Arsenal 2 Nottm Forest 1
The Gunners recorded their biggest spend in a single transfer window in the summer and welcomed Nottingham Forest to The Emirates for their opening game of the new season. As you would expect, Mikel Arteta’s side started on the front foot, although it was Brennan Johnson who had the first chance to score. A routine midfield header went straight through the Arsenal back four and the pacey Johnson got onto the end of it but his finish was disappointing as he put the ball over the crossbar.
Bukayo Saka looked to drive into the box but as he tried to clip the ball to a teammate, it was blocked, at the expense of a corner. Forest managed to clear the resulting corner but The Gunners recycled it well and a neat pirouette by Martinelli got the ball to Eddie Nketiah. He dropped his shoulder to get onto his favoured right foot and his shot deflected passed Matt Turner.
Steve Cooper’s side sat deep when Arsenal were in possession of the ball, inviting the hosts onto them. As Timber passed the ball to Saka, he cut inside from the right wing onto his left foot and curled one in the top corner from outside of the box. Stunning strike.
The visitors had struggled to put any pressure on The Gunners since that early Brennan Johnson chance and Mikel Arteta’s side had controlled the first half, often looking like scoring more but the dogged defending by Forest kept them out.
Credit: @Arsenal
Arsenal began the second half in the same manner, the ball played to Odegaard who found Havertz and tried to create some space before passing to the oncoming Declan Rice. He tried to pass a shot into the bottom corner but Turner got down well to get fingertips to it and turn it onto the outside of the post. Almost a debut goal for the ex-West Ham man.
It wasn’t until the 77th minute of the game that Nottingham Forest were able to spend any time in the Arsenal final third but after Aurier had won the visitors a corner, Boly met the cross but could not get enough contact to trouble Ramsdale. The replay showed that it had struck Rice’s hand but neither the officials nor VAR were interested in giving a penalty. As to whether it should have been, the rules of the game have left most of us wondering what handball even is now.
Saka did well out on the right wing for The Gunners and clipped a ball towards Rice who met it on the volley but struck his shot into the ground, allowing Turner to tip the ball around the post. The resulting corner was headed clear by the visitors which set them up for a quick break.
Anthony Elanga picked the ball up inside his own half and his pace left the Arsenal players in his wake as he got to the byline and picked out Awoniyi in the box. Both subs combining as the striker swept the ball passed Aaron Ramsdale in the Arsenal goal.
Forest’s recent signing from Man Utd was causing Arsenal all kinds of trouble since his introduction and he bolted down the left wing once again, this time finding Morgan Gibbs-White on the edge of the box. He met the ball on the half-volley but saw his effort rise just over the crossbar.
It was a nervy end to the game for Mikel Arteta’s side but they managed to hold on to grab all three points, Steve Cooper will be pleased with what he saw from his team, especially once they got themselves a goal. Don't be surprised to see Elanga in the starting line-up from next week, the Swedish winger looked like he could be a great signing for Forest.
Credit: @NFFC
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