How Chris Wood is closing in on becoming Nottingham Forest's all-time Premier League top scorer

For Chris Wood, the goals — and the landmark statistics — keep flowing.

It should only be a matter of time before he becomes Nottingham Forest’s record Premier League goalscorer.

The 32-year-old has scored 22 top-flight goals for Forest, putting him level with Stan Collymore, who scored all of those goals during the 1994—95 season, immediately after he had helped Frank Clark’s team to promotion from the second tier. After Wood scored two very different but equally impressive goals against his former club, Leicester City, he is now only two behind Bryan Roy.

On current form, you suspect the New Zealand international will soon overtake the Dutchman, who scored his 22 across three seasons from 1994-1997. Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (10) has scored more than the seven Wood has scored this season. That run includes four goals in Forest’s last three games.

When Wood signed from Newcastle United, initially on loan in January 2023, it was greeted almost with a collective shrug of the shoulders around Nottingham. When it emerged there was a clause in the deal that would make the move permanent once he had made just three appearances — for a fee of £15million, for a then 31-year-old — there were a lot of raised eyebrows beyond the East Midlands.

Very few would have predicted his goalscoring to reach the heights of Collymore, Roy, Stuart Pearce, Ian Woan and Steve Stone.

But there are a different set of numbers that underline why he is rapidly becoming one of Forest’s most important players — and one of the best value signings they have made in recent years.

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 within 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).

Wood’s confidence is perfectly underlined by the manner of his first goal, which saw him control a ball rolled across the box by Elliot Anderson with his left foot, before swivelling to deliver a right-footed shot low into the bottom corner, all in one glorious, fluid movement. Wood did not even look goalwards, but seemingly knew instinctively where it was.

Nuno saw the goal on television because he was yet to make his way back up from the dressing room, to his seat among the Forest analysts, while he served the second of his three-match touchline ban. It was a goal that restored Forest’s lead after Ryan Yates’ precise shot from the edge of the box had been cancelled out by Jamie Vardy in the first half.

Wood’s second was more direct, but no less composed, as a huge punt from keeper Matz Sels was not dealt with by defender Wout Faes, whose weak header allowed Wood to sneak in and guide a header of his own over stranded keeper Mads Hermansen. Again, it was all about instinct.

When asked in his pre-match press conference what he had done to inspire such form from Wood, Nuno replied: “Nothing, nothing, nothing. There is no secret. It’s about all about preparing the team well and creating routines for the players.”

Nuno has also constantly publicly praised the quality, work rate and professional attitude of the much-travelled forward, who has spent the longest spells of his career at Leicester, Leeds United, Burnley and Newcastle.

The same is true behind the scenes, where Nuno and his coaching staff have worked hard to improve belief and confidence levels in the Forest side, reminding their players that this season was always a fresh start; a new beginning, as they went into their first pre-season in which to implement their ideas.

Wood has always been a solid Premier League striker — he scored 49 goals in 127 league starts and 17 sub appearances for a Burnley side that often punched above its weight between 2017 and 2022. But Forest are getting the best out of him again.

Nuno has encouraged his players to deliver more balls into the box. It is one of the reasons he wanted to bolster their wide options, with the summer addition of Ramon Sosa and Jota Silva, to add to the quality they already possessed in Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga.

The 146 crosses (including corners) that Forest have delivered into the box this season is the sixth most in the division. Tottenham lead the way with 191. Forest average 14.3 shots per 90 minutes, which is ninth-most in the division, but also more than Manchester United (14), Chelsea (13.5) and Aston Villa (11.8).

Forest are direct in their approach, they move the ball forward quickly — but that can mean utilising the pace in their ranks, more than lumping long balls. They are building an identity. Steve Cooper will not have enjoyed it from the home dugout, but this was among Forest’s best away performances since promotion was secured underhim in 2022. Forest fans heralded Cooper more than once, but they also serenaded Nuno, whose popularity continues to bloom, along with that of Wood.

When asked again after the match what is making Wood so effective, Nuno said: “His work, his commitment, the way he works every day to prepare himself, his confidence, his team-mates… In each moment, he understands more the complicity and the movement we want in the final third. It is not just about the goals. He gives us a lot of things which are huge for us.”

Collymore and Roy were part of that Forest side that shocked everyone, by finishing third in the Premier League in 1995, their first season after promotion. Forest have risen to fifth on the back of this memorable win over their East Midlands rivals, but a repeat of that feels hugely unlikely.

But if Wood can continue to replicate his goal-scoring prowess, Forest are equipped to cause more surprises this season.

(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)