23 November 2024
Arsenal 3 Nott’m Forest 0
Arsenal welcomed Nottingham Forest to The Emirates with only goal difference separating the two teams. The visitors were without Gibbs-White and Wood as a result of the recent break. In the first eleven games of the season, we have seen more international games than the entire summer where both the Euros and Copa America were played out. FIFA need to sort this out.
The Gunners started on the front foot, as you would expect at home. Saka fired a shot in from the edge of the box but did not connect well, Trossard then scuffed a shot from six yards out before Jesus was penalised for offside as he and the Belgian got in each other’s way trying to get to the ball. Even this early on you could see that this Forest side look completely different without Gibbs-White.
You could go as far as to say, his impact on Nuno Espirito Santo’s side is far greater than Rodri’s for Man City. When he plays, they look capable of pushing for European football. When he doesn’t, they look average at best. The visitors made moves forward and Aina whipped a cross into the box but Hudson-Odoi completely missed the ball instead of working Raya.
The hosts thought they had taken the lead when Timber slotted home at the back post as an Odegaard free kick was headed into his path. The assistant immediately raised his flag and the subsequent VAR review showed it was the correct decision. It was a big let-off for Forest who were struggling to cope with the Arsenal attacking threat.
One player who changes the complete makeup of this Arsenal team is Odegaard. Had he played, no doubt Gibbs-White would have been tasked with man marking him but the Norwegian was pulling all the strings. When his shot was blocked, Saka picked up the loose ball, dribbled along the box onto his favoured foot and thundered a shot into the back of the net from just inside the box. North London erupted.
It was no more than the hosts deserved. They continued to pass and move, which resulted in a chance for Jesus, but he put his effort wide of the far post. Forest just had no answer to The Gunners and were looking all over the shop. Their fans had dreamt of Europe again recently but this match was showing just how far off the pace they were of the top teams.
Saka almost added another as Timber played him in but his effort was well blocked. Trossard followed up to get a strong shot away from the edge of the box. Sels stood firm and blocked it to deny the hosts another goal. Moments later, Saka looked to pass one into the far corner but again the Forest keeper got down well to tip it behind for a corner.
The fact that they went into the interval only a goal behind would have seemed something of a positive for the visitors. They offered so little in an attacking sense and had been under the cosh for the majority of the first-half. You felt change was needed if they were to stand any chance of getting anything from this trip to the capital.
Instead, the second-half continued in the same fashion. Saka teased the Forest defence out wide before laying it into the path of Partey outside the box. He curled a shot past Sels into the far corner to double the hosts’ lead. Scoring goals is not really a part of the Ghanaian’s game we see much of, but this was one he will take great joy in.
The closest Forest came to troubling Raya was when Yates sent a looping header onto the roof of the net. Nuno Espirito Santo will not be happy with his side’s performance at The Emirates but it does show the gulf in class between his team and the ‘top four’. Granted they had a fantastic result against Liverpool at Anfield but that was more down to Slot’s side being wasteful in front of goal.
Nwaneri came off the bench for The Gunners and immediately showed the fans what a prospect he is. His close control is sublime, as he twisted and turned, making the Forest defenders look like they were being controlled on a PS5 by a toddler. His curling shot had Sels beaten but dropped narrowly wide of the far post. Arsenal were in cruise control by this stage of the game.
Sterling then cut the ball back from the byline to the youngster, who drilled his shot past Sels at the near post. The 17-year-old really looks like he has a very bright future in front of him. It was his first Premier League goal for The Gunners and one thing you can be sure of, it certainly won’t be his last. It topped off a solid display by Mikel Arteta’s side.
Arsenal managed to cut the gap to leaders Liverpool down to six points with their biggest win of the campaign. They just had to hope that bottom of the table Southampton could do them a favour at St Mary’s the following day. This result underpinned one thing, if The Gunners want any silverware this season, they need to wrap Odegaard up in cotton wool to ensure they keep him fit.
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