1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,427 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,787 Speaker 1: from Newstalks ed B. 3 00:00:13,027 --> 00:00:17,787 Speaker 2: Unreal scenes in the Premier League overnight. Nottingham Forest, who 4 00:00:17,787 --> 00:00:19,907 Speaker 2: are in the midst of a season which is becoming 5 00:00:20,347 --> 00:00:25,427 Speaker 2: increasingly more special, have beaten Brighton seven nil if a nil, 6 00:00:25,867 --> 00:00:30,147 Speaker 2: their biggest win since the nineteen ninety seven ninety eight season, 7 00:00:30,427 --> 00:00:33,467 Speaker 2: their biggest ever in the Premier League and it keeps 8 00:00:33,547 --> 00:00:35,547 Speaker 2: them in third place on the table. Our very own 9 00:00:35,667 --> 00:00:38,947 Speaker 2: Chris Wood, who himself is having a season to dream of, 10 00:00:39,307 --> 00:00:46,707 Speaker 2: had another day out helngo. 11 00:00:47,347 --> 00:00:47,827 Speaker 3: It's it that. 12 00:00:49,507 --> 00:00:54,747 Speaker 4: On this same it's Chris Wood who gets it charging forward. 13 00:00:54,747 --> 00:01:03,467 Speaker 4: Now for Forest still going what Chris thanks their mistake. 14 00:01:04,667 --> 00:01:07,747 Speaker 4: It's a hard trick for him this afternoon. Not a 15 00:01:07,747 --> 00:01:09,787 Speaker 4: good Forest half five. 16 00:01:10,107 --> 00:01:11,987 Speaker 2: And went on to get seven. A hat trick for 17 00:01:12,067 --> 00:01:15,627 Speaker 2: Chris Wood. Seventeen goals this season now by far his 18 00:01:15,747 --> 00:01:18,667 Speaker 2: best and there's still plenty of time to go. Eighty 19 00:01:18,867 --> 00:01:22,267 Speaker 2: six all up in the Premier League. Now for Chris Wood. 20 00:01:22,267 --> 00:01:26,267 Speaker 2: That has him inside the top fifty goal scorers since 21 00:01:26,347 --> 00:01:28,787 Speaker 2: the start of the Premier League in nineteen ninety two. 22 00:01:29,147 --> 00:01:31,667 Speaker 2: Let's get you to the UK. A host of the 23 00:01:31,867 --> 00:01:36,307 Speaker 2: Forest Focus Pod, Matt Davies joins us. Matt, I want 24 00:01:36,307 --> 00:01:38,187 Speaker 2: to talk a bit about Chris Wood, but let's start 25 00:01:38,187 --> 00:01:40,827 Speaker 2: with the game seven nil. Where does it rank among 26 00:01:40,907 --> 00:01:44,587 Speaker 2: the many dozens, maybe even hundreds of Nottingham Forest games 27 00:01:44,627 --> 00:01:45,147 Speaker 2: you've watched? 28 00:01:46,147 --> 00:01:48,787 Speaker 5: Oh man, well, I think I said on the podcast, 29 00:01:48,787 --> 00:01:51,267 Speaker 5: it's one of those kind of generational games that people 30 00:01:51,387 --> 00:01:53,947 Speaker 5: talk about in twenty years and thirty years. I remember 31 00:01:53,987 --> 00:01:56,587 Speaker 5: we had a seven to one win at Sheffield Wednesday, 32 00:01:56,627 --> 00:01:59,307 Speaker 5: which every time the anniversary comes around you see all 33 00:01:59,347 --> 00:02:01,427 Speaker 5: the goals, and we had a seven to three win 34 00:02:01,507 --> 00:02:04,507 Speaker 5: at Leads. So they're the big ones in terms of 35 00:02:04,547 --> 00:02:07,107 Speaker 5: score margins. Obviously there's games against right where you have 36 00:02:07,187 --> 00:02:09,667 Speaker 5: late last minute winners and stuff. But to win a 37 00:02:09,707 --> 00:02:11,547 Speaker 5: game like that in the Premier League as a team 38 00:02:11,547 --> 00:02:15,267 Speaker 5: that finished sixteenth and seventeenth in consecutive seasons, and to 39 00:02:15,347 --> 00:02:17,427 Speaker 5: be where we are now, it's it's kind of you 40 00:02:17,587 --> 00:02:18,947 Speaker 5: always wonder what the tip of the you know, the 41 00:02:19,107 --> 00:02:20,707 Speaker 5: icing on the cake is, but the cake kind of 42 00:02:20,987 --> 00:02:22,867 Speaker 5: keeps getting bigger and you wonder when the icing is 43 00:02:22,867 --> 00:02:24,827 Speaker 5: going to go on the way we're playing, it's such 44 00:02:24,827 --> 00:02:27,747 Speaker 5: a roller coaster to throw a load of metaphors in 45 00:02:27,827 --> 00:02:28,867 Speaker 5: there certainly. 46 00:02:28,667 --> 00:02:31,947 Speaker 2: Yeah, I love the metaphors. It was I mean it 47 00:02:31,987 --> 00:02:34,827 Speaker 2: came off the back two of an outlier as far 48 00:02:34,867 --> 00:02:37,107 Speaker 2: as the season was concerned with the five no loss 49 00:02:37,107 --> 00:02:40,587 Speaker 2: away at Bournemouth last time out, So I mean talk 50 00:02:40,627 --> 00:02:43,467 Speaker 2: about talk about a bounce back statement performance. Did you 51 00:02:43,507 --> 00:02:44,187 Speaker 2: see this coming? 52 00:02:45,787 --> 00:02:48,587 Speaker 5: No, not really, I'm honest. I thought we might win. 53 00:02:48,627 --> 00:02:51,467 Speaker 5: We've We've done well against Brighton. I'm not even sure 54 00:02:51,507 --> 00:02:53,787 Speaker 5: we might have lost once to them since promotion, and 55 00:02:54,267 --> 00:02:57,787 Speaker 5: I think you know, their their tactics match up well 56 00:02:57,787 --> 00:02:59,787 Speaker 5: with our tactics from our point of view. They struggled 57 00:02:59,787 --> 00:03:03,387 Speaker 5: against defensive minded teams like Everton they lost too and 58 00:03:03,747 --> 00:03:06,307 Speaker 5: they only had one midfielder on the pitch, which seems 59 00:03:06,547 --> 00:03:08,707 Speaker 5: kind of crazy. So it was one of those days 60 00:03:08,707 --> 00:03:11,387 Speaker 5: where kind of everything played into our hands. But to 61 00:03:11,427 --> 00:03:13,667 Speaker 5: be so clinical and to play so well, I know 62 00:03:13,707 --> 00:03:15,707 Speaker 5: we'll talk about Chris Wood and he was great, but 63 00:03:16,027 --> 00:03:19,067 Speaker 5: there's probably you know, four or five players we could 64 00:03:19,067 --> 00:03:21,187 Speaker 5: easily have won Man of the match ahead of Chris Wood. 65 00:03:21,227 --> 00:03:23,987 Speaker 5: And it's one of those special days where it all clicked. 66 00:03:24,027 --> 00:03:26,547 Speaker 5: It was just the pole opposite at Bournemouth where everything 67 00:03:26,587 --> 00:03:28,667 Speaker 5: that could have gone wrong went wrong, and this was 68 00:03:28,747 --> 00:03:30,307 Speaker 5: kind of just the total opposite. 69 00:03:30,507 --> 00:03:32,947 Speaker 2: It's not even a surprise anymore. Over here in New 70 00:03:33,067 --> 00:03:35,467 Speaker 2: Zealand met to wake up on Sunday mornings and find 71 00:03:35,467 --> 00:03:39,547 Speaker 2: that Chris Wood has scored another goal or goals. How 72 00:03:39,667 --> 00:03:43,267 Speaker 2: key has he been to Forest's success this season? 73 00:03:44,587 --> 00:03:46,947 Speaker 3: Oh, totally central, totally central to it. 74 00:03:46,987 --> 00:03:49,867 Speaker 5: I mean we had Tyler or one year was our 75 00:03:49,947 --> 00:03:52,107 Speaker 5: main striker for as kind of a season and a 76 00:03:52,187 --> 00:03:54,667 Speaker 5: half and he did really well for us. Then he 77 00:03:54,707 --> 00:03:58,627 Speaker 5: has some injury problems and Chris Wood steps to the four. 78 00:03:59,027 --> 00:04:01,387 Speaker 5: He'd done well at Burnley and he was a kind 79 00:04:01,427 --> 00:04:04,107 Speaker 5: of a backup striker at Newcastle and when he came 80 00:04:04,147 --> 00:04:06,787 Speaker 5: I think a few people doubted if his best steers 81 00:04:06,787 --> 00:04:07,547 Speaker 5: were behind him. 82 00:04:07,587 --> 00:04:10,387 Speaker 3: But he's been unbelievable. The whole attacks kind of geared 83 00:04:10,387 --> 00:04:11,867 Speaker 3: for Chris Wood to score the goals. 84 00:04:11,907 --> 00:04:13,747 Speaker 5: So if Forrest score a goal, you know there's a 85 00:04:13,747 --> 00:04:16,987 Speaker 5: big chance Chris Woods either scored it or set it up. 86 00:04:17,027 --> 00:04:19,587 Speaker 5: But I think that's his second hat trick for US 87 00:04:19,667 --> 00:04:22,987 Speaker 5: and seventeen goals in twenty three games. He's pushing for 88 00:04:23,027 --> 00:04:25,227 Speaker 5: the Premier League Golden Boosts at the age of thirty 89 00:04:25,267 --> 00:04:29,227 Speaker 5: three and he feels like he's sort of he's peaking 90 00:04:29,227 --> 00:04:30,907 Speaker 5: in a way, even though he's probably in the. 91 00:04:31,387 --> 00:04:32,667 Speaker 3: Latter stage of his career. 92 00:04:32,707 --> 00:04:34,987 Speaker 5: But the football he's playing and the goals he's scoring 93 00:04:35,307 --> 00:04:36,347 Speaker 5: are just unbelievable. 94 00:04:36,707 --> 00:04:39,307 Speaker 2: He's frightly admurded Chris Wood. He won't beat three defenders 95 00:04:39,307 --> 00:04:41,947 Speaker 2: and put it in the top corner from twenty five yards, 96 00:04:41,947 --> 00:04:44,027 Speaker 2: but when the chances come, he will take them. So 97 00:04:44,427 --> 00:04:46,507 Speaker 2: tell us about the service Chris Wood is getting from 98 00:04:46,507 --> 00:04:47,187 Speaker 2: his teammates. 99 00:04:48,787 --> 00:04:53,187 Speaker 3: I might back him to beat three defense he's playing. 100 00:04:53,427 --> 00:04:56,787 Speaker 3: I do. He's scored some good goals. 101 00:04:57,347 --> 00:05:00,787 Speaker 5: No, he's like he's not the quickest, but his movement 102 00:05:00,987 --> 00:05:03,347 Speaker 5: and he's in you know, his football intelligence is right 103 00:05:03,387 --> 00:05:05,427 Speaker 5: up there with anyone in the league. So if you 104 00:05:05,427 --> 00:05:07,867 Speaker 5: give him the service, he'll find the right positions. And 105 00:05:07,907 --> 00:05:11,267 Speaker 5: we've got a winger in anthonya Langa who's come into 106 00:05:11,387 --> 00:05:13,947 Speaker 5: form at the perfect time. He had three assists today 107 00:05:14,027 --> 00:05:15,827 Speaker 5: and the quality. 108 00:05:15,427 --> 00:05:17,267 Speaker 3: Of the balls he put in for Chris Wood were great. 109 00:05:17,307 --> 00:05:19,267 Speaker 5: But you see the way Chris Wood peels off a 110 00:05:19,307 --> 00:05:22,707 Speaker 5: defender and finds that pocket of space in the congested 111 00:05:22,747 --> 00:05:23,627 Speaker 5: area around. 112 00:05:23,387 --> 00:05:24,307 Speaker 3: The six yard box. 113 00:05:24,387 --> 00:05:26,507 Speaker 5: So you've got to be a special talent in Chris 114 00:05:26,507 --> 00:05:28,587 Speaker 5: Wood to get into those areas. 115 00:05:28,627 --> 00:05:30,307 Speaker 3: But we've got a couple. 116 00:05:29,987 --> 00:05:32,827 Speaker 5: Of wingers Callum Hudson and always injured, but Anthony Alanger's 117 00:05:32,827 --> 00:05:35,147 Speaker 5: won Hudson and Doys the other and Morgan Gibbs White 118 00:05:35,147 --> 00:05:38,787 Speaker 5: who's now in the England team, has a real creative 119 00:05:38,827 --> 00:05:41,227 Speaker 5: force in our side. So there's a lot of talent 120 00:05:41,307 --> 00:05:43,507 Speaker 5: in the team, but Chris Wood's the one who's kind 121 00:05:43,547 --> 00:05:46,427 Speaker 5: of the spear at the tip that puts the goals away. 122 00:05:46,547 --> 00:05:49,507 Speaker 3: So you know, so much revolves around what he brings 123 00:05:49,547 --> 00:05:49,947 Speaker 3: the team. 124 00:05:50,427 --> 00:05:52,707 Speaker 2: What else though, man apart from Chris Wood and his 125 00:05:52,827 --> 00:05:56,507 Speaker 2: goal scoring, what else has led to this remarkable season? 126 00:05:56,867 --> 00:05:59,507 Speaker 2: Far as to Heaven, it's. 127 00:05:59,227 --> 00:06:00,347 Speaker 3: Probably a few things. 128 00:06:00,387 --> 00:06:03,747 Speaker 5: I mean, Nuno came in halfway through last season and 129 00:06:04,467 --> 00:06:07,307 Speaker 5: he made quite a few positive change that perhaps weren't 130 00:06:07,307 --> 00:06:09,987 Speaker 5: born out in the results. We were terrible at defending 131 00:06:10,027 --> 00:06:12,867 Speaker 5: set pieces and they addressed that in the summer with 132 00:06:12,947 --> 00:06:15,987 Speaker 5: the signing of Nikola Milenkovitch. He's been brilliant at central 133 00:06:16,027 --> 00:06:19,387 Speaker 5: defense and you know, had that whole preseason which managers 134 00:06:19,387 --> 00:06:23,467 Speaker 5: don't always get, and he you know, tactically they look 135 00:06:23,547 --> 00:06:26,507 Speaker 5: more tuned into what he wants to do. So those 136 00:06:26,547 --> 00:06:29,827 Speaker 5: are probably a couple of things, but things just snowballed 137 00:06:29,827 --> 00:06:31,067 Speaker 5: in the right right direction. 138 00:06:31,187 --> 00:06:32,547 Speaker 3: We started the season. 139 00:06:32,147 --> 00:06:35,987 Speaker 5: One and one at Liverpool, drew at Chelsea, and it's 140 00:06:36,107 --> 00:06:39,347 Speaker 5: probably probably everything just comes together at the right time 141 00:06:39,387 --> 00:06:41,227 Speaker 5: and you get a lot of momentum. But there's a 142 00:06:41,267 --> 00:06:42,707 Speaker 5: lot of quality in the squad and there's a lot 143 00:06:42,707 --> 00:06:45,387 Speaker 5: of good characters and Chris Wood's probably at the forefront 144 00:06:45,387 --> 00:06:47,867 Speaker 5: of that in terms of leading a dressing room. You know, 145 00:06:48,227 --> 00:06:52,067 Speaker 5: Woods very experienced, Milenkovitch who I mentioned, Ryan Yates, who's 146 00:06:52,067 --> 00:06:55,267 Speaker 5: the local boy in club captain, and it seems like 147 00:06:55,307 --> 00:06:57,787 Speaker 5: a real harmonious group. There's no idiots in there, which 148 00:06:57,827 --> 00:07:01,587 Speaker 5: you can often get in any sporting dressing room. And yeah, 149 00:07:01,907 --> 00:07:04,267 Speaker 5: they've created a really no talks a lot about culture 150 00:07:04,307 --> 00:07:06,747 Speaker 5: and they created a really good culture to go with team. 151 00:07:07,627 --> 00:07:10,147 Speaker 5: It all seems to work. Everyone knows their role in 152 00:07:10,187 --> 00:07:12,187 Speaker 5: the team and it's a different way of playing. It 153 00:07:12,187 --> 00:07:15,587 Speaker 5: can be looked quite defensive, but we score some thrilling goals, 154 00:07:15,627 --> 00:07:17,747 Speaker 5: as people might see today if they watch the goals 155 00:07:17,787 --> 00:07:20,507 Speaker 5: back when they wake up. So yeah, everything's pointing in 156 00:07:20,507 --> 00:07:22,267 Speaker 5: the right direction. It's a crazy time to be a 157 00:07:22,307 --> 00:07:23,027 Speaker 5: Forest fan. 158 00:07:22,987 --> 00:07:25,227 Speaker 2: And David is so third season Beck in the Premier 159 00:07:25,307 --> 00:07:28,627 Speaker 2: League after a long time out seventeenth last season, of 160 00:07:28,627 --> 00:07:31,467 Speaker 2: course there was the four point deduction in that equation, 161 00:07:31,587 --> 00:07:35,747 Speaker 2: but stayed outside of relegation sixteenth the season before. What 162 00:07:35,787 --> 00:07:39,667 Speaker 2: are your realistic expectations now, man, of where Forrest might finish? 163 00:07:39,707 --> 00:07:39,947 Speaker 3: Are you? 164 00:07:40,187 --> 00:07:42,707 Speaker 2: We're talking about a Champions League qualification here, aren't we? 165 00:07:44,187 --> 00:07:44,627 Speaker 3: I think so. 166 00:07:44,907 --> 00:07:46,747 Speaker 5: I mean, people who listen to our podcast know I'm 167 00:07:46,827 --> 00:07:50,027 Speaker 5: quite a bit of a realist, I suppose not the most. 168 00:07:50,347 --> 00:07:52,107 Speaker 5: I'm not always the guy that says, you know, we're 169 00:07:52,107 --> 00:07:53,787 Speaker 5: going to get promoted or we're going to win the 170 00:07:53,827 --> 00:07:57,587 Speaker 5: league and all that stuff. But we've got a bit 171 00:07:57,587 --> 00:08:00,027 Speaker 5: of a head start, you know on the team's below 172 00:08:00,147 --> 00:08:03,347 Speaker 5: us in like man City and Newcastle and Chelsea and 173 00:08:03,787 --> 00:08:06,467 Speaker 5: they're playing each other. You know, Newcastle lost today, a 174 00:08:06,587 --> 00:08:09,987 Speaker 5: Born has lost today. City are playing Arsenal tomorrow as 175 00:08:10,067 --> 00:08:13,907 Speaker 5: I say in the UK, so yeah, and the other 176 00:08:13,947 --> 00:08:15,667 Speaker 5: team is going to play for the next week and 177 00:08:16,027 --> 00:08:19,507 Speaker 5: I think Newcastle have got Manchester City. So we've got 178 00:08:19,507 --> 00:08:23,067 Speaker 5: some really tough games coming up against City, Arsenal and Newcastle. 179 00:08:23,107 --> 00:08:25,387 Speaker 5: And if we keep our head above water and we're 180 00:08:25,427 --> 00:08:28,627 Speaker 5: still in the top five because five team should getting 181 00:08:28,627 --> 00:08:31,347 Speaker 5: the Champions League next season. If we're still in the 182 00:08:31,347 --> 00:08:33,147 Speaker 5: top five going into what would I think be the 183 00:08:33,147 --> 00:08:36,307 Speaker 5: twenty ninth game of the season, I would massively back 184 00:08:36,387 --> 00:08:38,507 Speaker 5: us to get in the Champions League. But even if 185 00:08:38,547 --> 00:08:40,827 Speaker 5: we don't, I think we'll get European football next season, 186 00:08:40,827 --> 00:08:43,467 Speaker 5: which would just be an unbelievable achievement for you know, 187 00:08:43,507 --> 00:08:46,827 Speaker 5: as your reference there the sixteenth and seventeenth place finishes 188 00:08:46,867 --> 00:08:49,027 Speaker 5: and European football opens a lot of doors to the 189 00:08:49,067 --> 00:08:52,867 Speaker 5: football club as well in terms of signings and TV 190 00:08:53,027 --> 00:08:55,227 Speaker 5: money and all that kind of stuff. So nothing but 191 00:08:55,267 --> 00:08:56,387 Speaker 5: excitement ahead. 192 00:08:56,307 --> 00:08:58,627 Speaker 2: Wonderful stuff. Great time to be a Forest fan. There 193 00:08:58,627 --> 00:09:01,467 Speaker 2: are many dotter around New Zealand. They're probably more and 194 00:09:01,547 --> 00:09:05,147 Speaker 2: more every week, and Chris would obviously ol all white 195 00:09:05,267 --> 00:09:07,907 Speaker 2: talisman and yours as well. Matt, thanks so much for 196 00:09:07,987 --> 00:09:09,987 Speaker 2: joining us across New Zealand and long may this. 197 00:09:10,027 --> 00:09:12,907 Speaker 3: Continue, hopefully saying hopefully. 198 00:09:12,467 --> 00:09:15,747 Speaker 2: So, hopefully so. Indeed, if the realist mass good on 199 00:09:15,787 --> 00:09:19,707 Speaker 2: your mate, Matt Davies. He's the host of the Forest 200 00:09:19,987 --> 00:09:22,587 Speaker 2: Focus pod. You can check it out if you're a 201 00:09:22,627 --> 00:09:27,627 Speaker 2: Forest fan, even if you're a well a new bandwagon jumper. 202 00:09:27,747 --> 00:09:29,787 Speaker 2: Nothing wrong with jumping on a bandwagon when a team 203 00:09:29,867 --> 00:09:32,947 Speaker 2: is doing what Nottingham Forest are doing right now. 204 00:09:34,107 --> 00:09:37,307 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 205 00:09:37,387 --> 00:09:40,707 Speaker 1: to News Talk z B weekends from midday, or follow 206 00:09:40,747 --> 00:09:42,347 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio