Morning all.
That’s how to get over a defeat! A 5-0 spanking of Nottingham Forest in front of the home fans. Fatigue? You’re having a laugh – well, the boys certainly didn’t look tired from the highlights I watched. Nottingham Forest might be one of the favourites to be relegated this season, at this moment in time but Arsenal can’t help who they have to play and when. The last 2/3 performances from Mikel Arteta’s teams have looked shaky and I bet before the game, Steve Cooper believed his side could leave north London with a point. At half-time, he probably thought the same, especially after a couple of dodgy moments in the Arsenal defence, but the team in red and white proved that form is a temporary thing but class never goes away. The number of false dawns in the past is what gives me the jitters when we play badly because my brain thinks ‘here we go again’.
Bukayo Saka, the one who goes to ground too easily, was given some rough treatment yet again only this time, after what looked liked having studs raked down his leg, he had to go off. The commentary team on 5Live were concerned for England and the World Cup when he had to go off after half an hour – plonkers. He’s Arsenal first and foremost and I hope he recovers quickly.
When asked if Saka’s injury could rule him out of the World Cup, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said:
Hopefully not. It was a bad kick, he was limping but I don’t see it further than that. It was both [foot and ankle], he got kicked a few times.
Before he left the pitch, with Reiss Nelson coming on in his place, Bukayo Saka had already notched up an assist for Gabriel Martinelli within the opening five minutes. I loved the goal because it wasn’t easy. Our Brazilian winger had a lot to do just to get to the cross, let alone hit the target. We don’t score many like that.
Often when the team is announced on a match-day, the bench is equally as interesting as the starting eleven. Important too because if and when those players get called upon, they need to be ready. They need to make a difference, or at least that’s the hope. You want to see a spark of magic from attacking players and a bit a steel and steadiness from the defensive ones. Well, I can’t remember the last time an Arsenal player came off the bench to make the kind of impact Reiss Nelson did yesterday. Two goals in four minutes early in the second half and an assist later in the game. I’m absolutely chuffed for him because his Arsenal journey hasn’t always been easy. Loans, injuries and an odd game or two for Arsenal in between but last season, whilst on loan at Feyenoord, he seemed to mature. Whether yesterday was the start of something better for him I don’t know but he sure as heck didn’t do his chances any harm.
Arsenal scored again just before the hour. Another wonderful strike from Thomas Partey was perfect. Stunning. At 4-0, Mikel Arteta began to make his changes. All four he had left with Cedric Soares back in action, Eddie Nketiah, Kieran Tierney and Fabio Vieira all having time on the pitch and William Saliba, Granit Xhaka, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Martinelli having time off it.
One more goal came for Arsenal trough captain Martin Odegaard and fine strike it was too. 5-0, three different scorers, Forest thrashed and we’re back at the top of the table again. How Gabriel Jesus didn’t score I don’t know but it certainly wasn’t through lack of trying.
Win the next two league games and we’ll be top at Christmas. 😃
Seriously though, we needed that performance and result. Now we can go into the Europa League on Thursday night feeling a bit more confident after such a dominant performance, certainly in the second half.
Mikel Arteta spoke after the game:
On enjoying the second half…
It was time for the players to enjoy that moment, they earned it, we had so many games, a lot of emotions, that they’ve been through and as well to give some opportunities to some players and like Cedric, he hasn’t played a lot of minutes as well and he’s every day conducting the right way, it was great to see some players having minutes.
On 300 wins at the Emirates…
It was great honestly, thank you so much for all the supporters coming back it made the game much simpler, much easier, the boys were just talking about it, it’s just a joy to come here and play in front of them. It really is special.
It really was a good weekend for Arsenal as the ladies made history by going unbeaten in the WSL for a record 13 times on the trot. Yesterday West Ham were the latest team to suffer defeat and if that’s enough to cheer you up, Tony Adams made it through to the next round of Strictly. He’s looking good too…
See you in the comments.
Yes, the commentators love to suggest when Saka is hit, that he going down too easily and maybe he does go over a lot but that’s because he gets kicked a lot, I mean can anyone out there remember the last time he was kicked, won a free kick and the offender was cautioned, because I can’t but it could be, every game it could happen, but it doesn’t and so he was left a limping wreck yesterday…
Arteta needs to highlight this but for some reason he doesn’t and I wonder if it’s because if he does then Arsenal will get even less protection?
Good post El Rico
I’m not sure that Saka could havedone any better than Nelson yesterday, so Forest kicking Bakayo out of it kinda backfired.
It was good to see John Jules scoring again over the weekend.
Thanks Kev and morning to you and all.
I think that’s exactly the reason Arteta says little although he did hint at it yesterday. Look at the reputation Wenger got for moaning about the officials. I suppose the ref yesterday will think about how good he was to allow us to play on after a fouled which ended with us scoring.
One thing we learned though is that it’s not just northern refs who are rubbish.
I had to laugh at the highlights on Sky because the commentator was in the middle of saying what a poor shot it was from Nelson when he smashed the rebound into the top of the net.
Morning Rico
Great result yesterday. Swept Forest away in the 2nd half. Could have been many more goals, but can’t argue with 5!
Deserved plaudits for Nelson. He really took his chance yesterday. Maybe he will push on from here?
Good morning Rico, a fine post on a fine morning after a fine win. What more could anyone wish for?
Brushing aside sides at the lower end of the league has seldom come easily for previous Arsenal teams but the present crop seem to be a bit more ruthless In the manner they go about their business.
Five nil is a great score, but it could easily have been double that had Jesus been a little more composed and clinical in front of goal. I don’t think even Aubameyang missed as many scoring chances in one game than our Brazilian striker. By the end of the game his teammates were desperately trying to get him on the scoresheet. I’m sure that when he finally breaks his own personal drought the floodgates will open.
Morning Pete. I hope he does. I’m glad he got the chance because Arteta could have opted for someone else. Clearly Nelson is working hard in training.
Maybe Jesus is saving all his goals for Stamford Bridge?
Morning Rico and all
I left a message before but it appears to have got lost in the clouds.
If we play against any of the top teams like we did yesterday I can’t see why we can’t beat them.
Glad to see Reiss Nelson take full advantage of his game time and show Arteta that he is ready to put the pressure on all for a starting position.
The best chance they had to score was of our own making with a short pass straight to them.
Forest obviously had a plan to stop Saka, but when Reiss Nelson came on they had no idea what to expect. He was just like a new signing. 😉
I hope so Kev.
Morning Geoff
Nelson , ESR , Elneny all good additions when the restart comes . I wouldn’t mind Saka getting a few more knocks after Chelsea to keep him home from Qatar.
I was thinking that earlier re Saka but thought it a bit unkind. 😂
We have four games to go before the WC break, Zurich at home on Thursday, Chelsea away Sunday, Brighton home on Wednesday and Wolves away on the Saturday. I can’t see any way that Saka is going to take part in any of those. So he will be going into the WC cold. Southgate is already having to cope with some players who will be lacking in game time, will he be happy to add another to the list and risk the chance that Saka could break down, or will he leave him behind to fully recover? I know which I would prefer. Missing out on representing his country at a WC would be a blow to Saka but he is young and will have two or three more chances in the future.
I think he’ll be back on Sunday.
Yes he will play against Chelsea and they will target him and as usual the ref will wave play on.
Probably he whoever he may be will allow the standard early softeners and I will not be surprised if he doesn’t come out for the second half. I fully expect Cucrella ,Kovacic , and probably anyone else to indulge in a bit of rotational kicking , just enough to stay out of the book but enough to see Nelson get a bit of pitch time..
Morning
With a soft ref no doubt…
New post up.