Morning all.
250 Premier League fixtures up for Mikel Arteta today which is amazing really in this day and age when managers come and go at the first sign of trouble. Mikel Arteta has been through a lot since taking over from Unai Emery nearly five years ago, the biggest challenge being overhauling the squad which thankfully, looks very different to the one he inherited. Yet it was the squad he inherited which secured our only piece of silverware under his management.
This fixture has been kind to Arsenal over the years, in the league anyway if not always in the domestic cups. 1995 was the last time we dropped points against them when playing at home but of course, Highbury was our home back then.
Last seasons fixture against Forest on the opening day of the season saw Mikel Arteta’s side win 2-1. Having gone 2-0 up through Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka in the first half, a Forest goal late on set the nerves alight. It was an awful day for new summer signing Jurrien Timber who suffered what proved to be, a season ending injury. He’s since more than proved just what we missed.
Jurrien Timber, Leandro Trossard, Riccardo Calafiori, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka are likely to be in the squad today but Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney and Ben White are ruled out.
As always, Adrian Clarke has been writing about what we we can expect from today’s opponent in the official matchday programme:
Forest’s class of 2024 contains a bunch of talented individuals who look after the ball very well, but in essence they are a low-possession outfit, averaging just 42% of the ball so far this term, ranking them 18th in the division.
Set up in a 4-2-3-1, they are content sitting back in a 4-5-1 off the ball, making themselves tough to break down. It’s a ploy that works as they boast the second-best defensive record, conceding just 10 times. Centre-backs Murillo and Milenkovic have been the cornerstone of the early season success, and their differing skillsets complement one another perfectly. From that resolute base, they enjoy turning the ball over, playing through the thirds quickly, and launching counters. The attacking midfield trio of Morgan Gibbs-White flanked by pacy wingers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga has a lovely balance, and only Liverpool and Chelsea have fashioned more shots from fast breaks.
Set pieces have also become a key part of Forest’s armoury, scoring a joint-high five goals from dead ball situations across their first 11 games. But while they have athleticism and industry aplenty, at times Nuno’s side lack creativity. No Premier League team executes fewer through balls, and their passing accuracy is among the weakest of all 20 teams.
November saw Forest batter West Ham before suffering a hefty 3-1 defeat against Newcastle Utd. Both matches were at The City Ground. We had a drab November, losing to Newcastle and Inter Milan away from home before drawing 1-1 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge just before the international break.
Arsenal need to improve their performances and results, and fast. Already nine points behind the leaders Liverpool, hope of a third time lucky challenge for the league title might not be over, but with every point dropped, that hope will fade.
This is the start of a new period of the season as we run straight through to and through the festive period. It’ll be busy with a game pretty much every three days. We need to kick it off with three big points. Mikel Arteta has a near on fully fit squad to select from and somehow, he needs to find a better balance between attacking and defensive football. After all, if one works really well but the other doesn’t, it makes winning games difficult. We need creativity, speed in our attacking play, crisp and positive passing and most of all, we need goals!
We as fans know that when this group of players click, they can beat any team they come up against but so far this season, we’re yet to see them really click. Injuries and playing with ten men hasn’t helped at all however, with only Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu missing from last season’s main crop of first team players along with the addition of Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori in the summer and a fit Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey, Mikel Arteta’s options are aplenty.
Storm Bert might be hitting the country bringing snow, high winds and rain, but it’s Storm Arsenal who need to be on show at The Emirates from 3pm today. Don’t let Forest settle into the game and don’t fall for their “we don’t press high” tactics. Oh, and don’t give the ball away cheaply up front because Forest are quick on the break.
Simple eh….. lol
Catch up in the comments.
Hi Rico, I’ll just test.
Yep, still need to refresh the page.
Hopefully, with Martin Odegaard back some of the pressure on Declan Rice will ease and he can drop a bit deeper to provide a bit of cover for the defence.
We have a run of games now mostly at home and even the away games are mostly in London so less travelling. What is more the upcoming games are largely against the second tier teams.
We have a great opportunity to close the gap and by Christmas could be closer to the heels of City and Liverpool.
Same for me Cicero, can’t figure out why though..
Morning to you and all.
Agreed, this is the time we need to start playing as a team. The only journey away from London is in the CL against Sporting Lisbon.
If we don’t get our act together now, we can forget about the PL imo.
Going to be interesting to see how we go today, hopefully a nice win to give the players a lift and a bit more confidents going forward.
I’m like the others, I have to hit refresh to see what I have written, but like the new look.
Exactly Geoff, start this period well and build on it…
New look on here,very nice.
Today is a very important game,I like Nuno as a manager( should never have gone to Spurs though) He has got the better of us before,plus Chris Wood must be one of the most in form strikers around.
What a boost to have Odegaard back,come on lads.
Agree re Odegaard and he’s had two weeks of rest or light training since the Chelsea game..
Afternoon You Biscuit Heads, I do enjoy a chat about biscuits I must say.
Anyway, nice makeover Rico, even the adds aren’t too intrusive but given the hike in energy prices and the steep increase in the cost of a packet of biscuits quite understandable…
Just watching some of the Leicester vs Chelsea game, is there a more irritating and niggly player than Cucurella, he has one of those kind of faces you’d simply love to punch – and for me he’s just the right size…
I’d take a 1-0 to the Gunners today
I have to refresh as well Rico, it’s just part of the routine now. 🤷♂️
Forest’s away record is quite impressive, it’s almost title winning which poses the question, with no europe or League Cup are Forest actually contenders for top four?
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Jorginho, Merino, Odegaard, Jesus, Saka, Trossard.
I can’t take any credit for the makeover Kev.
Forest have been lucky I think. 😜
Subs, Neto, Kiwior, Rice Partey, Zinchenko, Sterling, Nwaneri, Martinelli, Havertz
Protecting a few with a Tuesday C L game to come.
1-0, Saka…
Good attacking start. What a great run and finish! After such a close VAR going against us.
First Arsenal foul, yellow for Jourginho!
Two-tier refereeing, wait and see the ref ignore a similar offence by a Forest player.
Fantastic quick touches between Odergaard and Saka, very confident, need a second, Jesus
wide. No long balls, quick movement and triangles.
2nd foul, second booking, Jesus didn’t even see player coming as he turned.
73 per cent possession. Good tackle by Jourjinho, dangerous foul given just outside area!
3rd foul, Saka booked for great control of ball, as their player stoops in with his head!
Could do with a 2nd before half-time
Jota not booked??
Thomas Partey! Take a bow 😂
Thomas Partey scores like only Thomas Partey can… 🎉
That’s more like Arsenal…
Excellent result.
Three goals, clean sheet, three points. That’s the way to do it! 🔔🔔🔔
Saka, Partey and Nwaneri with the goals.
Arsenal are back…
Arteta made sensible subs.
Nwaneri scored.
Sterling looked like he’s finally fitting in.
Jesus put in a decent 90 minutes.
Merino looked like he’s getting there.
Very enjoyable indeed.
And plenty in the tank for Lisbon
ok.
Good first half.
Enough, in the second half.
A very difficult game awaits us in Lisbon and is decisive for qualification.
I have to say, and I have never said it before, c’mon Tottenham!. One nil up against City. Make that two nil!
Could Guardiola be the first Premiership manager to be sacked in the same week that he signed a two year extension to his contact?
Guys, let me comment about this new look site. This looks amazing, the best I have see since I joined! Quite a remarkable job @Rico
In other news, a massive 3 points!
I watched a stream which kept buffering but even so, I thought we looked so much better..
Thanks Kyalo but I can’t take any credit for the site update.
3-0 😄
Careful Spurs, don’t throw it away.
Great result. I’ve just seen the goals but sounds like we could have scored more. The clean sheet is a big bonus.
Spurs have an amazing record against Man City.
Spurs hand out a four goal thrashing away to City. A good win by any standard but I don’t think they played that well. City where awful.
Two great results, us back to winning, and Man C, getting beat at home,
lets hope Liverpool get beat, for the perfect weekend.
Watched replay, match kept freezing due to satellite issues.
We looked so much better with Odegaard back in the team, the ref was very keen to give us yellow cards. Saka goal was brilliant. we could have won by a lot more if luck was on our side.
Morning guys.
New post up