An FPL trap is a player who delivers a big haul of points in a single gameweek, enticing managers to bring them into their squads, only to then underperform in subsequent weeks.
Chris Wood’s recent double against Brentford has undoubtedly put him on the radar of many FPL managers. At a reasonable price and coming off a strong performance, he seems like a tempting option. FPL managers were surprised as they did not except the Kiwi who went onto score 20 goals for a resurgent Nottingham Forest team to replicate his form coming into the new season. While Wood scored a brace, his underlying stats in the match were not exceptional. He only had two shots in the box both of which were goals, this is not a recipe for long-term FPL success.
Price Rise! 🟢 Wood #NFO £7.6m – #FPL
— FPL Status (@FPLStatus) August 19, 2025
With the forward on penalty duties and having a price rise due to number of people transferring assets out at that price point like Joao Pedro. Surely with signings such as Ndoye, McAtee and Hutchinson it is a no brainer right?
Well maybe not as Nottingham Forest have also signed highly talented forward Arnaud Kalimuendo from Stade Rennais. The Frenchman was a standout player outside of the PSG players in Ligue 1, racking up 18 goals and registering four assists in 34 appearances.
Nottingham Forest finished 7th and qualified for the Conference League but due to a UEFA ruling, Crystal Palace who won the FA cup and got a spot in the Europa League were demoted to the Conference League with Forest taking their spot.
We have seen with teams that have not played in Europe for a while have a fall off due to the inability to cope with the intense mid week fixtures. This could lead to heavy rotation with the Frenchman starting some games for the The Garibaldi. Chris Wood also has to face long travels during International break fixtures, as well as turning 34 this year. He most likely will also see his minutes reduced to give Kalimuendo time to adapt to the league.
Kalimuendo’s versatility and different playing style displaying his agility and able to play out wide on the wing as well could see Forest’s manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, change the team’s formation or tactics. This could impact the number of chances created for a traditional, hold-up striker like Wood. One area where Wood benefits is his height advantage Kalimuendo is 5’9 where as Chris wood offers a great aerial presence with him towering at 6’3.
While not a volume shooter, he is effective in getting into good positions to take shots. He had 76 total shots and 17 goals in the 2024/25 Ligue 1 season, with an xG of 16.08, suggesting he is a solid finisher. He also has a high percentage of shots on target.
Although Chris Wood has a contract until 2027, this could end up being his last season should Kalimuendo become a starter. A move to the Saudi league or MLS could be on the cards for the summer of 2026.
The Frenchman will take time to settle but given his explosivity and Forest’s counter attacking strategy under Nuno. The question arises how long until Chris Wood goes from starter to substitute. It is predicted that he could have a FPL price of £5.5m and with Chris Wood costing £7.6m, he could become a good differential depending on how his minutes are looking.
