Good morning, everyone.
After that unfortunate loss to West Ham, Mikel Arteta faces the task of stepping up the game tonight as we head over to face Nottingham Forest. Forest’s spot on the table has caught some off guard, but let’s be honest, they’ve truly earned it. They’ve been exceptional this season, even with some turbulence along the way. However, we can hope they’ll hit a rough patch this evening for our sake.
That said, Forest is probably eager to take on this version of Arsenal. We had our struggles against Leicester until Mikel Merino turned things around, and when West Ham decided to park the bus, we just couldn’t find a way through. Considering Forest’s strategy revolves around soaking up pressure and hitting hard on the counter, we’re going to need our defense to be on top form tonight.
Now, improving our play when we have the ball is where the real challenge lies. Does Arteta stick with Merino in a false 9 or center-forward role? Our options are frustratingly limited, and it seems Arteta isn’t keen on using Raheem Sterling unless absolutely necessary. If Sterling does start on the left, could Merino play as a supportive left 8, assisting Leandro Trossard up front? This setup would place either Declan Rice or Jorginho at the midfield base, with Rice likely getting the nod. This strategy has shown promise before, so it might be worth trying if Sterling proves fit for the left flank, although I have my doubts.
Alternatively, maybe Merino stays up front, and Arteta opts for a midfield trio of Jorginho, Rice, and Odegaard to provide that deep-lying passing ability. Is Ben White fit enough to start and give us some much-needed thrust on the right side? Perhaps we should think outside the box and start Kieran Tierney as well. A traditional left-back overlapping on the left could help stretch the field instead of narrowing it, which often happens against teams that sit back. On the flip side, would that give Forest more space to counter?
These options aren’t perfect, but sticking to the same lineup from the West Ham game probably won’t cut it. I mentioned earlier that the players should have delivered more, but now I genuinely feel Arteta must make some adjustments—ensuring we have impactful options on the bench if changes are needed late in the game. That’s easier said than done, though Arteta seemed positive about the season’s challenges in his press conference yesterday:
“It’s been incredibly satisfying to work every day with the players, the coaches, and the staff to try to overcome certain situations. If somebody tells you at the start of the season that by this time you will have played five times with a red card, over half an hour in each of them, and you have lost this amount of players, what’s the bet you are in the middle of the table at least, and you are out of the Champions League?”
“But that’s not the situation, so that tells you the resilience, the resources and the ambition the team and that every individual has, and that time has probably been one of my proudest moments to work, in that sense.”
If these are strengths Arteta holds in high regard—and rightly so—they need to shine through in his players tonight. Should we come out on top, it will likely be through gritty, hard-fought play. I could be mistaken, but I don’t anticipate a dazzling offensive display that will steamroll Forest. It might be a battle of endurance, and we must avoid conceding easy goals like the one against West Ham. If we can snatch a goal and hold our ground, I’d gladly settle for that outcome.
This part of the season, before the March interlude, calls for digging deep, showing resilience, and restoring some professional pride after Saturday’s setback. With a significant Champions League match around the corner, a victory tonight would be invaluable. Saturday marked our first Premier League loss in 16 games—we’ve reset the stage, so let’s aim to build on that.
For more insights on tonight’s match, check out our preview podcast over on Patreon. As always, join us for live blog coverage, plus post-match analysis on Arseblog News.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed!
