Chris Wood: Forest’s Relentless Fighter Faces Setback After Impactful Premier League Year

For Nottingham Forest fans and Premier League followers alike, the story of Chris Wood in 2025 reads like a gripping chapter from football’s book of resilience. At 34, an age when most strikers are winding down, Wood was still scoring goals that mattered—until a stubborn knee injury abruptly changed the narrative.

After a standout 2024/25 season at the City Ground, where Wood netted 20 goals in 40 matches and helped Forest clinch a coveted European spot, expectations for the New Zealand forward were sky-high. Yet, as autumn rolled in, so did adversity. A knee problem sidelined him in mid-October, robbing Forest of their talismanic number nine and leaving Wood facing one of the most uncertain periods of his career.

Wood’s absence quickly became a headline. Having scored 9 vital goals in the first half of 2025—keeping Forest’s survival hopes alive—his presence on the pitch was more than just statistical. It was psychological. The team, and its supporters, looked to him for that crucial finish, the experienced head in tense moments. But as weeks stretched into months, and medical assessments offered no clear return date, frustration mounted. Wood’s own words, posted to Instagram from a hospital bed, captured the mood: “Truly gutting and frustrating that I’ll be on the sideline for another period of time. It’s what’s needed to come back stronger and better to help my teammates do the job needed in the Premier League and in Europe.”

The specifics of his injury remained private. What was known is that Wood suffered from bone swelling in his knee—a vague but persistent problem that eluded quick fixes. Speaking candidly to NottinghamshireLive, he admitted the mental toll: “Normally with an injury you are four to six weeks and they give you a target game of X, Y and Z and you can really strive for that. With this, speaking to the medical team and the staff, there’s no end date. It’s a case of when it’s ready, it will be ready. It’s been one of the hardest and most frustrating ones for me.”

This uncertainty has shadowed the Forest camp. Wood has been seen supporting his teammates from the stands, knee brace visible, as Forest battled to maintain their Premier League status. His absence coincided with a managerial change—Sean Dyche taking over after Ange Postecoglou’s departure. Ironically, Dyche and Wood had history together at Burnley, but the reunion on the pitch remains elusive. Wood hasn’t played a minute under Dyche’s tenure, with his last appearance coming in a 3-0 loss to Chelsea under Postecoglou.

Despite the personal setback, Wood’s contributions in the calendar year have been far from insignificant. According to OTTPlay, his tally of 11 Premier League goals in 2025 (9 in the first half, 2 before injury in the new season) placed him among the league’s top scorers for the year. Only Haaland, Salah, Isak, and Igor Thiago netted more. In a landscape dominated by younger, flashier names, Wood’s workmanlike consistency and ability to deliver under pressure proved invaluable.

It’s a testament to his professionalism that, even as he recovers, Wood emphasizes the importance of the collective. On social media, he thanked medical staff, club personnel, and supporters, writing, “Lot of people have gone out their way over the Xmas period to help my recovery. Most importantly to our doctor and medical team. As well as the players, staff and the NFFC family.”

For Forest, the impact is tangible. Without Wood’s finishing touch, goals have been harder to come by, and the fight for European football has grown tougher. For Wood himself, the battle is now internal—against uncertainty, against frustration, and for a return that, at this moment, remains unscheduled. His journey embodies the unpredictable nature of football, where highs and lows often arrive unannounced.

As 2025 closes, the striker’s situation prompts a broader question: how does a club navigate the loss of a key player whose influence extends beyond statistics? Forest, for now, must adapt, while Wood quietly pursues recovery, his determination undimmed. Whether he returns in time to impact the current campaign or not, his story this year is one of grit, resilience, and the human side of professional sport.

Chris Wood’s difficult recovery highlights a fundamental truth of football: even for the most experienced professionals, unpredictability and adversity are constant companions. His ability to rebound from this setback will not just define his own legacy but could shape Forest’s fortunes in 2026 and beyond.