Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper admits it was a 'no-brainer' to start Chris Wood on the weekend just days after his loan arrival from Newcastle United. The New Zealand striker played 75 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth before being subbed off for Sam Surridge, who grabbed the equaliser for Forest.
Wood's first showing for the relegation battlers received mixed reviews but for Cooper it was an easy decision to throw him in the from the outset. “As soon as I knew he was definitely available, we were very clear about it,” the Forest boss said regarding decision to start Wood. “It’s given the dressing room a boost.
“Taiwo (Awoniyi) is not available, and I just felt we needed a bit more experience up there. Morgan (Gibbs-White) has been playing a little bit higher, but he went back into the No 10, because I knew Gustavo (Scarpa) needed a bit of a breather and to come on as a substitute.
