Key events
Aha, David Hytner’s match report is here.
Which means that’s it from me. Thanks for your company and comments; peace out.
That was a huge win for Arsenal, who won’t have wanted to fall further behind City. They won’t get away with playing like that every week – Madueke’s deflected winner was their first shot on target – but they won’t. Arteta does, though, need to find a better attacking balance, and trying Eze against a low block makes some kind of sense, but I’m afraid it looks like it won’t work for him at Arsenal.
Also going on:
“Fresh” in that it wasn’t quite smelly enough to be off, but it really wasn’t far away.
Madueke thanks his lord and saviour Jesus Christ, to whom goes the glory, then praises Arsenal’s determination, saying they’ve struggled at Forest the last few season.
With the goal, he felt he’d beaten his man on the outside a few times so decided to go inside and thank God it went in, then it’s more praise for God, and off he goes, collecting his player of the match award and smiling broadly.
The league table
FULL TIME: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Arsenal
It took a spawny winner, but Arsenal showed why they’re champions. Forest made poor decisions at crucial moments, but defended well.
90+4 min The corner comes in, the whistle goes for an infringement of some sort, and that’ll be it.
90+3 min More Murillo! He sends a terrific pass in behind, inside-left channel, and Delap is on to it, Timber in pursuit. Into the box he barrels, and he’s got to shoot, but he takes one more touch that allows the defender to slide in and block behind. If he goes earlier, he’s a little further out, but that doesn’t happen.
90+2 min Oh my days! Out on the left, Murillo espies opportunity, suddenly banging the ball between Konsa and Timber and exploding on to it, flying into the box. Rice looks to show him outside so he leans that way then Brazilians studs over the ball inside! The shot is on, he tries a curler … and it zooms just over the angle.
90 min We’ll have three additional minutes.
89 min With Forest boxed, Arsenal go down the left, Madueke’s cross overrun by Calfiori. But then Forest counter and, when Delap wins a throw, he takes it instantly, sending Hudson-Odoi away! With Wood in the middle, this is the chance! So Hudson-Odoi draws his man then squares, but his mate’s first touch takes him into traffic, he makes it worse by continuing in that direction, and his shot is blocked at source. Excellent play until the crucial moment, then every action and decision was the wrong one.
88 min Arsenal have played well since scoring, managing the game by keeping the ball inside the Forest half. They win a free-kick which Rice swings into the box, Murillo heading out; the throw goes short, and the ball is kept.
86 min I guess Hudson-Odoi is a victim of Glasner’s preferred formation, but he’s too good to be sat at the side for 85 minutes. I wonder if he might be able to do something as one of the 10s, because he’s a much better footballer than Ndoye and McAtee, and might dovetail well with Gibbs-White in that role.
85 min Two changes for Forest, Hudson-Odoi and Wood on for Cunha and McAtee.
84 min Arsenal disappear time, slowing down the play – something which felt impossible given the treacley nature of what we’ve been watching. Forest need to get in among them.
82 min Can Forest shift mindset to respond? They’re going to bring on Chris Wood when there’s a break in play, but Arsenal are expert in navigating a rearguard.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest -1 Arsenal (Madueke 80)
That kind of goal! Madueke picks up the ball a little further inside, rather than on the touchline he’s been sitting on. He runs at Munoz, twisting him up to create a shooting angle, lacing one hard that Sels should fish out at the near post, except a deflection off Cunha takes it past him near the far. When your champions, these are the things that go for you.
79 min More Arsenal crosses, more Forest clearances. I don’t think I understand what kind of goal Artetz wants his men to score, beyond a header or from a scramble.
78 min Forest sit back and Arsenal move the ball from side to side, but with no zip. Then, when Madeueke’s cross is deflected, Murillo heads clear, before Saka’s cross from way out is collected by Sels.
76 min …which Odegaard swings into the nearest forehead. This is desperately poor stuff.
75 min That Rice chance was the best Arsenal have created all match and they might yet nick it, but I can’t help but feel the changes made have lacked a little bit imagination, as Wenger might say, As things stand, they’ve yet top have a shot on target, something they’ve not managed across a 90 in five years. They do, though, have a free-kick out on the right…
74 min Changes for Forest, Kalimuendo and Sangare for Ndoye and Dominguez.
72 min Suddenly Arsenal inject pace, Saka drawing two men then passing between them for Odegaard, who turns first-time into space for Timber – the kind of triangulation that opens tight defences. Timber cuts back well too, Rice having arrived into the box, but his swept finish is too high.
69 min Schlager to Delap, who collects well and bulldozes between the Arsenal centre-backs. But mistrustful of his pace, he doesn’t sticks the ball through the gap and charge after it, instead shooting from 20 yards, the kind of effort that needs to be special to go in … which it isn’t and doesn’t.
68 min Timber’s first, er, action is to concede a corner, Raya coming for the corner and collecting well.
67 min On those changes, I like Timber and Merino, but I’d have gone for Lewis-Skelly as well; the players who’ve come on make it seem like Arsenal are just hoping for a ball into the box to work out well.
66 min Before the corner, a triple change for Arsenal: Timber, Merino and Gyokeres for White, Guimaraes and Havert, then the corner comes in and Gabriel heads high over the bar.
65 min Now Arsenal attack, Madueke again keeping the width and winning a corner. I’m not surprised Merino is stripping off, because he might at least threaten from set-pieces. Meantime, McAtee panics when the ball looks to be dropping for Odegaard just outside the box, hitchkicking behind from 20 yards out.
63 min Murillo releases Ndoye, who doesn’t quite have the pace to get rid of Gabriel. But he is ahead of him with runners, opting to check inside, which allows the defender to get back properly, blocking the shot at source.
62 min Sels comes and punches the corner clear, then Odegaard’s pass in behind is too strong for Calafiori. I wonder if Arteta might try Dowman, because he needs a bit of something different; I’d go Lews-Skelly for Rice or Guimaraes, because he has the ability the commit men in the middle of the pitch, beating them with skill or bouncing them with power.
61 min Calafiori finds Madueke, whose low cross is deflected behind. This time, as it’s from the left, Rice will take the corner.
60 min Raya comes for the corner and collects well, setting away a counter moved on by a lovely Saka touch. For all the good it does anyone, Madueke swiftly ceding possession.
59 min McAtee’s ball bounces through the box and eventually goes behind on the other side; Forest are building a bit of territorial pressure.
58 min Williams collects a loose ball and slides square, but Guimaraes gets the ahead of Dominguez, then Munoz wins a corner down the right. Forest have been the better team so far this half, little though that’s saying.
56 min This game and Leeds v Man United have been proper 80s fare, bodies everywhere and very little quality or composure. The physicality is a little different – violence is harder to perpetrate but compensated for with athleticism – and the result is a mess. I’d expect to see many more games like this, especially as, despite the money available, the very best attackers tend not to play in England.
55 min …which Munoz clears at the near post, then there’s a quick VAR check for handball, nothing doing.
54 min Immediately, Saka bounces down the other end and wins a corner for Arsenal…
53 min Cunha lanks through midfield and finds “Delap!” But no joy for Drury, his shot deflected behind for a corner which comes to nothing.
53 min Madueke weaves in off the left, shoots … directly into the nearest shins then, when Dominguez turns White, he runs through him and is booked.
51 min This game has been almost entirely devoid of quality; in that regard, it might be the worst I’ve seen this season.
50 min Forest have started the second half well and Delap outmuscles Gabriel on the right, then belts a cross to no one.