How 'pure No. 9s and goalscoring talents' Didier Drogba and Alan Shearer influenced Chris Wood's Premier League rise
Updated 17/10/2025 at 14:29 GMT+1
Chris Wood is one of the finest Premier League strikers in the current era, but it has been a turbulent journey for the New Zealand international. The forward has been speaking to TNT Sports about his rise to the top, as well as revealing which iconic strikers he was influenced by. Watch Nottingham Forest's Premier League clash with Chelsea on October 18 live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
‘Erling’s probably had a bigger hand in that’ – Wood on bringing back role of the No. 9
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ahead of Nottingham Forest's clash with Chelsea - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - Chris Wood has been speaking to TNT Sports' Sign Up about his Premier League rise.
Wood has been prolific for Forest, helping the club achieve European football for the first time in 30 years with 20 Premier League goals last term - the joint-fourth most in the division, tied with Bryan Mbeumo and behind only Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland.
The 33-year-old has helped bring the traditional No. 9 role back into fashion with his aerial ability and bullish style of play.
"I'd like to think so," he told TNT Sports about his part in the reprise of the old-school No. 9.
"Erling [Haaland] has probably had a bigger hand in that since he stepped into the Premier League and is doing so well as a No. 9.
"[I'm] just trying to bring back what was very fashionable when I was a youngster."
But which players had the biggest impact on a young Wood when he was growing up in New Zealand?
"The two biggest ones were Didier Drogba and Alan Shearer," he revealed. "Both pure No. 9s and goalscoring talents."
On what he has learned from them over the years, he added: "Mostly, how to put the ball in the back of the net, trying to emulate what they do because they were extremely good at it.
"And then just making sure to try and be a complete player, both holding the ball up for the team and then delivering chances or scoring the chances when supplied."
Wood is nearing Chelsea icon Drogba's 104 Premier League goals, with 91 to his name - but he has a long way to go to reach Shearer's record 260.
Nonetheless, the New Zealander still boasts an impressive record in front of goal, and he spoke about his journey to become one of the best strikers in the country.
Since arriving in England at West Bromwich Albion in 2009 as a 17-year-old, Wood experienced several loan spells before hitting the heights in the top-flight.
He had eight in total - including his brief loan at Forest before signing permanently in 2023 - with six of those spells coming while he was at West Brom between 2010 and 2013.
Including The Baggies, Wood has also had six permanent clubs in England, but is grateful for his journey, which he believes made him the player he is today.
"I think I was a firm believer that I wasn't going to play in the West Brom first team," he explained.
"We had just been promoted to the Premier League and they needed experienced strikers, especially when they're trying to be consistent in the Premier League.
"I was 18, 19, they're not really going to call on a youngster that much to lead the line, so I had to go and play my football elsewhere and apply my trade.
"The best way, I believed, and the people around me believed, was doing loans. I truly believe that's why I've got to where I have.
"Being able to experience those different leagues, understanding men's football and the game when I was so young, and just trying to get better as the seasons progressed."
How to watch Forest v Chelsea
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