Far be it from me to be dramatic, but that was the longest international break, in the history of international breaks. Time was moving slower than a snail, experiencing an eternal slumber. It’s always that way, when your team suffers a defeat, right before the international break. My Anfield wounds are no longer gaping, but they’re not fully healed either, and they won’t be, until we get our next three points.
Thankfully, we’re back at the Emirates Stadium, and with a lunchtime kick-off to boot… So, It’s all set up for me, for us Arsenal fans, to potentially have, a glorious weekend.
The visiting team this time, are Nottingham Forest, fresh from the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo. Apparently, he and the owner (Evangelos Marinakis) were no longer getting on.
Personally, I think this is a huge mistake by the owner, as Nuno Espirito Santo is a top manager, and he’s proved this time, and time again, in the Premier League. (His time at Tottenham, doesn’t count. HAHA!)
I rate him so highly, that after our greatest ever manager Arsene Wenger, called time on his illustrious Arsenal career, I wanted Nuno to be his replacement. Arsenal instead, decided to appoint Unai Emery, and the rest is history.
Nottingham Forrest now have a new manager in the dugout, and that manager (I use the term loosely) is Ange Postecoglou. The same Ange Postecoglou, whose Tottenham team finished 17th in the Premier League last season, on a points tally, that has relegated teams in the past.
His whimsical footballing style, never strays too far from hilarity, and his teams often defend like they have absolutely no idea, what the word means. However, Ange saying “Mate” a few times in all his press conferences, somehow causes amnesia, and has the football media eating out of the palm of his hands, like they’re pigeons, and he has breadcrumbs in abundance. Postecoglou’s appointment, inevitably added extra spice to this match, for obvious reasons, and I was of course hoping that Arsenal would use said spice, to season Nottingham Forest up, cook them, and serve a delicious defeat.
Arsenal once again, faced a team with that “New manager bounce”. The last team we faced after a newly appointed manager (Graham Potter), was West Ham, and we lost that game. So naturally, I felt extra wary of this new manager wielding, Forest team.
I didn’t expect to see Ange Postecoglou’s trademark, ridiculously high defensive line, as surely the Forest players still had Nuno’s defensive discipline, etched in their brains. Surely.
As kick-off drew nearer, all I was thinking to myself is… Please Arsenal, score an early goal. An early goal would make Ange revert back to his default setting, which is kamikaze football. We love when teams play like that against us, because more often than not, we put them to the sword, like the fallen enemies of ‘Conan the Barbarian’.
I wanted to, no… I needed to see, an attacking lineup from the manager, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Eberechi Eze started on the left of our three pronged attack, Viktor Gyokeres played through the middle, and Noni Madueke continued to deputise on the right, for the injured Bukayo Saka.
The Gunners were locked, and loaded, and it too wasn’t long before the Forest goal was fired upon, but we’ll get to that.
The rest of the lineup was as expected, except for Mikel Merino starting the match, ahead of Declan Rice. A rare rest for Declan Rice, ahead of our Champions League game on Tuesday, against Athletic Club. I understand why Arteta made that decision, and anyway, Merino was in phenomenal form for Spain, during the international break. He scored four goals in two games for them… A hat-trick in the second game, so his inclusion filled me with excitement, rather than worry. With Saliba not being rushed back from his injury, Cristhian Mosquera was given his first Premier League start, and once again filled in for him.
It’s truly amazing, that the Arsenal squad has such depth now, such quality in all areas, that I no longer worry when player’s like William Saliba, or Declan Rice, don’t start a game.
My bottom lip is trembling, as tears of joy cause temporary blindness, while I attempt to hit these keystrokes. My goodness… a proper squad.
The match began rather cagey, and maybe a little international hangover reared it’s ugly head. Notting Forest sat deep, as Arsenal passed the ball around in front of them, trying to create an opening.
In the 18th minute, Merino had a shot that was straight at Forest’s keeper Matz Sels, Merino unfortunately, couldn’t quite hit the shot cleanly. After the save was made, the Forest defence attempted to get the ball clear, as Arsenal tried to keep the pressure on, and Martin Odegaard was tackled on the edge of the box, and fell awkwardly on the same shoulder he previously injured. He had to go off, and was replaced by Ethan Nwaneri.
I just cannot believe that our injury woes to key players, has continued on from last season. Thankfully though, as I’ve already stated, we have a squad to cope with injuries.
The show must go on, and in the 32nd minute, Martin Zubimendi needed no invitation to take the starring role.
Arsenal earned a corner from a direct, pacey, jinking, twisting, and turning, faints, and drop of the shoulder, type run… from the irrepressible, Noni Madueke. He caused the Forest left-backs Marato, and then Williams, problems all afternoon. They were visibly terrified, and probably had to change their shorts a couple of times, such was their crippling fear.
I’m so glad that Noni Madueke proved me wrong, because I wasn’t thrilled that we signed him, and I was convinced he wouldn’t improve our team in any way.
Well, I’ve seen enough now, to accept that I was wrong, and I’m currently choking on my own words, that he’s forcing me to eat. Arteta’s holding a humble pie, that I must also devour, and I’ll inevitably have to wash it down… With a tall glass of “Trust the process”.
I digress. So, the aforementioned corner was taken by Noni Maduaeke, and Chris Wood managed a decent defensive header, which was expected to give Forest some reprieve. However, this is football, and we expect the unexpected…and unexpectedly, Martin Zubimendi, twenty-five yards out, met said defensive header, with a thunderous volley, that flew past Sels at breakneck speed…and probably broke the sound barrier, in the process. The Arsenal were 1-0 up, and deservedly so.
Ange was on the Forest bench looking more bewildered than usual, and of course, devoid of ideas. Arsenal were not about to give him any clues on how to stop this footballing foray, and we continued to control the half, and went in 1-0 up at the half-time break.
Less than a minute into the second half (46 seconds), and Calafiori, played a wonderful pass over the top to Eberechi Eze, who controlled the ball expertly, and glanced up to see Viktor Gyokeres arriving in the box. Eze passed the ball square.. quickly on the half-volley, and Gyokeres tapped the ball in from close range. Eze got his first assist in Arsenal colours, and Gyokeres took his goal tally to three goals, in four games. All the Gyokeres haters were sitting rather uncomfortably in their seats, I imagine.
It was a truly splendiferous Arsenal move, and put us comfortably 2-0 up.
The second goal knocked the wind out of Forest, but they still huffed, and puffed, nonetheless, but with barely enough force, to blow out the candles on a birthday cake.
Arsenal though, continued to cut down the Forest, and collected enough wood, to build a luxurious log cabin, such was Arsenal’s dominance. The Arsenal fans began to sing “ARE YOU TOTTENHAM IN DISGUISE?” which I’m sure the Ex-Tottenham boss, thoroughly enjoyed!
With the game more or less won at 2-0, Arteta sensibly started to rest players. He took off Calafiori in the 68th minute, for Myles Lewis-Skelly, and he brought on Declan Rice, for Viktor Gyokeres, which meant Mikel Merino moved up front.
Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke, were replaced by Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Martinelli, respectively, in the 78th minute.
Leandro Trossard, with his first touch since coming on, put a teasing ball into the box, and Martin Zubimendi headed the ball home, and completed an unlikely brace.
3-0 to the Arsenal. Game well, and truly over… even though the time on the clock, promised Nottingham Forest at least, eleven more minutes of pain.
We reacted to the Liverpool defeat in the perfect way, and we can now turn our attention to Tuesday’s Champions League game, with confidence.
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