Chris Wood Burnley
Nottingham Forest has been grappling with the absence of their star striker Chris Wood since October due to a knee injury. The New Zealand international underwent knee surgery earlier this year and has been sidelined ever since. His absence has been a significant blow to the team, which has struggled to find the back of the net in his absence. Last season, Wood was the top scorer for Forest in the Premier League with 20 goals. This season, Morgan Gibbs-White leads with just seven goals, leaving Vitor Pereira’s side in a precarious position in the relegation battle.
Bazeley said: “We know the deadline for naming our FIFA World Cup squad is getting closer and closer, so we are pleased to be able to give opportunities to a number of players to state their case, especially with a few regulars unavailable for this window.”
Pereira recently said: “I hope he will recover as soon as possible because he is very important for us. I don’t know exactly when he can return.”
Wood said: “It’s been not a nice time, injuries isn’t great. The manner of the injury has not been perfect because we’ve tried different things and had setbacks and having to go down different routes of surgery and things like that, so, it’s not been smooth sailing. It’s frustrating not being able to help the team, especially when I’m watching on the sidelines and things like that and knowing I could potentially help if I was involved. But I’ve got to make sure I get myself right, get myself ready, so I can then help the team when I get back and fit.”
He added: “Had some positive news from the surgeon to say I can go on to the next stages and things like that, so it’s better for my rehab now. It’s getting better day by day, which is great. I’m thinking that I need to work hard to be able to get myself back, fit, right, ready for the end of the season and then on to the offseason and into next year.”
The New Zealand newspaper, The Post, reported that Wood is expected to be “on track” for a mid-April return. This timeline could be crucial for Nottingham Forest as they face a challenging run of fixtures in their battle for Premier League survival. The team has eight games remaining, including key matches against relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland, as well as top-tier teams like Chelsea and Manchester United.
Wood’s return could provide the much-needed firepower to boost Forest’s chances of staying in the Premier League. The striker’s ability to score and influence games was evident last season, and his presence on the pitch could be a game-changer in the final stretch of the season. As Forest prepares for their upcoming fixtures, all eyes will be on Wood’s recovery and his potential impact on the team’s survival hopes.
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