For Chris Woodthe goals—and the benchmark stats—keep rolling.

It should only be a matter of time before he does Nottingham Foresthis record Premier League marker.

The 32-year-old scored 22 goals in the division for Forest, taking him level with Stan Collymore, who scored all those goals in the 1994-95 season, just after helping Frank Clark’s side to promotion from the second stage. . After Wood scored two very different but equally impressive goals against his former club, Leicester Cityhe is now just two behind Bryan Roy.

On current form, you suspect the New Zealand international will soon overtake the Dutchman, who scored 22 in three seasons from 1994-97. Only Manchester Cityhis Erling Haaland (10) scored more than the seven Wood scored this season. That streak includes four goals in Forest’s last three games.

When Wood signed from Newcastle Unitedoriginally loaned out in January 2023, he was met with almost a collective shrug around Nottingham. When it came out, there was a clause in the deal that would make the move permanent once he made just three appearances – for a fee of £15m, for the then 31-year-old – there were plenty of raised eyebrows beyond the East. Midlands.

Few would have predicted his goals to match the heights of Collymore, Roy, Stuart Pearce, Ian Woan and Steve Stone.

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

Wood’s seven goals account for 64% of the 11 goals Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have amassed this season – no player has provided a higher percentage of his side’s goals. Haaland is next with 53% (10 of Manchester City’s 19).

What makes it even more impressive is that Wood has achieved all this from just 19 shots in nine Championship appearances.

His conversion rate of 36.8% is the best in the division among players who have made five or more shots. Haaland’s goals, in comparison, came from 35 shots at a conversion rate of 28.6%. Only Haaland (23) and Liverpoolhis Mohamed Salah (16) had more shots on goal than Wood (13).

Wood’s confidence is perfectly underlined by the manner of his first goal, which saw him control a ball tipped into the box by Elliot Anderson with his left foot, before spinning to send a right-footed shot low into the bottom corner, all in one glorious, fluid movement. Wood didn’t even look at the goal, but he seemed to instinctively know where he was.

Nuno saw the goal on TV because he had yet to make his way back from the dressing room to his place among the Forest analysts as he served his second three-match touchline ban. It was a goal that restored Forest’s lead after Ryan Yates’ pinpoint shot from the edge of the box was canceled out by Jamie Vardy in the first half.

Wood’s second was more direct, but no less composed, like a giant goal from the keeper Matz Sels was not dealt with by the quarterback Wout Faeswhose weak header allowed Wood to sneak in and guide a header of his own over the blocked keeper Mads Hermansen. Again, it was all about instinct.

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

Nuno has consistently publicly praised the quality, work rate and professional attitude of the well-travelled striker, who 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 been working hard to improve the level of belief and confidence in the Forest side, reminding their players that this season was always a fresh start; a fresh start as they enter their first pre-season to put their ideas into action.

Wood has always been a solid Premier League striker – scoring 49 goals in 127 league starts and 17 second appearances for a Burnley side that often punched above its weight between 2017 and 2022. But Forest take it all again better than him.

Nuno encouraged his players to put more balls into the box. It’s one of the reasons he wanted to bolster his wide options with the summer addition of Ramon Sosa and Jota Silvato add to the quality they already had Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga.

The 146 crosses (including corners) Forest have delivered into the box this season are sixth in the division. Tottenham leads the way with 191. Forest averages 14.3 shots per 90 minutes, which is the 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 may mean using pace in their lines rather than gathering long balls. They are building an identity. Steve Cooper wouldn’t have enjoyed it at home, but it was among Forest’s best away performances since promotion was secured under him in 2022. Forest fans heralded Cooper several times, but they also made Nuno, whose popularity continues to flourish, alongside that of Lemn.

Asked again after the game what makes Wood so effective, Nuno said: “His work, his commitment, the way he works every day to prepare, his confidence, his teammates… Every moment, understand complicity more. and the movement we want in the last third. It’s not just about goals. He gives us a lot of things that 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 moved up to fifth following this memorable win over their East Midlands rivals, but a repeat of that looks highly unlikely.

But if Wood can continue to replicate his goalscoring prowess, Forest are equipped to spring more surprises this season.

(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)