This season in the Premier League, the attraction is called Nottingham Forest. Third in the English championship, the Red and White have as many points as Arsenal, six points behind Liverpool. At 33, New Zealand international Chris Wood weighs on the current success of the club with a glorious past, which won the European Champion Clubs’ Cup twice consecutively in 1979 and 1980.
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There were the years of purgatory, then the battle to maintain his return to the elite. Today, Nottingham Forest walks on water. After ending the year 2024 with a bang, this historic British football club beat Wolverhampton on Monday January 6 in the last match of the 20th day.
Since the start of the season, the players of Nuno Espirito Santo, former goalkeeper, have had twelve victories, more than Arsenal, Manchester City or even Chelsea. Only the leader, Liverpool, does better (14 victories in 19 matches). With 40 points, they occupy third place in the Premier League, tied with Arsenal who are ahead of them on goal difference, and six lengths from Liverpool, who they will host on January 14 for the clash of the 21st day.
While the season is full of wishes, supporters are starting to dream of a return to the European Cup after thirty years of drought. And why not repeat the historic success of Leicester, crowned champion against all odds in 2015-2016?
A team that fits Chris Wood’s style of play very well
And fans can count on New Zealand international Chris Wood, 33, in England since 2009, in Nottingham since 2023, who has scored 12 goals and is sixth in the scorers’ rankings dominated by Egyptian Mohamed Salah .
“ I feel like I’m playing well and doing good things. I think I’m in a team that suits my style of play very well. We have two good wingers, and we have fantastic options coming off the bench. Morgan (Gibbs-White) is a brilliant number 10 at the back, and our midfield is absolutely superb “, Chris Wood recently said.
By the end of the season, Wood could surpass his best Premier League tally of 14 goals, achieved last season and previously during the 2019-20 season with Burnley.
Last October, Forest’s attacking leader was voted player of the month, becoming the first player in the club’s history to win this distinction. In December, Newcastle conceded another defeat during the 19th day of the Premier League, Chris Wood scoring a hat-trick against his former team. A performance which has not gone unnoticed since 1992 and the launch of the Premier League, the New Zealander is only the seventh player in history to score three goals on Boxing Day (December 26 only). He joins Thierry Henry, Harry Kane and Gareth Bale in particular.