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Match Day Thread Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal - Matchday Thread

Discussion in 'Arsenal' started by BrunelGunner, May 17, 2023.

  1. BrunelGunner

    BrunelGunner Well-Known Member
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    Venue: City Ground
    Date: Saturday 20th May 2023
    KO time: 17:30 BST

    Overall Record

    Wins: 52
    Losses: 28
    Draws: 22

    Last six meetings

    Arsenal 5-0 Nottingham Forest
    Nottingham Forest 1-0 Arsenal (FA Cup)
    Arsenal 5-0 Nottingham Forest (League Cup)
    Nottingham Forest 4-2 Arsenal (League Cup)
    Nottingham Forest 0-4 Arsenal (League Cup)
    Nottingham Forest 0-1 Arsenal

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    #1
  2. PINKIE

    PINKIE Wurzel Gummidge

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    I'm worried that with our growing injury list and deflation at not winning the league, we're just going to fizzle out for these last couple of game
     
    #2
  3. BrunelGunner

    BrunelGunner Well-Known Member
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    There’s part of me that feels that way too, and Arteta’s comments after the Brighton match suggests some players have bad traits that he’d thought we, as a squad, didn’t have anymore. Which is concerning.

    Considering how well we’ve played for most of the season, if we ended the season on 81 points, I’d feel extremely disappointed because there shouldn’t be a 7/8 point gap between us and City, yet it looks like there’s going to be.

    I don’t see how we motivate ourselves for this game. Forest need to win to secure survival, we finish 2nd no matter what. Do we have enough professional pride to still try and win for our own sake? I’m not convinced.
     
    #3
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  4. PINKIE

    PINKIE Wurzel Gummidge

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    we’ll see what sort of performance we put in on Saturday. But like you. I’m not convinced we’ll show up to be honest
     
    #4
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  5. Bergkamp10

    Bergkamp10 Active Member

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    Just seen the team
    Had thought we might give Nketiah and Smith Rowe a run out to freshen things up...but we haven't. That said would like to think there is a bit more about this team then the last few years and am expecting them to come out and really turn it on.
     
    #5
  6. white_gunner

    white_gunner Well-Known Member

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    Disgusting, disappointing performance. So unprofessional, and arteta’s game plan was ridiculous. Why are we playing partey at right back?
     
    #6
  7. white_gunner

    white_gunner Well-Known Member

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    Have we even had a shot on target this second half?
     
    #7
  8. lifecheshirewhite

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    Anyone seen any bottles,no bottle on this site,you must have lost it.
     
    #8
  9. BrunelGunner

    BrunelGunner Well-Known Member
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    That game went EXACTLY as I expected and I think more people need to be criticising the team for their collapse. Although I predicted this limp, pathetic display, I wanted the players to prove me wrong and they didn't. It looks like they've gone on holiday mentally.

    Losing the title to City is no disgrace, but 9 points out of the last 24? I cannot excuse that. We've totally capitulated. And for as well as Arteta has done this season, he's made some blunders when it comes to squad rotation, substitutions and reactions to certain in-game situations. Also, Partey at RB and Kiwior at LB? What the hell was all that about? Never seemed likely to work and was bizarre. Would much rather have seen some of the fringe players come on.

    Honestly, the one thing I wanted from these players was some professional pride and desire. To at least make City work for the title. And instead, we've gift wrapped it to them with 2 games to spare. It's such a disappointment after all the hard work we'd done for 90% of the campaign. The end to this season couldn't have gone much worse.

    We've come a long way since last season, but this reinforces that there is still A LOT of work to do - especially in terms of mentality and ruthlessness.
     
    #9
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  10. white_gunner

    white_gunner Well-Known Member

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    not really sure what we can do to take the next step. I still think we need like 6-7 top class players. Even more considering it seems like we are going to lose xhaka and tierney + ESR + others have question marks over their futures.
     
    #10

  11. cini65

    cini65 Well-Known Member

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    Nothing we can do. United and Real can't compete with City, how can we? Bit like relegation battlers who sack a manager because they finish 16th but want more. Be realistic. Unless we become an oil club we won't be able to compete with them.
     
    #11
  12. BrunelGunner

    BrunelGunner Well-Known Member
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    We can never compete with them financially, but let’s not act like we are paupers. We are capable of spending a lot of money compared to most clubs and we’ve been on an upward trajectory the last few years. We’ve gone from 8th to 5th to 2nd. Our style of play has improved tenfold. And we have some of the best young talents in Europe at our disposal.

    We can still look to build on what we’ve done this season and rectify our mistakes for next season. So long as I see the club is putting in the effort to do this, and so long as they are not resting on their laurels, then that’s all I can ask for.

    But this includes being aggressive in the transfer market and striking when the iron is hot. Meaning whatever players Arteta wants, make sure he gets them by any means necessary.

    However, Arteta also has to improve how he utilises his squad and to revamp this bottler’s mentality we seem to have in high-stakes moments. So a lot of work for him to do on the coaching and management side of things.
     
    #12
  13. Quilllogic

    Quilllogic Active Member

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    Diabolical end to the season with the lack of squad depth a real problem.
    The defence is still very shaky under pressure with the midfield all or nothing.
    Odegarad is most of the time a real asset but there have been matches when he just doesn't get into the game at all.
    The strikers are the biggest worry as we currently don't have one.
    Saka has been very poor the last half dozen matches and sadly Jesus in not a striker as his stats suggest, in fact we won more matches while he was injured than since he has been back.
    When we resort to bringing on Nketiah to win matches it shows how lacking we are in that department.
    We really do need a class striker who can put the ball in the net on a regular basis.
    Irrespective of the standard of the league he's playing in at the moment surely it's worth keeping Balogun and giving him a run in the team rather than selling him as he could turn out to be better than anyone we currently have.
     
    #13
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  14. white_gunner

    white_gunner Well-Known Member

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    Problem is according to reports Balogun wants to be a starter at a club and won’t settle for the bench. Not sure if he would actually end up playing ahead of Jesus.
     
    #14
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  15. Diego

    Diego Lone Ranger

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    You are in a similar situation to us, both have a decent working squad with a sprinkling of greatness among it but neither have a clinical dedicated striker to win those points in tight games whether it be 1 or all 3
     
    #15
  16. Quilllogic

    Quilllogic Active Member

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    Arteta is similar to Wenger in some ways as he will always play some certain people even if they are out of form.
    For some time after he joined Tierney was regarded as excellent and a future captain, he now has a job to get a kick even when Zinchenko is out.
     
    #16
  17. Citizen Kane.

    Citizen Kane. Well-Known Member

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    We have this Brazilian guy, used to play for Everton. Scored a couple of belters at the World Cup. Truly a top class player who will guarantee you a goal every 27 appearances. He's yours for a tenner. I'll even carry him down Seven Sisters myself. Does a hilarious pigeon impression - the young fans will love it.
     
    #17

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