Arsenal returned after the international break to breeze past an impressive Nottingham Forest team in the Premier League, with goals from Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri. Martin Ødegaard in particular was instrumental to their success, even without scoring himself.
Match review:
Arsenal showed shades of their impressive style of play from the 2022/23 season, focusing on quick passing triangles and progressive passes into the box, slowly dismantling a Nottingham Forest side who, prior to this match, had only conceded ten goals.
Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a powerful strike from a tight angle, leaving Sels helpless in the net. Arsenal continued to dominate possession and create chances but went into the break only one goal up. Seven minutes after coming on in the second half, Thomas Partey curled an effort beyond the reach of the Forest goalkeeper to increase the advantage to two before Ethan Nwaneri slotted home his first Premier League goal for the Gunners in the 86th minute to round off an impressive display.
Mikel Arteta was brave enough to make critical changes, opting to rest Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli, and Thomas Partey, with the latter coming on to replace Jorginho at half-time. Thankfully for the Gunners, these changes paid off, and it was a dominating performance, with Martin Ødegaard in particular being instrumental in everything that Arsenal did, even without getting on the scoresheet himself.
Martin Ødegaard’s influence:
It has been a turbulent season for the Norwegian, who suffered an ankle injury whilst on international duty in early September. However, in the two games he has played since his return, it is evident how much Arsenal have missed their club captain.
Ødegaard was consistently looking to create; he is a player that seemingly has ‘eyes at the back of his head’, similar to a magical player of the past in Mesut Özil. For the first goal, Ødegaard drove into the space, providing the faintest of touches to poke the ball into the space around the defender for Bukayo Saka to receive, with the English winger then firing home a remarkable goal.
The constant triangle that is available on the right-hand side between Ødegaard, Saka and Timber means that rather than Saka becoming isolated in 3v1 situations, the defenders also have the support of Ødegaard and Timber to worry about as well, which perhaps was not as applicable when Trossard was utilised as an Ødegaard replacement. Due to how close they all operate, Saka was able to wriggle free of his man several times and play with freedom, frequently linking up with his captain for intricate one-touch passing play.
Have Arsenal missed their captain?
Beyond his world-class technical ability, Martin Ødegaard is the leader that perhaps Arsenal have missed over the last several months, known for being vocal on the pitch and initiating the press for others to follow. Without him, it could be said that Arsenal looked slightly tentative out of possession, lacking the intensity they used to be praised for immensely; against Nottingham Forest, pressing was not an issue at all, with the Norwegian consistently urging his teammates to join the press and suffocate the opposition.
In games without Martin Ødegaard, they have stumbled this season, dropping points to Man City, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea, often struggling to find that final ‘killer pass’ that Ødegaard specialises in.
Key Statistics:
• Ødegaard made six key passes, more than anyone else on the pitch
• He won 4/7 ground duels, winning back possession in crucial areas
• He played three accurate long ball passes, with 90% overall passing accuracy
Final thoughts:
Arsenal’s impressive performance against Nottingham Forest was a valiant team effort, with Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard being the particular standout players. If Ødegaard can stay fit and at his best, he could be the crucial change-maker in a difficult season thus far for the Gunners, a turning point they desperately need if they want a chance to catch up to league-leaders Liverpool.