Wood’s Recovery Journey and Nottingham Forest’s Recent Challenges

Chris Wood emerged as Nottingham Forest’s standout player during the 2024-25 season, netting 20 goals in 40 matches across all competitions. His contributions were pivotal in helping the team secure a spot in the Europa League. The new season began positively for Wood, who scored twice in Forest’s 3-1 victory over Brentford during their Premier League opener. He also found the net in his first Europa League match against FC Midtjylland, although Forest was narrowly defeated 2-1.

However, Wood has not featured for Forest since their 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Premier League on October 18. This match was significant as it marked the end of Ange Postecoglou’s tenure as head coach, with Sean Dyche taking over subsequently. As of now, Wood has yet to play under Dyche’s management.

Recently, Wood shared a photo from his hospital bed on Instagram, revealing that he underwent knee surgery. In his post, he expressed his disappointment, stating: “The Christmas I didn’t expect. You can never know what football throws at you. From the highs of last season to the personal battles this season, you must be ready for anything. It’s gutting and frustrating to be sidelined again, but this is necessary for a stronger comeback to help my teammates in the Premier League and Europe. I’m grateful to everyone who has supported me during this time, especially our doctors and medical team, as well as the players, staff, and the NFFC family. I hope you all had a great Christmas and enjoy the New Year. See you in 2026!!! COYR!!!”

In the meantime, Dyche’s squad faced their 10th league loss of the 2025-26 season against Manchester City, who narrowly secured victory at the City Ground. Tijjani Reijnders put City ahead just after halftime, but Omari Hutchinson equalized for Forest in the 54th minute. Rayan Cherki then scored the decisive goal for City in the 83rd minute, granting them vital points.

Post-match, Pep Guardiola commended Forest’s performance: “All the kilos I gained over Christmas, I lost today. What an incredible team Sean Dyche has assembled. It was a significant three points for us. Forest plays exceptionally well. Igor wins all the balls, and they have a top-quality team. This team was in the Champions League for all but a couple of games last season and is now competing in European tournaments. It’s a tough place to play, especially in winter. We discussed this extensively with the players. If we were not prepared, we would not have won today. The mentality was fantastic, and I’m really pleased with the team.”

As Wood continues his recovery, he aims to return to the field as soon as possible. He hopes to accumulate playing time during the latter part of the season to regain full fitness before representing the New Zealand national team in the 2026 World Cup. Wood played a crucial role in leading New Zealand to a historic World Cup qualification in March 2025, ending a 16-year absence from the global stage.

Nottingham Forest’s next Premier League fixture is scheduled for December 30, where they will face Everton at home.