Arteta gamble pays off as Arsenal hammer Forest
Celebrates Side's Nottingham Photo/kin Scoring Third Ethan Against Nwaneri Goal Arsenal's Forest After Wonderkid: Cheung His Ap Picture:
MIKEL ARTÉTA gambled on five changes to his side and was repaid with a first Arsenal win in five matches to move back into the top four and six points behind early season Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Bukayo Saka and Thomas Partey were the goalscorers early on in each half as the Arsenal manager axed five from the team that could only draw at Chelsea last time out.
Recent injuries and Tuesday’s Champions League tie away to Sporting Lisbon could have impacted his selection but most of his big guns were on the bench as a new look line-up dominated this match from start to finish.
Arsenal had good early chances for Saka and Leandro Trossard. A mind-numbing VAR decision of prolonged indecision eventually resulted in Timber’s shot being ruled out for Mikel Merino having a toenail offside in the build-up.
The only point of rewinding Saka’s strike that gave Arsenal the lead on 15 minutes was to marvel at the quality of the shot. The England winger, fit again after sitting out the international break, exchanged a one-two with Martin Odegaard inside the Forest area and dragged three defenders in his wake across the box before lashing a rising left foot shot into the roof of the Forest net.
Arsenal’s star boy remained his side’s greatest threat to Forest and created numerous openings down the right wing. He should, however, have doubled their lead after carving out another great chance just five minutes before half-time. A great save from Matz Sels denied Saka again moments later as Arteta’s men cranked up the pressure going into the break.
Arteta ensured they maintained the momentum going into the second half by replacing a struggling Jorginho, who had been booked, with Partey. The Ghana midfielder had a significant impact as he controlled a Saka pass before curling in a right-foot shot from outside the area just seven minutes after the break. Forest were finished, simply not up for the fight.
The only other highlight was the introduction of Arsenal’s teenage wonderkid Nwaneri. The natural heir to Odegaard’s place in the side went within a whisker of scoring soon after coming on for the Norwegian captain with a great solo effort before finding the back of the net off another move in the 86th minute. It promised to be the first of many Premier League goals for the dazzling 17-year-old.
While Arsenal jet out to Portugal on Monday, next up for Forest is the more manageable visit of Ipswich Town next weekend.
Raya 6, Timber 7 (Kiwior 88), Saliba 8, Gabriel 7, Calafiori 6 (Zinchenko 69), Jorginho, 6 (Partey 46) Merino 6, Odegaard 9 (Nwaneri 84), Saka 9 (Sterling 84), Trossard 6, Jesus 6. Subs: Neto, Martinelli, Havertz, Rice.
Sels 7, Aina 6, Murillo 6, Milenkovic 6, Moreno 6 (Williams 73), Ward-Prowse 5, Dominguez 6 (Sosa 63), Yates 6, Hudson-Odoi 6, Elanga 6 (Silva 46), Awonyi 6 (Wood 46). Subs: Miguel, Morato, Toffolo, Moreira, Boly.
: Simon Hooper 6
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