Match report – Player ratings – Arteta’s reaction – Video
Arsenal have won 10 of 11 games this season and won three in a row since the end of Interlull, with Noni Madueke’s late goal giving us three points against Nottingham Forest.
The first part took place. Mikel Arteta brought back his ‘big guns’, with Eberechi Eze keeping his place on the left, but 45 minutes of football had to be endured rather than enjoyed. Kai Havertz had a couple of half-chances and that was about it, but Forest had more shots than us in the opening period (five-three) despite having nearly 75% possession at the break.
Things weren’t much better in the second half but we swapped for Madueke and Eze and he gave us a bit more on the left. Nevertheless, the challenge we faced was difficult, and this is where the analysis of this game becomes interesting, because I think two things can be true. Firstly, as a team we lack the last third quality which makes life difficult when we face a well-organised, well-disciplined team sitting in the lower block.
The second is that we faced that exact team yesterday, and I think it’s too simplistic or one-eyed to say that our inability to find a breakthrough was entirely due to our shortcomings. The forest was set up to make it really difficult to press us, to find space to create chances, and they did that really well. Speaking afterwards, Oliver Glasner made it clear that he was impressed with this aspect of their game plan:
I think the performance was really good in many parts. Defensively he was very good, maybe top level, and gave them a shot on target. In the end, we lose the game with a situation that can always happen. So, for me personally, it’s a very frustrating result, but I’d say another positive performance.
Which is not to give us an excuse, but I don’t consider it unreasonable to point out that the opposition is a factor. Someone like Daniel Munoz, for example, is a full-back who gets forward again and again, but barely crossed the half-way line in this game. Some of that could be us dominating the ball and playing most of the game in their half, but obviously some of it is instruction and that makes it difficult.
However, as champions it is a problem we will face again and again this season and we have to find ways to deal with it. There were moments when Gabriel did the better with a header and then there was a great chance for Declan Rice created by substitute Jurrien Timber, but he elbowed his way wide when he should have hit the target. All in all, though, it was slim pickings. Havertz and Bukayo Saka were again below par, there was no room for Bruno Guimaraes to try and find the forward passes he so loves and you couldn’t help but wonder where the bounce was coming from.
Madueke then received a pass from Rice, entered the box, created space with a nice step/shimmy and fired a shot past the defender’s thigh into the net. It was the reward for his effort and the little addition he had in terms of bursts of pace allowed him the room to get that shot. Maybe a touch of luck, but it also showed the value of just letting it fly rather than trying to create the perfect chance.
So with 10 minutes to go and not much time to get injured, you felt it was going to happen. Heading into the 90 minutes, Arsenal controlled the ball and looked quite confident, but then – as football can often do – went a bit mental. Liam Delap’s extremely rough throw created a chance for Chris Wood and Rice came back very well to clear our box; then Murillo almost ran into our box and scored a contender for goal of the season with a right-footed shot that dipped into the top corner; before Ezri Konsa had to deny Delap with a brilliant block, which resulted in Forest’s wasted corner in the dying seconds.
It’s hard to explain how we exposed ourselves like that three times in three minutes and I’m sure the manager and his coaching staff will look into that because I think we got away with it a bit. We thank our children for their defense work, but it is a little disturbing that they have these opportunities. Still, after the final whistle, and after two consecutive 0-0s in the last two seasons, Arteta was finally satisfied with a win at the City Ground:
Big win. A victory that we have not been able to achieve in the last two seasons in a really difficult place. We knew the game would be a small one. They train extremely well, their uniforms look like a Christmas tree, there is no room to play.
In the second half, we had to play a completely different game. Raise the level of threat and risk we must accept. But at the same time, be very restrained and disciplined so that the game does not open up and lose it, and we were able to maintain the level. Better moments, more sustained attacks, closer to the 18-yard box.
He also had some words for match winner Madueke:
We’ve seen a different Noni since the international break and we need that. Another level of anger and confidence in his actions and he is decisive in matches now, that’s what we expect from our players.
His contribution was explanatory and fair play to him. Another player who made a big impact from the bench after another game where Arsenal failed to score in the first half. I think we have to give credit to this team first and foremost for their ability to win games. As I said above, 10 wins out of 11 in all competitions this season and that is no accident. I think there’s a strength and character that we can all see that we shouldn’t lose sight of. To say we have the ability to win is a little unfair because it’s a temporary thing because it’s a big part of who we are. We’re ridiculously effective, if not always convincing and/or entertaining.
Again, two things may be true. I understand that teams will make life difficult for us, especially in the Premier League the level is very high these days and as the defending champions we face a special motivation of the opposition because everyone wants to measure themselves against the team that just won the league. It’s not easy, but I also think we can be a bit pedestrian at times and there is room for improvement in terms of the individual quality of certain players in the final third. Some of that is their own performance levels that could be better, but overall our recruitment in this area of the pitch has not been as effective as in other positions and in the medium to long term that is an issue we need to address.
Until then, Mikel Arteta will have to find a way to get more out of the players we have and think of ways to deal with teams like Forest and others who have seen the way they have played against us this season and use that as a blueprint. It won’t be the last time we face such a deep-seated side and we need to find solutions together with our team. Sometimes it’s Madueke’s goal yesterday, or Guimaraes’ opener at Sunderland. We can be reasonably certain that this is an Arsenal team that lacks effort and often fails to find a way to make that breakthrough.
So, get ready to grind. It will be like that a lot. Although I will go back to the first half issue we have, because as difficult as it is, the earlier goals mean more open games and some improvement there will make the opponent’s main problem in terms of their game plan more offensive than defensive. I know it’s simplistic to say ‘just score earlier’, but there’s no doubt it will help.
Right, I’ll leave it there for now. James and I recorded the Arsecast Extra right after the game last night, so that’s below if you haven’t had a chance to listen yet. We’ll also have The 30 over episode on Patreon this morning, so stay tuned.