Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal 26.02.2025 - KO: 19:30

[Mac76]

So we've got 11 games to get 11 points....I don't know why, but that still doesn't reassure me.

9 Mar - MU (A)
16 Mar - Chelsea (H)
1 Apr – Fulham (H)
5 Apr – Neverton (A)
12 Apr – Brentford (H)
19 Appr – Ipswich (A)
26 Apr – Palace (H)
3 May – Bournemouth (H)
10 May – Liverpool (A)
19 May – Newcastle (H)
25 May – Southampton (A)

If we're stuck with the same players Arteta is using I couldn't see more than a draw against any of these

ofc if he gives Kabia and/or NBO a go and they turn out to be useful then things might improve, but we can't know until Arteta gives them a go and, even though these are the ideal conditions to do so, there's no sign of that

Other than that it's seeing what Martinellia and Saka can do when they get back but as long as we're playing stodgeball it maybe won't be that significant

[HCZ_Reborn]

They give me every impression of being bench fillers. Players who at most you could chuck on for fresh legs with ten minutes to go with the game wrapped up.

Relying on them for anything else kind of feels like Wenger turning to Chuks Aneke, 10-15 years ago.

I don’t know that of course, but never heard of either of these players until the injuries started piling up and I had heard of Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri.

[Niall_Quinn]

Kabia is an exceptional talent. Lots of highlights on arsenal.com if you want to watch. Problem is we let his mate Obi-wan-kenobi go to our bitter rivals which is probably the second most stupid thing we've done of later, after the whole January fuck-up. In the age of the 200mill striker we need to be giving these kids more opportunity because you only need one hit from ten to free up funds, wages and so on - so it's a double benefit when you can bring a young player through.

What are the rules now anyway. I've seen vague shit about limits on domestic players? That can't be right, should be the other way around.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Kabia is an exceptional talent. Lots of highlights on arsenal.com if you want to watch. Problem is we let his mate Obi-wan-kenobi go to our bitter rivals which is probably the second most stupid thing we've done of later, after the whole January fuck-up. In the age of the 200mill striker we need to be giving these kids more opportunity because you only need one hit from ten to free up funds, wages and so on - so it's a double benefit when you can bring a young player through.

What are the rules now anyway. I've seen vague shit about limits on domestic players? That can't be right, should be the other way around.

I’m sure Chuks Aneke was an exceptional talent at under 18 level. If this Kaba fellow isn’t playing for a league one club in five years time I’ll find my way back to this barren hellscape and admit I was precipitous in my dismissal


I’m not singling him or the hyphenated one out, I have no idea if they are any good or not. I’m just going on the basis of the career trajectory of the vast majority of academy players

[Niall_Quinn]

I’m sure Chuks Aneke was an exceptional talent at under 18 level. If this Kaba fellow isn’t playing for a league one club in five years time I’ll find my way back to this barren hellscape and admit I was precipitous in my dismissal


I’m not singling him or the hyphenated one out, I have no idea if they are any good or not. I’m just going on the basis of the career trajectory of the vast majority of academy players

We have two academy players in the squad right now. Both would and should start when available. We saw Calafiore last night, yes? And we have Sterling who can play there. Big names, big wages, big nothing. Thank fuck for these two kids eh?

Nobody is saying Kabia and Oyedeji are going to come on and set the game on fire first time out, although they might compared to the shit we have out there. Sure, Arteta has seen them develop so he has a decent idea of what they are capable of. Then again, he's also playing Merino as a striker and keeps bringing Zinchenko on when we need goals, so it's possible he's not infallible. The season is dead, pissed down the drain for want of a few quid investment. So we didn't make that investment in the transfer window, time to see what our investment in the academy looks like.

As you say, you haven't even seen the player. But you already know he's destined for zero? Based on stats? So let's shut the academy down then - no point, they're all shite. Let's stick with the players who are tearing it up out there, doing the business.

[IBK]

Firstly - I watched last nights game feeling a lot more phlegmatic than in recent times - in some ways it's relief that the title has gone.

Secondly I saw our players - and our manager with his tactics - at least trying, and playing with some intent. This was something that was absent against West Ham and largely against Leicester. Also, one mistaken clearance aside, we leant into our defensive ability to keep a dangerous Nottingham Forest team out.

I thought we would lose this - so a 0-0 draw was in itself not a bad result - albeit that this conclusion shows how far we have fallen short.

I'm mercurial at the best of times, but today for me Stephen Warnock's comments on MOTD sum it up. If Liverpool were without Salah; Jota; Gakpo and Diaz they would not be in the position they are in.

If we keep playing like this, goals are still going to be like hen's teeth but we should make top 4, given the returns of Martinelli and Saka next month.

It's been a horrible season. I've mentally chalked it off (including the CL). Sad to have to do this in February, but it is what it is. As a Gooner I am used to this feeling.

[HCZ_Reborn]

We have two academy players in the squad right now. Both would and should start when available. We saw Calafiore last night, yes? And we have Sterling who can play there. Big names, big wages, big nothing. Thank fuck for these two kids eh?

Nobody is saying Kabia and Oyedeji are going to come on and set the game on fire first time out, although they might compared to the shit we have out there. Sure, Arteta has seen them develop so he has a decent idea of what they are capable of. Then again, he's also playing Merino as a striker and keeps bringing Zinchenko on when we need goals, so it's possible he's not infallible. The season is dead, pissed down the drain for want of a few quid investment. So we didn't make that investment in the transfer window, time to see what our investment in the academy looks like.

As you say, you haven't even seen the player. But you already know he's destined for zero? Based on stats? So let's shut the academy down then - no point, they're all shite. Let's stick with the players who are tearing it up out there, doing the business.

Nope I’d rather have Calafiori starting than MLS. The latter is better defensively than what is essentially playing a centre back at left back. But as slow and out of position as Calafiori is, he’s better on the ball. No way MLS is turning his man the way the Italian did before hitting the bar last night.

In fact I’d argue it was too cautious on Arteta’s part to take him off, sure Tierney can put in crosses but ultimately crosses when no one is in the box is a rather worthless spectacle….though I’m sure Tierney would remember a similar thing from four years ago (and that’s even when we had Auba and Laca in the side)

[Niall_Quinn]

Nope I’d rather have Calafiori starting than MLS. The latter is better defensively than what is essentially playing a centre back at left back. But as slow and out of position as Calafiori is, he’s better on the ball. No way MLS is turning his man the way the Italian did before hitting the bar last night.

In fact I’d argue it was too cautious on Arteta’s part to take him off, sure Tierney can put in crosses but ultimately crosses when no one is in the box is a rather worthless spectacle….though I’m sure Tierney would remember a similar thing from four years ago (and that’s even when we had Auba and Laca in the side)

Yeah, apart from the fact Calafiore shouldn't have been there to hit that ball! WTF? We start the game with both the fullbacks providing support for our wide forwards and it was working, we were pulling Forest all over the place. Then Cala decided he was Roy of the Rovers. Our "striker" Merino spent most of his time covering for players who appointed themselves to the centre forward role, it was a joke. By the end there was no shape, no tactics, nothing. That game last night was like watching a mental breakdown on fast forward. We started off sane and by the end it was a basket case, thanks to undisciplined players like Calafiore, who got subbed I notice.

Yes, I agree, efficient wide play is pointless when nobody is attacking the goal centrally. No arguments there, we're currently shite in the box. January transfer window striker, and so on.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Yeah, apart from the fact Calafiore shouldn't have been there to hit that ball! WTF? We start the game with both the fullbacks providing support for our wide forwards and it was working, we were pulling Forest all over the place. Then Cala decided he was Roy of the Rovers. Our "striker" Merino spent most of his time covering for players who appointed themselves to the centre forward role, it was a joke. By the end there was no shape, no tactics, nothing. That game last night was like watching a mental breakdown on fast forward. We started off sane and by the end it was a basket case, thanks to undisciplined players like Calafiore, who got subbed I notice.

Yes, I agree, efficient wide play is pointless when nobody is attacking the goal centrally. No arguments there, we're currently shite in the box. January transfer window striker, and so on.

He was subbed because he was on a yellow.

I don’t even know what point you’re now making, on one hand we don’t mix it up enough on the other hand you’re criticising a player for positional indiscipline. Maybe choose a lane.


Yeah it would help if we had a striker on the end of a conventional full backs cross, but given we both agree that we don’t….

[Niall_Quinn]

He was subbed because he was on a yellow.

I don’t even know what point you’re now making, on one hand we don’t mix it up enough on the other hand you’re criticising a player for positional indiscipline. Maybe choose a lane.


Yeah it would help if we had a striker on the end of a conventional full backs cross, but given we both agree that we don’t….

You do know what I'm saying because I was clear in explaining it. We started the game with the fullbacks supporting the forwards in wider positions - tried, tested, traditional and a basic part of the game forever. Then we switched and compressed everything through the middle - who knows why? Maybe Forest forced us into that but I didn't notice any switch on their part. We went from stretching the defence to giving them the day off. If only the exponentially greedy PL would allow full match replays so we could actually look at these things in detail.

I was quite encouraged in the first 10 minutes. But then Timber went to sleep, Calafiore went anywhere and everywhere seemingly at whim, Trossard drifted out of the game and into one of his worst performances I can remember and Nwaneri ended up isolated and also had to come central just to get a sniff. Shambles.

Perhaps Calafiore was subbed because of the particularly stupid yellow he picked up in the first couple of minutes, all the more reason to condemn that performance. Perhaps not. Hasn't Arteta left carded players dangling out there for over-zealous refs before? Well, we don't know but that doesn't make Calafiore's performance any better. Not saying MLS doesn't do this either. It's exciting to see him move inside and smack the ball into the net, one the one occasion a season it happens. Better if he was running the flank allowing Trossard to do more than tap the ball back into the midfield while surrounded. Don't know why we didn't give White 45 minutes on the other side, is he fit or not? He got 3 minutes at the end, for some reason.

When I say mix things up I don't mean everyone swap roles and positions randomly. As you know.