forest. 

Nottingham certainly has a happy association with sporting Kiwis. First Hadlee, followed by Cairns, Astle and Fleming iirc. 

West Ham picked up a red card just before the half. 

Can Forest close out the win with the opposition presumably sitting deep? Can they do so by scoring a couple more goals, and feeling comfortable more to the point! 


over 1 year ago
Sitting deep doesn't work against big Chris! God I love this run he's on at the moment
Annual finals disappointment enthusiast.

over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Who's got an updated headed goals standings? Must be climbing.

Valley FC til I die?

over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
He is in outrageously good form at the moment. 

If he hits 20+ goals for Forest here and also becomes Oceania's top scorer in the Premier League that will eclipse anything Rufer did for Bremen imo.


Three for me, and two for them.

over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Buffon II
He is in outrageously good form at the moment. 

If he hits 20+ goals for Forest here and also becomes Oceania's top scorer in the Premier League that will eclipse anything Rufer did for Bremen imo.



Lol

There is a debate to be had that Wood (and Nelsen) are better All Whites than Rufer, because of their greater commitment to the national team.

But at club level? No way.
over 1 year ago
Rusty Dunks
Buffon II
He is in outrageously good form at the moment. 

If he hits 20+ goals for Forest here and also becomes Oceania's top scorer in the Premier League that will eclipse anything Rufer did for Bremen imo.



Lol

There is a debate to be had that Wood (and Nelsen) are better All Whites than Rufer, because of their greater commitment to the national team.

But at club level? No way.

We’ll have to wait until after next season’s champion league campaign to decide that. 😉😄


over 1 year ago
Good thing to see- Hudson-Odoi find that goal. He’s been struggling for a couple of games and definitely the first half to find his range. Good to see Forest rampaging and convincingly putting the game away. 

Gibbs-White perhaps a bit under pressure now from Anderson, who just seems to be able to play anywhere. 


over 1 year ago · edited over 1 year ago · History
Highlights. 'His movement is superb'
And yeah not long after the goal, he does get in a messy goal line cleranace,

Came off at 79 mins, after which seems Forest had a host of other chances. Up to the heady heights of 3rd, and next host Wood's former club the Magpies who he scored a hat trick against last season.

https://dasfootball.com/nottingham-forest-vs-west-ham-highlights-2/
over 1 year ago
Nelfoos
Who's got an updated headed goals standings? Must be climbing.

Now clear 5th.

https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/att_hd_goal

Headed goals
1. | Peter Crouch | - |
England | 40 | 
1. | Harry Kane | - |
England | 40 | 
3. | Christian Benteke | - |
Belgium | 33 | 
4. | Olivier Giroud | - |
France | 32 | 
5. | Chris Wood |
Nottingham Forest |
New Zealand | 26
6. | Michail Antonio | - |
Jamaica | 25 | 
6. | Romelu Lukaku | - |
Belgium | 25 | 
8. | Andy Carroll | - |
England | 24 | 
9. | Tim Cahill | - |
Australia | 22 | 
9. | Kenwyne Jones | - |
Trinidad & Tobago | 22
over 1 year ago
The Chris Wood hype train is picking up steam on football Tiktok, starting to see a few edits of him and people joking abt him and Haaland competing for the golden boot like how Messi and Ronaldo once did

Glad everyone is recognizing who the GOAT is
over 1 year ago
Tbf he is only three behind Haaland who has gone dry after a blistering start to the season.

Man City have looked indifferent at times this season, especially without Rodri. If Haaland doesn’t get service he is a passenger. So any prolonged poor form from City, or an injury to Haaland would definitely open the door for Wood among others to have a decent tilt at the golden boot.

Three for me, and two for them.

over 1 year ago
Maaaaaaatt
Wood nominated for Epl player of the month! It's a public vote link below. 

https://www.premierleague.com/news/4159746
BUMP! 
Annual finals disappointment enthusiast.

over 1 year ago
Niche Cache.

Chris Wood was voted Nottingham Forest Player of the Month for October and nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award too. It’s getting difficult to come up with new things to say about him without simply repeating the same ideas with updated stats. So let’s let some other people say things about him instead...

The Guardian: “Forest need a physical presence in the final third to hold up play, ease pressure on the backline and provide an outlet in attack when they clear the ranks. It is no surprise, then, that only Milenkovic (26) has won more aerial duels for Forest than Wood (25). What this means is that Wood sees little of the ball. Strikers don’t see much possession even for the more dominant sides, and Wood has had only 199 touches in the Premier League, the fewest of any Forest player to register at least 300 minutes of game time. When Forest get the ball forward they do so quickly, and crucially they have a frontman who is proving incredibly consistent in the opposition penalty area. Wood’s 25 touches in the opposition box ranks 61st in the top flight, and is fewer than the Leicester central midfielder Wilfred Ndidi (26) and Crystal Palace wing-back Daniel Muñoz (29), but it is where he comes alive. He has scored six of his seven goals in the box and is averaging a goal every 3.6 touches in the penalty area, ranking him sixth of the 122 players to have scored a Premier League goal this season. A conversion rate of 36.8% is also the sixth-best in the division. Wood has never scored more than 14 Premier League goals in a season but is well on course to enjoy his most prolific campaign.”

FotMob: “Last season, the Forest No11 was averaging 2.39 shots per 90 and he had an Expected Goals average of 0.59. His finishing was fine, with an Expected Goals-on-target average of 0.53. He wasn’t adding value to his chances but he wasn’t necessarily devaluing his attempts. Well, not by much. He was finishing at the rate he was expected. Forest created chances for him and he converted. This season, however, he’s stepped things up. He’s attempting a similar number of efforts on a per 90 basis (2.35) but his Expected Goals average has taken a bit of a bit, coming in at 0.46. The big difference is his finishing. His Expected Goals on Target average is 0.7. He’s adding real value to his attempts and this is what is making him even more prolific than last season. You can see it when looking at his shot map. A lot of his efforts are hitting the corners. In fact, all but one of his goals this season have been in the corners of the goal.”

BBC: “The 32-year-old New Zealand international has scored more than half of Forest's 14 goals this season and has 22 goals in 30 Premier League starts since making his move from Newcastle permanent in June 2023. Nineteen of those league goals have come under Nuno since the Portuguese boss arrived last December. Only Manchester City's Erling Haaland has scored more non-penalty goals than Wood's 18 since 23 December 2023. Wood also has the fourth best conversion rate (32.8%) in the Premier League since Nuno arrived and is over-performing his expected goals figure (14.04) by almost five goals.”

But the thing about it all is that it isn’t only a Chris Wood resurgence... it’s a Nottingham Forest resurgence. They’ve settled on an excellent keeper in Mats Sels following a few years of trouble in that position. Nikola Milenkovic has formed a superb CB partnership with Murillo, promptly turning their defence into a strength. They’ve got a variety of good creative players around Woodsy and there’s complete clarity about how they want to play. All of this reflects massively brilliantly on manager Nuno Espirito Santo. 

This latest win, combined with a few other results around the league, has sent Nottm Forest all the way up to third place after ten matches. Keep this up and they could qualify for Europe. Imagine that.
over 1 year ago
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5903057/2024/11/07/chris-wood-form-art-of-being-offside/
over 1 year ago


And he's won the Premier League Player of the Month award as well as the PFA one!

Good on him! Very much deserved
over 1 year ago
Fantastic allocade. Forest are going to have give him a nice pay rise to keep him. 
Presumably the Greek billionaire will.