Chris Wood our Connor Wickham

[Hack]

I really know this is going to cop a lot crap from the baby fans who need a star from FM recruited and boo boys, but can I pose that Chris Wood who is much maligned on this board could make the jump up in class Connor Wickham did at the end of the PL season.

 

If in January someone had said that we should try and bring in Wickham who was considered not good enough to play for the relegation challenged Sunderland and was only brought back from loan from Ipswich because of injury, turned into the best striker in the Premier league for the last 6 weeks of the league.

 

What is Wickham worth now after what he did in April and May.  What would people say we should pay for Wickham?  He would be worth over 10mil as a young english striker with such a good record.

 

Why is it not possible for Wood who is a similar type of player Wickham both in size and style to do the same?

 

Remember how much vitriol Vardy copped during and after his 1st season with us.  Look at him now after last season.

 

We may have our 15 goal striker in the team if he gets a chance from the management and hopefully the FANS.

 

Let the crap begin.

[sylofox]

No crap from me I'd give him a few starts.

But NP see's him every day not sure why he did not get some starts last season.

Good luck to him.

[johnny the fox]

Wood has a far larger todger... a certain lady told  me so..

[Dan]

Chris Wood just isn't a very good footballer. I genuinely do want the bloke to succeed here and I want to eat my words - but I can't see him playing in the top flight. He's got the ability to shoot, both close range and from long range, but his all-round game is very average and for me he doesn't use his physique to his advantage.

[Guest]

I think there's a really good footballer in there and we just need to fathom how to get the best out of him. Wouldn't want to see him leave.

[Dan]

Getting the best from Wood would weaken other areas of our team IMO. He's one of these players you have to build your team around (a bit like Beckford in a way) rather than the sort of player you put in to build around the team. Pearson has always struck me as someone who will have eleven players built around the team rather than a few built around certain individuals.

 

That may not make any sense to some of you admittedly but I have no other idea how to word it.

 

The good thing with Wood is he's still only young, and he has time to improve.

[Albert]

People forget how young he is. As he learns the game more he'll get better & better.

Give him chances in the box and he'll score plenty of goals, he's a great finisher and got an absolute rocket of a shot on him. By no means the finished article

[Narborough_fox]

The problem with Wood was shown in his first season. He may well have started like a house on fire but when the goals dropped off he didn't have the all round play for us to carry on performing which in my opinion was one of the reasons for the slump in form which led to the play-offs. 

 

When Wood plays we change how we play, with Vardy and Nugent we can keep it on the ground and play a killer through ball with us being to utilise the pace but with Wood in there the lack of pace is evident. He also doesn't close from the front, which is one the key areas of our success this season with Vardy and Nugent defending from the front allowing us to disrupt teams from the onset. Look at Derby at home for example. 

 

I've got nothing against Wood, and I really do hope he proves me wrong because he seems like a really likeable character but I just don't think he's got the right style of football for the team at the moment in time. 

[Dan]

The problem with Wood was shown in his first season. He may well have started like a house on fire but when the goals dropped off he didn't have the all round play for us to carry on performing which in my opinion was one of the reasons for the slump in form which led to the play-offs. 

 

When Wood plays we change how we play, with Vardy and Nugent we can keep it on the ground and play a killer through ball with us being to utilise the pace but with Wood in there the lack of pace is evident. He also doesn't close from the front, which is one the key areas of our success this season with Vardy and Nugent defending from the front allowing us to disrupt teams from the onset. Look at Derby at home for example. 

 

I've got nothing against Wood, and I really do hope he proves me wrong because he seems like a really likeable character but I just don't think he's got the right style of football for the team at the moment in time. 

 

Totally agree with this.

 

Come on Chris, prove me wrong.

[Hack]

Chris Wood just isn't a very good footballer. I genuinely do want the bloke to succeed here and I want to eat my words - but I can't see him playing in the top flight. He's got the ability to shoot, both close range and from long range, but his all-round game is very average and for me he doesn't use his physique to his advantage.

Dan,

 

Would you have not said the same thing about Wickham before his great performances for Sunderland when he got back form Loan with a championship team?  No one saw that coming from Connor.  Why not from Wood.

[NGoloMode]

The guys proved he can score goals. WBA fans rated him before he left and Millwall fans were gutted he left them. Don't think the style of football we played last season suited him with the 2 quick players up front in Vardy and Nugent. Pace isn't Wood's strongest attribute. Maybe when Pearson changes the tactics next season it might suit to have Wood up front.

[Hack]

The main reason I raised this is it is possible for the players we have, to step up and be up to the standard needed in the Premier League.  Vardy is really the best example of turning from a Turd into a silk purse.  It took him time and he is now 27 but could any fan not imagine him make the step up.  We are counting on him doing so.

 

I do think Chris Wood who is still very young, with the right training and support can turn into a real PL threat.

 

Our Connor Wickham!!

[Harry - LCFC]

Dan,

 

Would you have not said the same thing about Wickham before his great performances for Sunderland when he got back form Loan with a championship team?  No one saw that coming from Connor.  Why not from Wood.

 

I like Wood but I don't think that's a great example. I didn't see it coming quite like that but I wasn't surprised to see Wickham step up when he went back to Sunderland. He did very well for Wednesday (particularly against us) whereas Wood hasn't show much over the last few months.

[Hack]

I like Wood but I don't think that's a great example. I didn't see it coming quite like that but I wasn't surprised to see Wickham step up when he went back to Sunderland. He did very well for Wednesday (particularly against us) whereas Wood hasn't shown much over the last few months.

Our Style and formation (4-4-2) may have contributed to his lack of goals.  But he also feel in the peeking order with 4-4-2 as our preferred formation and difficulty coing back into the starting squad after his injury seeing that Nuge and Vardy were playing so well together.

 

I do think he is a very good young striker and will paly his part in the coming season.

[st albans fox]

Wickham is a more talented footballer. His development at ipswich showed this. He lost his way at s'land. Their are similarities in this regard but at a raw level, wood is no wickham. I bloody well hope there are no similarities come april 2015. My nerves couldnt stand that!

[Monsell1976]

Wood is a very good player when played into his feet, but for some unknown reason we seem to lump it up to him when he plays, he isn't a target man and the long ball game doesn't suit him.

The lad can score goals when given a run in the side, could see him getting 10 + if played regular.

[LCFC FOX]

Wood is capable of making the step up IMO, he's proved he can score goals. He just needs game time rather than the odd twenty minutes. Give him a few starts and watch the goals flow. I still reckon he would of hit 25 if he started last season

[RizLCFC]

The problem for him is that as soon as he gets on the pitch we start hoofing it up to him. Get it to the lads feet and let him play, I agree he will get better and better and is a good finisher.

[KFS]

The problem for him is that as soon as he gets on the pitch we start hoofing it up to him. Get it to the lads feet and let him play, I agree he will get better and better and is a good finisher.

This. If you play him as a technical target man rather than a Steve Howard wannabe, then he's actually really effective. 

 

I've said that I want Nigel to sign a prolific target man this summer, but if we play to Chris Wood's strength, we could be on to a winner. 5 in midfield with him bouncing intelligence passes into the channels for the attacking players- think Riyad's goal against Sheff W.

 

Could be on to something. 

[Foxy harry]

i still really rate wood alot a very good striker and if his heading improves then he has it all up front

[Hack]

I am sure we will strengthen in the summer including at least 1 new striker.  I just think the fans need to let the players in the current squad show what they can do with a new training regime set for our style to be played in the PL.  I am not sure we go into the new season based on 4-4-2.  I am sure there will be times we use the formation and selections to suit.  But Wood is better than some fans think.  You can't base all your views on some past performances you  didn't enjoy.  Wood like others in the team will have great and poor games this next season.  But i am betting more good than bad.

[dbtcity]

Unfortunately wood just will not use the attributes he's been blessed with if he did we wouldn't be getting linked with a physical striker like Ulloa, for some reason he refuses to jump or even attempt to header, instead he opts to back in and try and bring it down on his chest which usually results in 1 of 2 things, a free kick for backing in or the ball just bounces of him!! There was 1 game last season were he actually challenged for the ball in the air and he won everything. ... Then the following game he was back to his usual frustrating backing in move!! Surely he can see that if he altered his game just a little he would get more game time as Pearson clearly wants a target man option

[Hack]

Unfortunately wood just will not use the attributes he's been blessed with if he did we wouldn't be getting linked with a physical striker like Ulloa, for some reason he refuses to jump or even attempt to header, instead he opts to back in and try and bring it down on his chest which usually results in 1 of 2 things, a free kick for backing in or the ball just bounces of him!! There was 1 game last season were he actually challenged for the ball in the air and he won everything. ... Then the following game he was back to his usual frustrating backing in move!! Surely he can see that if he altered his game just a little he would get more game time as Pearson clearly wants a target man option

As I have said he is young.  doesn't mean he can't improve.  i am betting he will have big season with a new squad and formation and setup.  I think a lot of the players will surprise.

[Tom's Pasta]

Very mixed feelings about Wood. 

 

I certainly think he has plenty to offer in the Premier League but I think he's a striker who needs a perfect partner to play alongside due to his limitations.

 

I think he can get the best out of Vardy and Nugent by using his physique more and allowing them to get behind defences. 

 

This season seems to have been built on strong partnerships ie. Nuge and Vardy, James and Drinkwater, Morgan and Was/ Moore.

 

Wood hasn't quite had the run of games to have a consistent partner.

[Tielemans63]

Before he makes the jump up in class I'd like to see him actually jump full stop.

Joking aside, I still think the guy that started his LCFC on fire is still in there but he needs to do more. Teams quickly sussed him out and you get the feeling that when a team has him under control then he doesn't believe he'll impact on the game either. There's times when his body language is all wrong for me.

As someone said previously, get the right partner for him and he'll be lethal. However, I've got a strong suspicion he'll leave.