Nowhere nearly as good as anticipated for Arsenal, and but higher than it was. In going seven factors away from Manchester Metropolis somewhat than 9, Mikel Arteta’s staff inch ahead. A bit like in play right here.
Whereas that can frustrate a fanbase so determined to only get this title achieved, and the ball did steadily flash throughout the Nottingham Forest field in a tantalising method, a lot of that needed to do with Sean Dyche’s facet. They wanted a degree themselves after West Ham United’s and fought defiantly for it.
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Metropolis’s personal evisceration on the toes of Manchester United didn’t fairly drive Arsenal in the identical method, however it does afford a cushion for performances like this.
A 0-0 at Forest – which is a second such clean in a row, after Liverpool – is simply one thing to recover from somewhat than the emotional disaster it may have been.
Arteta was left complaining about “4 huge possibilities” not taken and “a transparent penalty” from an Ola Aina handball not given.
Dyche predictably mentioned that you could be as nicely cancel the sport if such selections are awarded.
Gabriel Martinelli misses from shut vary (Reuters)
There was a bit extra to the sport than all that – or a bit much less to it, because the case could also be, from Arsenal’s perspective. They wished far more.
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Arteta’s frustration was palpable.
The remorse will solely actually come in the event that they do truly fail to win this title, and Aston Villa do have the prospect to chop that hole again to 4 factors on Sunday.
Forest, for his or her half, should not a straightforward staff to play. Regardless of the place within the desk, the outcomes are that of an ungainly mid-table facet since Dyche took over, and that’s precisely what they appear like.
They largely obtained their techniques in opposition to Arsenal spot on, with direct runs from deep disrupting Arteta’s press, and making certain the league leaders spent extra of the match a lot additional again than they’d like. It was usually as if Arsenal have been toiling to stand up the pitch.
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Morgan Gibbs-White and Nikola Milenkovic have been glorious.
On the opposite facet, although, there could also be one other problem for Arsenal to navigate.
Forest’s Nicolas Dominguez, left, and Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi battle for the ball (PA)
Dressing-room insiders speak about how they’ve observed a sample with these weeks that nearly contain triptychs of video games.
They appear a lot extra laboured by the final one, as was precisely the case with that 0-0 in opposition to Liverpool final Thursday.
This was a notably torpid show in comparison with how energetic. Ought to Arteta have put fairly a lot into that, given the title is the be all and finish all.
The reply will solely come on the finish of the season.
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Right here, they did enable a match to grow to be a slog after an initially encouraging begin. It began when Martin Odegaard misplaced duels both facet of half-time, which was exactly why he was substituted.
He’s expressly supposed to supply the cross in video games like this however discovered himself crowded out. That perhaps shouldn’t be a shock both.
Though Arsenal are a bodily imposing facet, Forest are one staff who’ve the muscularity to match that. You may see it any time the ball went near Matz Sels’s field. Within the one uncommon second they correctly obtained past, the Belgian pulled off a superb save from a Bukayo Saka header. Arsenal have been left interesting potential handballs within the field, or watching the ball flash simply away from their attackers.
Once more, inching by means of.
Murillo heads the ball clear for Nottingham Forest (PA)
The higher frustration for Arteta is that such a slog goes in opposition to a development that has been one of many virtues of their season.
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They’ve been particularly good at out of the blue ramping up within the second half, normally as a result of power in depth on the bench. That stat about scoring extra targets than anybody else within the quarter-hour after half-time did the rounds so much through the Liverpool recreation. It’s now no targets in 180 minutes, and never even actual threats from set-pieces.
Eberechi Eze was additionally signed for moments like this however his cameo mirrored a current regression. Insiders say he’s persevering with to adapt to precisely what Arteta desires, which has meant he hasn’t been used as a lot.
Eze was largely ineffective right here, left battling for an additional Leandro Trossard lob ahead.
That was virtually the sport summed up: bodily duels, battles, Arsenal making an attempt to work by means of two our bodies.
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When Dyche’s facet did inevitably withdraw across the 75-minute mark, Arteta’s attackers simply discovered they always needed to attempt to get past two gamers.
Arsenal couldn’t win this struggle. For the second, they’ve a bit extra floor within the wider struggle.
“We wish to be higher,” Arteta summed up. They’re in a greater place, however not within the method they anticipated or wished.