Todays games

[Rjk]

I see Chris Wood has scored for Forest, so, in true Premier League knocking style, I’ll ask can the league be as good as it’s cracked up to be if a striker who I’d say was a good Championship player, but not much more than that, into his late 20s can score 20 goals in a season at the age of 33? Credit to him because I’d definitely say he’s Premier League standard now, but it was one of the mysteries of last season to me that he was able to score so many.

even when Chris wood wasn't scoring as many, he always had a very high chance conversion %, just he was getting a lower than average number of chances so it's just a case of either working with him to get into goalscoring positions more frequently, or setting your team up to create the kind of chance he thrives on more regularly.
I think he was used as an impact sub for a chunk of his career as well.

[the other bob wilson]

You’ve had another mare. Didn’t do your research. He didn’t play in the championship until his late 20s. His last game in the championship was August 2017 when he was 26. He was then sold to Burnley that transfer window and has scored 90 in 254. Almost double the amount of Championship goals he scored (46).

Stick the the lower leagues Bob. The PL isn’t for you.

I would have thought you’d realise that I’m not being entirely serious about Wood (although the fact that he is doing so well so late in his career does surprise me). Mind you, I’m not sure what I got wrong when I talked about his career as I’d class 20-25 as early 20s and 26-29 late 20s. So, as you say, he was 26 when he established himself in the Premier League with Burnley where he did well to get into double figures every season, but his record at Newcastle suggested Tyneside was a step too high for him. His record at Forest though is very good and last season it was sensational when you consider his age and that he was playing in a side that looked like it was going to qualify for the Champions League - I’d contend that there was nothing in his career up to then (not even when he was scoring so consistently at Burnley) to suggest he had a season like 24/25 in him.

[J R Hartley]

I would have thought you’d realise that I’m not being entirely serious about Wood (although the fact that he is doing so well so late in his career does surprise me). Mind you, I’m not sure what I got wrong when I talked about his career as I’d class 20-25 as early 20s and 26-29 late 20s. So, as you say, he was 26 when he established himself in the Premier League with Burnley where he did well to get into double figures every season, but his record at Newcastle suggested Tyneside was a step too high for him. His record at Forest though is very good and last season it was sensational when you consider his age and that he was playing in a side that looked like it was going to qualify for the Champions League - I’d contend that there was nothing in his career up to then (not even when he was scoring so consistently at Burnley) to suggest he had a season like 24/25 in him.

My arithmetic was out, he was actually 25 when he signed for Burnley so by your logic he was early 20s when he left the championship

Fwiw id say 20-23 is early 20s, 24-26 mid 20s and 27-29 late 20s.

Anyway back to Wood I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves. He’s not just a battering ram he’s good with his feet too. Aside from those 2 barren seasons at Newcastle, where he didn’t start many games it has to be said, he’s hit double figures in the the other 8 seasons in the last 10 years, 2 of which were at Leeds in the Chanpionship but still that’s pretty consistent going.

Maybe getting 20+ last season people didn’t see coming, but it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise as he’s proven season after season when he’s playing consistently he’s scoring consistently in the PL.

I think it was unfair of you to imply he was just a decent championship striker and not PL level.

[J R Hartley]

Last one from me this evening.

Since he joined Burnley in August 2017 only 5 players have scored more Premler League goals than Chris Wood.

Salah, Kane, Son, Vardy and Sterling.

Not bad going for a good championship striker and nothing more than that.

Haaland will likely overtake him this season but he will likely overtake Sterling (92) and stay in 6th.

Goodnight

[BlueArmy 86]

I feel like I know Chris Wood a lot more than I did before I read this thread.

Easily the best New Zealand footballer?

[the other bob wilson]

I feel like I know Chris Wood a lot more than I did before I read this thread.

Easily the best New Zealand footballer?

That centreback used to play for Blackburn was pretty good (Nelson?), but it’s got to be Wood surely?

[the other bob wilson]

Just searched best New Zealand footballer and the name Winston Reid came up, but it looks like it’s a toss up between Chris Wood and Wynton Rufer, a name I recognize from their 82 World Cup squad - from memory, he was a number ten type who spent a lot of his career in the Bundesliga.

[J R Hartley]

He looks a big lump like Chris Wood. A decent goals to games ratio, Only 23 caps for NZ as his club FC Zurich wouldn’t release him for international duty.