Arsenal 5-0 Nottingham Forest
The Emirates
It was great to see Rob Holding back in the starting line up for our home League Cup tie against Nottingham Forest. Tierney also made his debut, so it was great to see them both in the side for the first time this season. Martinelli started up front which was an intriguing proposition. I liked the starting lineup for this match, overall there was a good mix of experience, youth & fringe players. Ozil captained the side, you can’t help but try to understand just where he stands in this team from Emery’s point of view. He’s consistently in & out of the starting line ups, mainly on the bench but yet being made captain when he started tonight. Just all seems a bit odd there.
The game started with us having a lot of the ball & that’s pretty much how it continued for the entire match. Nelson clipped the post with a free kick in the early exchanges. We were dominating the ball & felt like a matter of time until we scored in first fifteen minutes. Mustafi was unlucky with a clever flick from a corner. Half an hour passed without many problems at all, we haven’t created too much though. A snap shot came from Nelson that tested the keepers handling. We scored a fantastic opening goal, Martinelli heading home into the top corner. Nelson played a great pass out wide to Chambers who volleyed first time into the path of Martinelli. Lovely goal. Deserved lead at this point as we’d been heavily on top for the first half an hour. Tierney looked strong down the left throughout the half & very nearly had a good assist, ESR probably should’ve scored from the chance the left back created. ESR picked up a head injury going for the chance & was down for some considerable time. He went off on a stretcher, hopefully it’s nothing too serious for him, he looked a little out of it on the stretcher it has to be said. Saka replaced him.
Half time came & we went in one up. It was a good half from us, we weren’t overly challenged at the back & dominated the ball throughout.
Second half started as the first one ended, us dominating & trying to find a way through. The half finally came to life a little bit on the hour mark. The first real chance of the second half came on 66, Saka did very well down the left to create the chance to dink a cross. Picked out Willock at the back post wonderfully, only for him to miss the target with his header. Should’ve scored. Nelson nearly found Martinelli in the middle with a whipped low cross shortly after & then Ozil cane off for Ceballos, Mesut didn’t look happy with the decision. Personally I would’ve left him on as he’d only played 70 minutes. It just adds to the strange working relationship the two have for me unfortunately.
Straight after the Ozil substitution it was game over you felt. Holding on his return, who had just taken the armband from Ozil, headed home easily from a corner. He was left in acres of space. Tierney came off to a big applause, then the roar went up again as it was Bellerin replacing him. It was adding to a good evenings work to be fair & within a minute Bellerin assisted Willock for our third, we’ve missed him in our attacking play, so it’s great to have him back. With just under ten minutes to go, Nelson got in on the act after great work from Chambers down the left & four wasn’t flattering for us at all. We completely dominated the game from start to finish & I don’t think Martinez had any real saves to make throughout. To put the cherry on top of the cake, Martinelli made it five with virtually the last kick if the game. A deflected effort ended up in the back of the net.
A good evenings run out for all involved. Holding came through the match comfortably & Tierney looked like a proper left back, carrying the ball with pace deep into their half on numerous occasions. I thought Martinelli played the striker role well enough on the night & bagged himself a couple of goals, which will do his confidence the world of good so early in his Arsenal career. We don’t play again now until Monday night, a massive away fixture again Man Utd. I look forward to that one.
Until then.
The Arse 