Chris Wood (now playing for Nottingham Forest)

[healthyaddiction]

1 hour ago, Kid Icarus said:

Yesterday's 'assist' by him is why you shouldn't take stats at face value. Burnley were honestly shite yesterday. It was a very weird 3-0 win.

Brighton were missing both their first choice centre halves and recently sold their backup to us. I think that's why things fell apart for them.

[AJ9]

We’re doing canny in the league, so we must find something to twist about. 

[Skeletor]

5 minutes ago, Awaymag said:

Price is irrelevant.   We could have bought him for 1p and you would still have the same opinion.   The cost of a player doesn't matter to the fan anymore because the amount of money the fans put in the clubs coffers, is a small % of the clubs income and so the 'spending out hard earned money' is no longer a valid concern.

 

I agree Wood needs to score ( more for his own confidence), and I bet he would be the 1st to admit that.   We dont play to Wood's strengths at the moment and Howe is using him more as a distraction to the opposition defenders so that the likes of Maxi, WIllock and Fraser get more space.    Its working as we are unbeaten in 6, Wood has played in 5 of them.    Correlation is there!

 

In my opinion, our good run is mostly down to Trippier and his raising the standards of the players around him as well as giving Howe his man in the locker room. The change in professionalism from January onwards is very clear to see.

[wyn davies]

1 minute ago, Skeletor said:

 

In my opinion, our good run is mostly down to Trippier and his raising the standards of the players around him as well as giving Howe his man in the locker room. The change in professionalism from January onwards is very clear to see.

You saying Brucey was useless !

[Robster]

Just now, AJ9 said:

We’re doing canny in the league, so we must find something to twist about. 

That's how it feels and there really isn't much of an argument anyway.

Everyone knows he's not the best centre forward and we all want him to score goals and know that he should be doing it.

He's must be adding something to the collective on the pitch though and he's clearly a decent guy to have of the pitch.

 

[Skeletor]

Just now, wyn davies said:

You saying Brucey was useless !

 

[wormy]

Would Weghorst have meowed at Zouma? No? Case closed. 

[NWMag]

13 hours ago, IlseKoch said:

 

I'm confident Chris Wood will not score 15 goals for us. 

 

Was never comparing him directly to those names.

I’m confident of that too, but only because once Wilson is fit he drops to the bench, and if we stay up we will sign more forwards and he won’t get a look in 

[Hanshithispantz]

5 minutes ago, Skeletor said:

 

In my opinion, our good run is mostly down to Trippier and his raising the standards of the players around him as well as giving Howe his man in the locker room. The change in professionalism from January onwards is very clear to see.

Aye. I like Wood and I'm glad he's here (we'd have nobody else otherwise) but he's done absolutely nothing of note for 5 games like 

 

It's a testiment to Howe that he's making really good use of him.

[mighty__mag]

10 minutes ago, Skeletor said:

 

In my opinion, our good run is mostly down to Trippier and his raising the standards of the players around him as well as giving Howe his man in the locker room. The change in professionalism from January onwards is very clear to see.

 

I'd say the same of Dan Burn after two games also. He looks a natural leader, him and someone like Conor Coady would be awesome, especially with Trippier also. 

 

I think previous to our signings, Callum Wilson has a solid leadership style on the pitch, I'd say slowly we're getting the right guys, professional and leadership.

[Happinesstan]

2 hours ago, duo said:

weighorst is definitely an upgrade on Wood. He's hit the ground running as well. Saying that we have to focus on what Wood brings to Newcastle and whilst it's not goals he is part of the pressing, winning possession and is basically a focal point. He is also keeping the opposition defence occupied. He does need to add goals to his game but you can't say he's not contributed to our recent run of form.

He scored against Brighton, who were all over with their defence, tbf.

[Happinesstan]

39 minutes ago, Skeletor said:

I'm old fashioned in that I expect my strikers to score goals and that be their prime role in the team. Yes we've been undefeated since he came here, but he's also not a very good player. I thought that before he signed and he's done nothing to convince me otherwise. He even admits he's surprised to be here. I think even those who defend him acknowledge we overpaid for him due to the situation we'd been left in by Ashley and Doubtfire. He might be a good lad but he really needs to start scoring goals and providing a goal scoring threat. Do that, and he'll win me over a little bit.

I'm old fashioned and remember Billy Whitehurst, Tony Cunningham and Rambo Reilly.

Wood'll do for me. For now.

[Robster]

8 minutes ago, Happinesstan said:

I'm old fashioned and remember Billy Whitehurst, Tony Cunningham and Rambo Reilly.

Wood'll do for me. For now.

Billy Whitehurst didn't score for something like his first 6 or 7 games and then scored in each of the next 6 or 7 games.

All it might need is that first goal.

 

 

Edited February 20, 2022 by Robster

[Happinesstan]

Just now, Robster said:

Billy Whitehurst didn't score for something like 6 or 7 games and then scored in each of the next 6 or 7 games.

All it might need is that first goal.

Built like a brick shithouse, and twice as fast.

[Chris_R]

I don't care if Wood never scores. For me, he can spend the rest of the season smashing balls into his own net provided we keep averaging 10 points every 4 games.

 

[Robster]

11 minutes ago, Chris_R said:

I don't care if Wood never scores. For me, he can spend the rest of the season smashing balls into his own net provided we keep averaging 10 points every 4 games.

 

For the next few months, that is the only thing that matters.

[Guest neesy111]

Could've done much worse than Wood, saw Lukaku's stats yesterday.  Jeez.

[LFEE]

Would be nice if we could actually create some chances for him to even miss. I recall one header he had to try to generate power on and should’ve done better and one wild shot from 30 yards out but can’t think of any chances he’s been given that he’s missed in the games he played for us.

[samptime29]

Tbf I only really remember 2 chances we've created for him.

 

I'm not too worried. He is committed, he gives us a focal point, he makes niggly comments to defenders. 

[Jaqen]

He's quite fortunate the rest of the team have been brilliant since he signed, like. 

 

IMO his general hold up and link up play has been pretty poor, doesn't seem a goal threat and he looks physically shot. He's way slower and weaker than I was expecting. 

 

Ideally he'd grab a couple between now and the end of the season but beyond that I think he's not good enough to even be a backup option in the squad. 

 

 

[1964]

2 hours ago, Happinesstan said:

I'm old fashioned and remember Billy Whitehurst, Tony Cunningham and Rambo Reilly.

Wood'll do for me. For now.

So do I, in fact was comparing Wood with Mavis Reilly yesterday.  Tony Cunningham always seemed to get a bit of the white line in a strip across his barnet as I recall

[Solitude20]

59 minutes ago, LFEE said:

Would be nice if we could actually create some chances for him to even miss. I recall one header he had to try to generate power on and should’ve done better and one wild shot from 30 yards out but can’t think of any chances he’s been given that he’s missed in the games he played for us.

Exactly what I was thinking.
 

It’s not like he was given that many goalscoring opportunities to begin with. I can’t even remember any one on one situation he had with a goalkeeper. Most of our goals have been from set pieces or crosses. Our midfield isn’t that creative when it comes to creating chances, that’s why I think Bruno should get more playtime than 5 mins per game. 
 

Even if Wilson had been playing, I don’t think he would’ve scored many goals either. 

[Amir_9]

Can't help but feel Burnley got the far better striker that we should have gone for instead

[Thiago]

12 minutes ago, Amir_9 said:

Can't help but feel Burnley got the far better striker that we should have gone for instead

No argument that Weghorst has looked a much greater threat for Burnley than Wood has for us. 

 

That said, the transition for him to Burnley is a lot kinder than Burnley to Newcastle. We aren't throwing crosses in, we aren't going long, we're playing with a single striker not a pair. That alone has given him more chance to be influential. 

 

I'd be inclined to compare him to Roque Santa Cruz when he joined Man City. It was a decent punt on a player that had scored goals and would - in theory - do well in any side. He still has time to 'come good' in terms of goalscoring but as I've said before if we stop up he's done his job.

[DJ_NUFC]

12 hours ago, Chris_R said:

I don't care if Wood never scores. For me, he can spend the rest of the season smashing balls into his own net provided we keep averaging 10 points every 4 games.

 

 

This thread has seemingly gone from "he's averaged double figures every season," "we've just signed a 1 in 3 striker," "... if he just scores the 3 goals he's already scored this season to make it 6 this season," to "i don't care if Wood never scores." 

 

 

Fact is, we badly needed someone who can put the ball into the back of the net. He's not looked threatening in front of goal. I agree not much of a service has been provided for him, but even the crosses that have gone in, he's not attacked them or taken positions in the way that someone like Wilson would have. Or even the way Wood of yesteryear, going by his goals on Youtube, would have. He just looks really out of form and short of confidence. 

 

Having said all that, I like him. I do think he's been a handful for defenders, and he's played a probably significant role in us collecting the points we have since he signed. But by that logic, absolutely anyone built like a brick would've been fine. I just hope he scores a couple before end of the season, if only for his own confidence. But as long as we keep picking up points, I'll be happy.