Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal live updates: Goalless in first half of ...
Despite the entirety of the game being played in their half of the pitch, this has been a very solid containment by Forest thus far. A positive dressing room for Nuno to galvanise and a reason for the crowd to maintain their noise.
I'm expecting a feistier second half. Forest have looked quick on the counter when they do get the ball out.
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Arsenal are working the ball into good positions but that final pass hasn’t been there yet. They are creating some nice rotations when the ball goes out to the winger.
You can see that they’ve been working on ways to access the box against a low block.
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Nottingham Forest have defended very well. They have not given Arsenal many sights of goal.
They lack the pace to hurt the visitors on the counter, but if they can hold out in the early stages of the second half, they do have Elanga and Awoniyi on the bench to help change that.
Jesus wins a corner but there's no time to take it as the referee immediately whistles for half-time.
Mikel Arteta hurriedly jobs into the tunnel towards the dressing room.
45+2' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Jesus went to ground under contact in the Forest box. VAR took a quick look at the play but decided not to get involved. Play was never halted.
45+1' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Three minutes are added on to the end of the first half.
44' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
A loose ball comes to Odegaard in the Forest box. He pokes it to Saka, whose shot at the near post is pushed wide by a last-ditch block from Murillo.
42' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Danilo singlehandedly creates a Forest counter-attack, running from his own half before firing a powerful shot that misses high over the crossbar.
40' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Jesus earns himself the match's first booking, this one for dissent.
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35' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Montiel goes to ground in the Forest box as Arsenal attack after Omobamidele accidentally rakes his shoulder with his cleats. The home supporters howl for the referee to blow the play dead but Arsenal continue attacking. The referee doesn't intervene as Montiel is clearly not holding his head.
The attack fizzles out when Zinchenko mishits a cross.
33' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Dominguez runs into the back of Gabriel and goes to ground in midfield. The crowd roars, demanding a foul, but the referee isn't impressed.
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32' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
The problem Forest have getting out is that Wood is not the most agile of forwards, so unless you hit him direct you need to get out in other ways.
30' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Smith Rowe tries a curling shot from the top of the Forest box but he's off-balance and misses the target by some margin.
Arsenal currently lead Forest in touches in the opposition box 14-2 and in the past 10 minutes, they've had 95 per cent of the possession!
26' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Forest put Arsenal's defence under pressure, forcing a turnover deep in their own area. Wood nearly capitalises on the chance but Raya reacts quickest to clear the danger.
26' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Lots of possession here for Arsenal, who have been able to pin Forest in for long periods of the game. Arsenal have struggled all season, however, with breaking down low blocks. Can they find a way through?
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24' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
A little warning sign for Arsenal on that Nottingham Forest break with Gabriel going to ground too easily.
The opening 23 minutes have seen them pin the hosts back into their defensive third but they cannot take any half-measures when the game breaks up like it did there.
23' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Forest spring a quick counter-attack but Arsenal do well to track back. Wood gets a shot off but Zinchenko blocks it.
Counter-attacks appear to be Forest's main attacking threat today.
22' Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Zinchenko and Martinelli are causing Forest problems down their left side. It's always great for a manager when little pairs like them get into good readings of each other on the pitch.
