Christopher Grant Wood

[Hawkeye1947]

Scored 3 today

 

[Mr. Blonde]

Normally I'd be concerned about a Wood on fire but in this case I say burn baby, burn!

 

[Rzar]

A guy in the crowd after the 2nd goal

 

[Trents]

Scored 3 today

To be fair, their World Cup qualifying opponents are pretty much non league standard. New Zealand will stroll the thing. They have Fiji next and then a final against New Caledonia or Tahiti(who they beat 3-0 last month) to qualify.

I bet the Aussie's wish they were back in that OFC zone now it has an auto and playoff spot rather than just the playoff. They are making hard work of it in their AFC group this time around.

 

[Captain Sinister]

Scored 3 today

I think given the opposition was Samoa, and Wood is a leading Premier League striker, the statement should become a question:
"How come chris wood only scored 3 against Samoa, and only 2 against Vanuatu?"
This is the complete nonesense that "International Football" has become.
Injury risk, jet-lag, fatigue... is it really worth it?

 

[Otis Redding]

I think given the opposition was Samoa, and Wood is a leading Premier League striker, the statement should become a question:
"How come chris wood only scored 3 against Samoa, and only 2 against Vanuatu?"
This is the complete nonesense that "International Football" has become.
Injury risk, jet-lag, fatigue... is it really worth it?

One of the consequences of signing players from overseas, and more so if they're eager to represent their country.

Unless we're in the fortunate position to be able to afford top home-grown players it's a situation we'll just have to accept. I'm pretty sure that Brazil's second game isn't until Wednesday which will impact Murillo in terms of being ready for Saturday even if he doesn't play against Uruguay.

 

[Tobias]

I think given the opposition was Samoa, and Wood is a leading Premier League striker, the statement should become a question:
"How come chris wood only scored 3 against Samoa, and only 2 against Vanuatu?"
This is the complete nonesense that "International Football" has become.
Injury risk, jet-lag, fatigue... is it really worth it?

I think it's refreshing to have a player in our side that is proud to represent their country as captain and record goal scorer.

Better than the many overrated English players that take any opportunity to avoid representing their nation.

 

[weejockmcplop]

I think given the opposition was Samoa, and Wood is a leading Premier League striker, the statement should become a question:
"How come chris wood only scored 3 against Samoa, and only 2 against Vanuatu?"
This is the complete nonesense that "International Football" has become.
Injury risk, jet-lag, fatigue... is it really worth it?

If I was Chris Wood I'd be trying to pad those stats as much as humanly possible while I still could.
I don't think a striker would ever turn down easy competitive goals.

 

[Captain Sinister]

If I was Chris Wood I'd be trying to pad those stats as much as humanly possible while I still could.
I don't think a striker would ever turn down easy competitive goals.

Good post until you used the word "competitive".
My whole point wasn't about Chris wood, but about the fact these games are not competitive.
It's like putting a 58-year old well over the hill ex-boxer in the ring with a young, fit cage fighter... no contest... not competitive.

 

[weejockmcplop]

Good post until you used the word "competitive".
My whole point wasn't about Chris wood, but about the fact these games are not competitive.
It's like putting a 58-year old well over the hill ex-boxer in the ring with a young, fit cage fighter... no contest... not competitive.

I meant competitive in a technical sense, as in they go on his international goal stats.

 

[Captain Sinister]

One of the consequences of signing players from overseas, and more so if they're eager to represent their country.

Unless we're in the fortunate position to be able to afford top home-grown players it's a situation we'll just have to accept. I'm pretty sure that Brazil's second game isn't until Wednesday which will impact Murillo in terms of being ready for Saturday even if he doesn't play against Uruguay.

I am happy and proud of the fact we do have players who love playing for their country.
My only beef is that their is too much international football, and a lot of it is totally uncompetitive.
Samoa; Vanautu combined don't have more than 500,000 people.
Assuming 50/50 male to female, that's around 250,000 for these 2 great footballing nations.
Assuming a n even distribution across age bands and that international footballers will be 25 to 335, there would be 30,000 males of footballing age at international level.
That's roughly 20,000 Vanuatuans and 10,000 Samoans.
And football isn't the major sport in those island nations.
They couldn't assemble a squad capable of beating the Dog and Duck Sunday team...
So why involve them in a prestigious international professional footballing competition?

 

[Professor Wolfgang Schnell BSc. PhD.]

That's not how it works though, is it ?

Iceland has a population way under half a million, but still managed to humiliate England.

 

[Rzar]

I am happy and proud of the fact we do have players who love playing for their country.
My only beef is that their is too much international football, and a lot of it is totally uncompetitive.
Samoa; Vanautu combined don't have more than 500,000 people.
Assuming 50/50 male to female, that's around 250,000 for these 2 great footballing nations.
Assuming a n even distribution across age bands and that international footballers will be 25 to 335, there would be 30,000 males of footballing age at international level.
That's roughly 20,000 Vanuatuans and 10,000 Samoans.
And football isn't the major sport in those island nations.
They couldn't assemble a squad capable of beating the Dog and Duck Sunday team...
So why involve them in a prestigious international professional footballing competition?

I understand your argument about the timing of this break

But sneering at Samoa being allowed to compete at international level is snobbery.

The whole point of international football is allowing them to compete regardless of nationality. India has over a billion people and barely produces players better than Samoa & Vanuatu, but that's the point and that's football.

It's like saying the early rounds of the FA Cup are a waste of time because they shouldn't be on the same pitch as a Premier League team

 

[Statto]

That's not how it works though, is it ?

Iceland has a population way under half a million, but still managed to humiliate England.

Croatia (3.8m) is a good example of a country which manages to punch above its weight on a consistent basis.

There will always be the odd Iceland style run, and yes it was impressive that they managed it, but although they have produced some decent players it was really a flash in the pan. A fair amount of that run was based on an average player who was very good at throwing the ball in (Aron Gunnarsson) and getting it into the danger area. Once that tactic wasn't as effective and players left the set up it faded off.

Apart from a few where they haven't quite made it, Croatia have been consistent at tournaments and at getting to the later stages, the first set of players with the likes of Stimac, Bilic, Boban, Suker (when I first started paying attention to them) were good but a few of them were towards the end of their careers. Then we have the likes of Modric, Perisic, Kovacic who have been consistent at getting into semis etc.

There are also plenty of examples from other sports where players have achieved, they usually have a few decent tennis players (including one of only a handful to win a slam in the Big Four era) and I think Basketball too, though I don't follow that

 

[Rzar]

Let's also not forget Wood has never played at a World Cup for New Zealand. They got to the final qualifying round the last 2 times but lost to Peru & Costa Rica by 1 goal.

It will likely be his last chance to go to a World Cup

 

[Statto]

Let's also not forget Wood has never played at a World Cup for New Zealand. They got to the final qualifying round the last 2 times but lost to Peru & Costa Rica by 1 goal.

It will likely be his last chance to go to a World Cup

Yes, but he is from New Zealand so qualifying from there isn't always easy.

Since Australia moved from OFC to qualify via Asia, they get a play off spot with CONCACAF, which last time was against Costa Rica. For the previous ones they had to play Peru and Mexico, as you said.

I think CONCACAF have more decent sides than qualifying places anyway and NZ don't have a load of talent so they go from steam rollering islands of part timers to then playing a decent South American side usually and then don't have enough.

It's why Australia left OFC because they presumably thought they had more chance of getting through Asia where it's really SK, Japan and possibly China as competition for direct entry

 

[Bohinens_chip]

Yes, but he is from New Zealand so qualifying from there isn't always easy.

Since Australia moved from OFC to qualify via Asia, they get a play off spot with CONCACAF, which last time was against Costa Rica. For the previous ones they had to play Peru and Mexico, as you said.

I think CONCACAF have more decent sides than qualifying places anyway and NZ don't have a load of talent so they go from steam rollering islands of part timers to then playing a decent South American side usually and then don't have enough.

It's why Australia left OFC because they presumably thought they had more chance of getting through Asia where it's really SK, Japan and possibly China as competition for direct entry

But now we've got this expanded tournament New Zealand will be in and Tahiti or somebody will be the ones beaten by Costa rica.

2026 world cup is going to be a joke for quality.

 

[Eddie Yates]

A guy in the crowd after the 2nd goal

Guy?

 

[Trents]

Yes, but he is from New Zealand so qualifying from there isn't always easy.

It is now they have expanded the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams to let more cannon fodder take part.

OFC now get one direct and 1 into playoffs. Before this, they only got a playoff slot at best against some much stronger South American side.

 

[Grass]

A guy in the crowd after the 2nd goal

Just sent that to my Kiwi mates

 

[Mr. Blonde]

What the hell is going on with his teeth? Also one star above the badge?

Looks like a bad AI image to me

 

[Gareth Edds]

Yes, but he is from New Zealand so qualifying from there isn't always easy.

Since Australia moved from OFC to qualify via Asia, they get a play off spot with CONCACAF, which last time was against Costa Rica. For the previous ones they had to play Peru and Mexico, as you said.

I think CONCACAF have more decent sides than qualifying places anyway and NZ don't have a load of talent so they go from steam rollering islands of part timers to then playing a decent South American side usually and then don't have enough.

It's why Australia left OFC because they presumably thought they had more chance of getting through Asia where it's really SK, Japan and possibly China as competition for direct entry

Australia joined the AFC in 2006 and since then has qualified for every world cup. They joined after the 2006 WC

Before that they only qualified 2 times. In 1974 and 2006. They got close a few times but famously got knocked out by Argentina once at the knock out stage. But many times they had to beat a north american team and then the 5th place getter in South America. So it was tough.

Australia joining the AFC was the best thing they could do. They got more competitive games and this is shown in their qualifications for WC since then. In saying that they are struggling to qualify for the next one.

Fair play to Wood though. Representing NZ means something to him. Though hes no Archie Thompson when it comes to scoring against Somoa......American Somoa

 

[GOBIAS]

Croatia (3.8m) is a good example of a country which manages to punch above its weight on a consistent basis.

There will always be the odd Iceland style run, and yes it was impressive that they managed it, but although they have produced some decent players it was really a flash in the pan. A fair amount of that run was based on an average player who was very good at throwing the ball in (Aron Gunnarsson) and getting it into the danger area. Once that tactic wasn't as effective and players left the set up it faded off.

Apart from a few where they haven't quite made it, Croatia have been consistent at tournaments and at getting to the later stages, the first set of players with the likes of Stimac, Bilic, Boban, Suker (when I first started paying attention to them) were good but a few of them were towards the end of their careers. Then we have the likes of Modric, Perisic, Kovacic who have been consistent at getting into semis etc.

There are also plenty of examples from other sports where players have achieved, they usually have a few decent tennis players (including one of only a handful to win a slam in the Big Four era) and I think Basketball too, though I don't follow that

The Netherlands as well, they have a population of 16m, not much bigger than Greater London yet they have always competed at the top table.

 

[GOBIAS]

What the hell is going on with his teeth? Also one star above the badge?

Looks like a bad AI image to me

He probably bought the top from ingoldmells market. Maybe he got the dentistry done there too

 

[ARedChester]

Bring some of this form back with you please Chris. Outstanding stuff, well done, irrespective who the competitor is.