Wow! Where exactly do I start? A scintillating attacking performance from Arsenal, leading to comprehensive victory; and from which there are numerous talking points. Let's get straight into it.
Firstly, do you remember how you used to feel when you saw that Arsenal's starting XI was missing Saliba, Rice, Saka and Havertz. Or when within the first few minutes Martin Odegaard was forced to leave the pitch, to add to those injury worries? Well, welcome to the new world of Arsenal, when a side shorn of all those players failed to worry us at all.
Such has been the summer strengthening that there are now at least two players for every single position on the pitch; and I'm not just talking about back-ups. Just go through the list of summer purchases:
- Kepa - a more than adequate back-up in goal, who started for Bournemouth all last season
- Mosquera - currently looking like the bargain of the century at an initial £13m from Valencia. With Saliba out, he hasn't missed a beat in his place
- Hincapié - yet to be seen, but by all accounts likely to be very good indeed
- Zubimendi - getting up to speed, and looking rather tasty
- Norgaard - again yet to be seen, but was Brentford's captain last season
- Madueke - an absolute revelation!
- Eze - I mean; what can anyone say?
- Gyökeres - three goals in 4 games is an excellent start
Every single one of those players could make a case for being a starter. Arteta can put out two sides when everyone is fit, and there would be a case for suggesting that the so-called 'Second Team' might even be pressing for a Champions League spot!
I remember sitting in my seat at Highbury one Saturday afternoon 20+ years ago and leaning forward to say to my friend Jill - who now sits two rows behind me instead of one in front - that she should take in the wonders that we were seeing as Arsenal strolled to yet another comfortable 3-0 win because it couldn't possibly get any better. Yet on Saturday I started to get the same vibes.
Look, I know that this version of Arsenal haven't got any medals to show for their efforts yet, and in comparison to The Invincibles they're possibly short of a few absolutely world class players (that side possessed Bergkamp, Henry, Pires, Vieira and Cole to name just a handful). And yet... as a collective, they are possibly the best squad of players that the club has ever put together. There can be little or no excuse this season for Arsenal not to be challenging on every single front available. The ownership have put their hands deep into their pockets, and the new Sporting Director has delivered. It's up to the Manager and the players to deliver, and I am excited - because I think that this time they will. It might be difficult to find excuses this time round.
Here are some statistics for your delectation. In 4 PL matches this season, Arsenal have scored 9 times and conceded just one - from a 30+ yard worldie of a free kick. And in that time - including visits to Old Trafford and Anfield - have racked up a miniscule 0.89xGA (expected goals against). In total!!!
Whilst fans were complaining after Anfield that Arsenal lacked ambition, and were showing little progress (something with which I personally disagree; even allowing for criticism of the timing of the second half substitutions they were just that amazing late free kick away from a commendable draw at that most difficult of away venues), I think that we started to see on Saturday just what this team is capable of doing. Forest are no mugs - they occupied a Champions League spot for much of last season - but they were blown away by the quality of Arsenal's attacking play on Saturday.
A baptism of fire for Big Ange. What an awful place to go to for an ex-Tottenham manager's first game in charge. 'Cheer Up Postecoglou' got an early airing, but as Arsenal cruised to victory in the second half we fans amused ourselves further with sparkling renditions of 'Sacked In the Morning' and 'Are You Tottenham In Disguise?' He hasn't had time to impose Angeball on his charges yet, and we can expect Forest to become more expansive in the near future. But in Arsenal's second goal we saw what this new look Arsenal are capable of doing to a high line.
On the plus side, there was much to admire. It seems a shame to draw attention to any defensive deficiencies, but it's my job to do so; and there were some. A poor throw in across midfield from Calafiori in the first half almost led to a chance, and there was a single moment in the second half when a ball deflected goalward by the barrel-like chest of Chris Wood hit the crossbar - via the fingertips of David Raya - fell back into play and a certain amount of indecision almost let in Hudson-Odoi. The imperious Mosquera cleared that situation up. And truth be told any defensive issues Arsenal suffered were of their own making. One might almost accuse them of being over-ambitious at times, but I for one am willing to see that trade off between taking chances and trying to move the ball quickly, and leaving themselves open to counter attack. With a defence as solid as Arsenal's, it's worth the risk.
And there are plenty of excellent performances on which to remark. From back to front:
Raya had one decisive action to make (from that Wood effort) and did what he needed to do. A clean sheet on his 100th start for the club. Timber gave his wingers nothing, but at the same time looked to get up the pitch to support Madueke - both on the interior and the overlap. Bar that one mental error as he dithered over a clearance, this was another 8/10 performance from the Dutchman.
Mosquera... another superb performance from a young man of just 21 years of age, who'd been thrust into the spotlight at Anfield the week before and scarcely put a foot wrong either there or here. Honestly, would anyone have thought that the team wouldn't miss Saliba at all?
A couple of superbly timed tackles and a tricky headed clearance were the main highlights. But he also showed loads of composure with the ball at his feet. Gabriel was his usual solid and reliable self. Calafiori a menace going forwards, but perhaps less comfortable defensively (that's the trade-off with him). He created the second goal with a long, clipped diagonal into the outside left slot, and apparently had license to wander wherever he wanted. As I pointed out at one point as he appeared in the Right 8 position; 'That's our left back, by the way...'
In midfield, Zubimendi not only did his day job but popped up with two goals - thus equalling his season's tally from 2024/25 for Real Sociedad. The first a thing of beauty, as he caught a volley from just outside the D perfectly. It was a shame that the slight deflection from the head of Murillo that took the ball fully away from Sels in the Forest goal diluted the purity of the strike.
And that was a goal the team needed; with 32 minutes of domination gone and nothing to show for it, that moment broke the game open.
Arteta bought into the goalscoring form (4 in two games for Spain) of Mikel Merino to give him a start and thereby give Declan Rice a rest, and the Spaniard did a decent job. He was one of three players whose clever flicks had the crowd oohing and aahing at various points.
Martin Odegaard again didn't last long, as he landed awkwardly on his bruised shoulder early on. I sincerely hope that it's nothing serious (and as my wife pointed out he does look a little light of frame compared to his team-mates, and perhaps needs to bulk up a bit or put on a bit of muscle). Incidentally, that trio of players had last started together for Real Sociedad in July 2020 at Athletico Madrid - a remarkable statistic to my mind!
In Odegaard's place, Arteta could have slung Rice on, but rightly chose to give Ethan Nwaneri a game. He is both similar and different to Odegaard; dropping as deep as the Norwegian to receive the ball, but willing to carry it further into the opposition half than his skipper. He had a solid enough game.
Up front, however, is where a lot of the praise needs to be given. I would hope that those who had foolishly laid into both the club and the player over his summer signing are now willing to make their apologies, as we saw a sparkling performance from Noni Madueke. He was relentless, driving forward constantly at his full back and causing chaos both on the interior and exterior, and getting to the bye line time after time. On a different day he might have had two or three assists to his name. It is a measure of his performances thus far that we're barely missing Bukayo Saka, and how Arteta manages to get them both into the side when Starboy is fit is an unenviable task. Especially when Eberiche Eze is playing on the other wing...
Eze is a different type of winger to Madueke; more willing to move into interior spaces, and full of feints and tricks. He's another whose flicks drew admiring noises from the crowd. And his assist for Gyökeres' goal was both well thought out and beautifully executed. He adds a dimension to the left had side that Arsenal have lacked recently. And that's nothing against Leandro Trossard, who has been very productive indeed over the years and whose assist for Zubimendi's second was his 50th goal involvement for the club.
Viktor Gyökeres worked extremely hard up front, leading the press and keeping the pressure on the Forest centre backs. His style means that he is always going to appear workmanlike, but he's a battering ram of a centre forward, and he gives Arsenal something they've probably not had since - dare I say it? - Ian Wright. He got his goal; reading the play well, keeping tabs with the Eze run, and putting himself into exactly the right place to blunderbuss the cross home. There's a good chance that he's going to turn in a 20+ goal season, and that'll do very nicely.
To sum up; this was comfortable, but the aspect I liked most about the performance was the extra willingness to take risks that is starting to show as relationships begin to develop all over the pitch. With some top players still to return, and the opportunity to keep the squad fresh, I suspect that we're going to see nothing but improvement in both the style of play and also results as the season progresses.
It's a big week, as we start the long drag of games every three to four days almost all the way until February now. The squad will be needed, and provided Arteta is willing to keep players fresh by rotating and not over-playing them, we can anticipate a successful season. Liverpool look the most likely threat, but they're certainly not firing on all cylinders yet. Although they of course still have Isak to introduce. After them, Manchester City and Chelsea look to be the only other conceivable title challengers.
For Arsenal, it's a first foray into the Champions League this season on Tuesday. Atletic Bilbao will be no pushovers, in my opinion; especially if Nico Williams recovers from his minor hip injury. After that comes yet another big early test, as Manchester City and their titan of a centre forward visit The Emirates next Sunday. A game to really savour, I would suspect.
Meantime, let's ride the wave of confidence that the team gave us on Saturday. COYG!
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