Alious
A fascinating narrative has emerged around Chris Wood’s remarkable form at Nottingham Forest, with former striker Chris Sutton’s recent assessment sparking an interesting contrast with the views held within the club, particularly those of manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Wood’s transformation under Nuno’s guidance has been nothing short of remarkable, elevating him from what many considered a serviceable Premier League forward to a prolific goalscorer who’s currently challenging the league’s elite marksmen, including Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. His recent achievement of seven goals in nine Premier League appearances, including an impressive double against Leicester City, exemplifies this evolution.
The striker’s impressive run hasn’t gone unnoticed, with former manager Martin O’Neill expressing amazement at Wood’s current form. However, it’s Chris Sutton’s recent comments that have created an intriguing discussion about Wood’s status in the game.
Wood’s impact at Forest has been significant enough to match Stan Collymore’s Premier League goal tally for the club, placing him just two strikes behind Bryan Roy’s mark of 24. Despite this achievement, Sutton, himself an accomplished former striker, made a notable observation on the Leaving it Late Show, suggesting that Wood remains “so underrated” and describing him as “crucial for Nottingham Forest.”
This characterization, however, stands in direct opposition to Nuno Espirito Santo’s recent stance on the matter. The Forest manager had previously addressed this very topic, explicitly rejecting the “underrated” label that has often been attached to Wood. During his pre-Leicester press conference, Nuno was emphatic in his response when questioned about Wood’s perceived underrated status:
“Not by us. Not by me at all. I have a big admiration for Chris since we arrived, he’s been amazing. I always say the same, it’s not only on the pitch and we are delighted. And what we want is for him to continue.”
The contrast between these perspectives highlights a broader point about Wood’s career trajectory: while pundits like Sutton may still view him through the lens of being underappreciated, those within Forest, particularly Nuno, believe it’s time to move past such characterizations and simply acknowledge Wood’s proven ability as a consistent goalscorer. The message from the Forest camp is clear: Wood’s goalscoring prowess should no longer come as a surprise to anyone in football.
Alious
