Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest | England)

Yeah I'd still be worried about relegation if I was a Burnley fan. Especially if NewSaudiArabiaCastle buy themselves out of the relegation battle by spending their new-found trillions on Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Conte in January.

Pretty sure Norwich will go back down straight away and likely Watford. Think it will be between Burnley and Southampton. Palace haven’t started badly but always possible to get dragged down 

AucklandPhoenix

Pretty sure Norwich will go back down straight away and likely Watford. Think it will be between Burnley and Southampton. Palace haven’t started badly but always possible to get dragged down 

Hard to tell at this stage, I watched Norwich's past two games against Burnley and Brighton and they looked far better than both those teams. Burnley look like they're gonna struggle big time. It'll be interesting to see who goes down, probably get a clearer picture around January and if Burnley are to go down I reckon Wood will just jump ship elsewhere tbh.

There was a comment I heard somewhere where they said there are a few teams this season who are hoping there are 3 worse teams and haven’t made any real progress since last season and Burnley so far is in that category I’d say. 

Subbed off late at 91 mins (score 2-2) for Vydra in a 2-2 draw at Southampton (15th). Clarets rise to 18th (3rd last).

New season signing Gnaly Cornet from Côte d'Ivoire with both Burnley's goals. On his way to being a fan favourite, and team's leading scorer so far with 3. Wood with some good hold up play pre both goals.

Plenty of action in the game as a whole. Hopefully Burnley take some confidence out of it.
https://highlightsfootball.net/video/southampton-vs-burnley-highlights-4/

Clarets host Spurs in League Cup midweek.

Subbed on at 60 mins as Clarets knocked out of League Cup 1-0 by Spurs at Turf Moor. Goal at 68 mins.

Vydra and J-Rod started up front, Barnes and Wood coming on together.

Wood scores a nice goal, with a run behind the defense and hitting it first time after 4 mins! Brentford keeper on debut's first touch is picking the ball out of the net! Burnley up 1-0 after 9.

Burnley go on to win 3-1. A good match for Wood who played the full 90 (opening the scoring in the 4th min), his best match this season imo.

Has now scored 49 in the premier league (48 of those for Burnley).

Being unemployed is great (would recommend it to anyone), finally getting to watch the EPL now I don't have to care about messing up my sleeping habits and getting up in time for work!

https://highlightsfootball.net/video/burnley-vs-brentford-highlights/

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/300442190/premier-league-chris-wood-scores-as-burnley-win-first-game-of-the-season

Woodsman 2 goals in 10 EPL games. Tough gig next week away to Chelsea. 

But after that visit to the Bridge, not a bad trot of Palace (H), Spurs (H), Wolves (A) & Newcastle (A).

Clarets climb out of relegation spots with the win, up to 17th.

That’s a great strike!

Brentford's goal was a peach too,

Woodsy also looked to have had a very nice headed assist too, but Cornet's goal was ruled out for offside.

Burnley get a huge point with an away draw vs Chelsea. Wood came off 1-0 down after 60m, Vydra scored his first goal in forever at about 80m (set up by JRod who looked lively but also messed up a good chance to win it by running to the corner instead of having a shot near the end).

Not the best game for Wood, he worked/ran hard but had a heavy first touch a few times and didn't get much out of the Chelsea back four, not winning his usual amount of headers from the long ball.

Burnley are 18th.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/300448071/premier-league-burnley-snatches-draw-at-chelsea-with-late-goal

After the FIFA window, a run of Palace (H), Spurs (H), Wolves (A) & Newcastle (A) - should offer up some points.

Gets Clarets 2nd goal in a 3-3 home draw with Palace (10th), in the north of England rain.

Burnley (18th & in drop zone) down 2-3 at HT.

https://highlightsfootball.net/video/burnley-vs-crystal-palace-highlights-4/

Next Spurs at home.

3rd EPL goal of the season for the Woodsman, who subbed off for J-Rod at 80 mins (score 3-3).

Wood's 50th EPL goal. A bit ugly but you take it. Typical Burnley goal really. Big congrats to him. I hope NZF at least nominate him for NZ Sportsperson of the year, but in an Olympics year he'll never make the shortlist.

On the other hand terrific strike by new fan favourite Cornet (4 goals in 6 starts). Vydra on for Cornet with a late chance to win it.

coochiee

Gets Clarets 2nd goal in a 3-3 home draw with Palace (10th), in the north of England rain.

Burnley (18th & in drop zone) down 2-3 at HT.

https://highlightsfootball.net/video/burnley-vs-crystal-palace-highlights-4/

Next Spurs at home.

3rd EPL goal of the season for the Woodsman, who subbed off for J-Rod at 80 mins (score 3-3).

Wood's 50th EPL goal. A bit ugly but you take it. Typical Burnley goal really. Big congrats to him. I hope NZF at least nominate him for NZ Sportsperson of the year, but in an Olympics year he'll never make the shortlist.

On the other hand terrific strike by new fan favourite Cornet (4 goals in 6 starts). Vydra on for Cornet with a late chance to win it.

Cornet actually has 5 now (Wood on 3). It could end up being an interesting golden boot race for Burnley this year!

I think Wood looks better playing next to Cornet, opposition knows Cornet is dangerous, and he's fast, so takes some pressure off Wood and creates a bit more space for him.

I've managed to get up and watch all the matches this season (yay, for being made redundant meaning I don't care about sleep times!) and thought it was one of Woods better matches this season, and this is after playing in the middle east just a few days before too. Seems to be getting his confidence back and looking a bit sharper, which wasn't hurt by his 2 goals for the All Whites!

This video really shows the way Burnley and the fans appreciate Chris Wood. It’s been a slow start to the season for him and them, and let’s be honest, not a goal of the season , and commentator is so stoked “Back to his best!”
50th PL goal to boot, must be chasing down 50 PL goals for Burnley soon. Edit: yep, one away, just that early one for Leicester as a sub. Didn’t get any for West Brom in the PL.

https://youtu.be/wbZ2NSqG-Lo

No match for Burnley tonight, it's been called off an hour before kickoff due to heavy snow! 

Upfront with Cornet as Clarets (19th, 2nd last) visit Wolves (6th).

Subbed off for JRod at 58 mins with score at 0-0. Wood looked pissed and had a few words.. Dyche came over and mouthed something at him, that according to people who can lip read better than I said 'sit down and shut the fudge up'... A bit of drama.  Lots of Burnley fans seem to be scapegoating him on their fan forum and have forgotten his goals over the last few years. 

siac

Subbed off for JRod at 58 mins with score at 0-0. Wood looked pissed and had a few words.. Dyche came over and mouthed something at him, that according to people who can lip read better than I said 'sit down and shut the fudge up'... A bit of drama.  Lots of Burnley fans seem to be scapegoating him on their fan forum and have forgotten his goals over the last few years. 

Finishes 0-0, and Burnley go up a spot to 18th over Norwich on GD. These highlights don't show much of what Woodsman got up to or didn't.
https://highlightsfootball.net/video/wolves-vs-burnley-highlights-4/

Clarets have been here before recent sesons, but need points the next 4 games. Newcastle (A), Hammers (H), Watford (H) & Villa (A).


Did notice this from Flying Kiwis, this week. Not exactly fawning stuff from Dyche on Wood! Trying to spark something in his big Kiwi?? He will fully know now what makes his no 1 striker tick, and having a quick new shining fan favourite Cornet alongside will be it's own little challenge. Fans move on quick.

"Speaking of Sean Dyche, here are some nice words he had to say about Chris Wood after his fiftieth Premier League goal last week:

“I still think there’s more to his game, but he does have that knack of scoring a goal. He finds a goal for us, as well as being in the right place at the right time. His movement is good, and he’s got that something extra when he’s really on it, which I like. It's not easy to score that many in the Premier League, especially at a club like this, so fair play to him.”

Full game as Clarets (18th) go down 1-0 at Newcastle (19th).

Wood started with Cornet, but the Ivorian went off earlier (presume injured) at 32 mins. On came Vydra.

No real clear cut chances for Woodsman in the highlights. J-Rod on at 81 mins, who has a late would be equaliser rightly ruled out for offside. 

https://highlightsfootball.net/video/newcastle-united-vs-burnley-highlights-5/

In an interesting move by Dyche, Wood subbed off at 60 minutes for Vydra in a 0-0 draw verus West Ham (4th).

Full game for J-Rod, who started up front with the Woodsman in the absence of an injured Cornet.

Wood with a header off target early doors. Then I note 2nd half, bit of a sloppy pass (mis communication with a a team mate) that puts Burnley under pressure
https://highlightsfootball.net/video/burnley-vs-west-ham-united-highlights-5/

Clarets stay 18th. Good news for them is Newcastle (19th) got thumped at Leicester. Burnley host Watford (17th) midweek. Too early in the season to call it a 6 pointer?

coochiee

In an interesting move by Dyche, Wood subbed off at 60 minutes for Vydra in a 0-0 draw verus West Ham (4th).

Full game for J-Rod, who started up front with the Woodsman in the absence of an injured Cornet.

Wood with a header off target early doors. Then I note 2nd half, bit of a sloppy pass (mis communication with a a team mate) that puts Burnley under pressure
https://highlightsfootball.net/video/burnley-vs-west-ham-united-highlights-5/

Clarets stay 18th. Good news for them is Newcastle (19th) got thumped at Leicester. Burnley host Watford (17th) midweek. Too early in the season to call it a 6 pointer?

Don't think it's too early to call it a six pointer. I think three will go down from Burnley, Norwich, Newcastle, Southampton, Watford and Leeds. Leeds would be surprising, I think they'll be fine, and Newcastle could still spend a huge amount of money in January and drag themselves clear. So any matches against those other three are absolutely crucial imo. 

Fitzy

coochiee

In an interesting move by Dyche, Wood subbed off at 60 minutes for Vydra in a 0-0 draw verus West Ham (4th).

Full game for J-Rod, who started up front with the Woodsman in the absence of an injured Cornet.

Wood with a header off target early doors. Then I note 2nd half, bit of a sloppy pass (mis communication with a a team mate) that puts Burnley under pressure
https://highlightsfootball.net/video/burnley-vs-west-ham-united-highlights-5/

Clarets stay 18th. Good news for them is Newcastle (19th) got thumped at Leicester. Burnley host Watford (17th) midweek. Too early in the season to call it a 6 pointer?

Don't think it's too early to call it a six pointer. I think three will go down from Burnley, Norwich, Newcastle, Southampton, Watford and Leeds. Leeds would be surprising, I think they'll be fine, and Newcastle could still spend a huge amount of money in January and drag themselves clear. So any matches against those other three are absolutely crucial imo. 

That's 2 out of the last 3 Wood's been pulled on the hour mark after looking pretty sluggish and having some poor touches. Vydra and JRod seem to create more and look more lively from what I've seen this season, yet Wood has a much better scoring rate the last few years (JRod hasn't scored in his last 20 or so premier league appearances!) which is keeping him in the starting line up. He's probably lucky Barnes also hasn't looked great lately (and is now injured) or he might be getting even less game time.

Hopefully getting pulled early means he will be sharp for the crucial mid week game against Watford.

“Burnley have announced at two and a half hours’ notice that their Premier Leaguematch at home to Watford has been postponed at “due to an ongoing Covid outbreak within the opposition squad”.

The Premier League said that Watford did not have enough first-team players available to take part in the match.“

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/300479376/premier-league-chris-wood-gets-day-off-as-burnleywatford-game-called-off-due-to-covid

Gets a Halberg nomination - Sportsman of the Year. Ironically at a time when he maybe struggling a bit at Burnley.

Has he been nominated before?

https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/110747?newsfeedId=1223399

Burnley's game at Villa postponed.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

Just b4 kick off. That sucks.

I signed up to Spark Sport purely to watch Wood for Burnley and that's 3 out of last 4 cancelled now. 2 due to covid and 1 due to snow... And even the one he played Dyche subbed him off on the hour! 

Extra annoying when you set your alarm or wait up all night until nearly 4am to find out just before kickoff! 

siac

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

Just b4 kick off. That sucks.

I signed up to Spark Sport purely to watch Wood for Burnley and that's 3 out of last 4 cancelled now. 2 due to covid and 1 due to snow... And even the one he played Dyche subbed him off on the hour! 

Extra annoying when you set your alarm or wait up all night until nearly 4am to find out just before kickoff! 

That is very bad luck. Hopefully the catch up fixtures will bring joy when they roll in!

Everton match postponed 

Full game in a 3-1 loss at Old Trafford. All goals in first half. Man U 6th. Clarets 18th.

J-Rod & Pope were out with Covid. Aaron Lennon who started up front with Wood, with Burnley's goal.

Woodsman with a couple of early chances. If Cornet & J-Rod weren't both out, he may have been benched by now. Not really happening for him this season so far, and Burnley need goals. Only 15 in 16 games (3rd worst in EPL).

Amazing that Wolves are 8th, yet have only scored 13 times in 18 games!

Surely a six pointer against Leeds. If escape from relegation is possible now is looking like a great time to light the touch paper. 

Leeds put Burnley away. 

Wood a long shift, but not much change before he was subbed. Burnley’s goal an individual rip shorter from a set piece from Cornet. 
In the bit I watched Wood seemed to be winning a bunch of headers from Hennessy long balls, but no one was getting on them from Burnley. 
Gotta be desperate days for Burnley when Lennon is starting for them.
Wood would’ve loved to have had some service from Dan James who came on for Leeds and was part of what took the game away from Burnley after the leveler.

martinb

Leeds put Burnley away. 

Wood a long shift, but not much change before he was subbed. Burnley’s goal an individual rip shorter from a set piece from Cornet. 
In the bit I watched Wood seemed to be winning a bunch of headers from Hennessy long balls, but no one was getting on them from Burnley. 
Gotta be desperate days for Burnley when Lennon is starting for them.
Wood would’ve loved to have had some service from Dan James who came on for Leeds and was part of what took the game away from Burnley after the leveler.

So yeah finished 3-1 Leeds (16th), and they now have a 6 point gap on Watford (17th). Burnley (18th), in the relegation zone, 2 points behind the Hornets.

Early days (at about half way point) but looking like mix of Watford, Clarets, Newcastle (19th) and Norwich (20th) will make up the 3 teams to go down. Clarets do have few games in hand, but next 4 matches - Leicester, Gunners, Man U & Liverpool!

Think Burnley still have to play Watford twice this season, in what will be virtual 6 pointers.

Woodsman got 84 mins at Elland Rd (replaced by Vydra), with J Rod coming on at 80 mins for Lennon. Been awhile since old firm Barnes & Wood started a game together.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/127424396/burnley-player-hit-by-bottle-during-loss-at-leeds

He named Barnes as his favorite strike partner in an interview. 
Cornet seems like their clear best player and leading scorer, but also a player who perhaps isn’t quite an interchangeable piece in the inimitable and effective Burnley machine of yore. Though none of them are at the moment and even players like Tarkovski may be leaving, which won’t make things any easier.

Cornet is away for the next month for the African Nations cup which will not help Burnley. Interestingly, considering Wood is the striker, Wood seems more likely to assist Cornet than the other way around. As he wins headers from the long ball and Cornet runs onto them; it's actually how they won the freekick that lead to Cornet's goal.

Burnley has an old squad and clearly lack pace, so Cornet makes a difference there... Cornet is the only one who seems to have lots of energy and capable of something special amongst the Burnley team. 

Burnley's midfield and crossing has been rubbish this season which isn't helping Wood who is looking increasingly out of confidence.

As mentioned above, the 2 matches against Watford are already shaping as crucial to staying up. I don't think they have announced the date yet for the rescheduled (due to Covid) match, let's hope it doesn't clash with the All Whites WC qualifiers or the club vs country thing will be more of an issue...