Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest preview: Shaking off the rust

Today at 10:19 AM

Arsenal return to the Emirates as they exit the third international break

Two long weeks after a frenetic 2-2 draw at Chelsea, Arsenal return to Premier League play, desperate to notch their first league win in over a month. Since besting Southampton 3-1 on the 5th of October, the Gunners have had endured their worst spell of the calendar year, going winless in their last 4 league matches and scoring a paltry 3 goals in the process.

Mercifully, the international break arrived, giving Mikel Arteta's side a much needed chance to rest, recover, and reassess. Key players have returned, injured players are on the mend, and maybe, just maybe, some balance is set to be restored to a side that has looked frightfully off-kilter.

But a new start won't come easy, as Arsenal welcome 5th placed Nottingham Forest to the Emirates. The Tricky Trees have been one of the season's surprise sides, and nothing would delight them more than to continue climbing the table at the Gunners' expense.

Will the real Arsenal please stand up?

Here are five talking points ahead of Saturday's match:

Know the Enemy

Who had Forest being a dark horse top 4 contender on their bingo card? Anyone?

For a club that spent the previous two seasons flirting with relegation and facing points deductions for breaches of PSR, the fact that Forest are in contention for a European spot (for now) is quite the shock. Under former Spurs and Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who took over in December of 2023, Forest have started the 2024/25 Premier League campaign in impressive fashion as they sit in 5th place with 5 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses - which is the same tally as Arsenal so far.

A good deal of that can be attributed to the form of striker Chris Wood. The 32 year old striker has turned back the hands of time and has been banging in goals for Forest at a metronomic rate, with his 8 goals good enough for joint 2nd place top scorer in the league. But they still have quality in players like Morgan Gibbs-White and former Chelsea cast-off Calum Hudson-Odoi, both capable of giving opposing defenses fits.

On the other hand, Forest's schedule has been largely favorable, having only faced two of the league's top 4 sides so far, which does include a win over league leaders Liverpool. They have feasted on a slate of mid-to-low table teams, but credit is given where credit is due; they have taken care of the matches ahead of them, like a good side should. They will certainly not roll over at the Emirates for Arsenal, especially given that Forest has been a tough opponent in recent seasons, such as in 2022/23, when they beat Arsenal at the Emirates to solidify Manchester City's title.

All-time record against Nottingham Forest: 54 W/22 D/29 L

Last 5 matches against Forest: L-W-L-W-W

Last Time Out

The last time the Gunners hosted the Trees, the 2023/24 season was kicking off. The Gunners bested the visitors 2-1 through goals from Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka, whose curling effort past former Gunner Matt Turner from outside of the box won not only the match, but also Arsenal's Goal of the Season.

Though the Gunners controlled the match, it wasn't without some minor stress. In true pre-Raya form, Arsenal gave up a late goal that made the final 10 minutes a bit nervy.That was also the same match where Jurrien Timber, having just signed for Arsenal, did his ACL and was lost for the remainder of the season.

Injuries & Suspensions

It feels like it's been two steps forward, one step back for Arsenal on the injury front this season.

Before the break, captain Martin Ødegaard returned after missing the better part of two months with an ankle injury. He stayed back from international duty to continue rehabbing, which brings Arsenal's most creative outlet back into the fold. Kieran Tierney, though not expected to be a contributor, also returned to training, and Riccardo Calafiori is expected to be available for contention after dealing with a knee injury for the last month.

Unfortunately, the Gunners lost a major player just as soon as another returned when Ben White underwent a procedure on his knee to deal with a nagging injury. Projected to miss the next 6-8 weeks, the Gunners' already-depleted defense is now without one of its stalwarts until the new year.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has been sidelined nearly all season with injuries, is set to miss further time as Arteta announced he would be "away for a few weeks" to "change his environment," which sounds nebulous and not at all good.

Predicted Lineup

Attack: Martinelli, Havertz, Saka

With Saka being kept back from international duty, Arsenal are likely to roll out their preferred front line at home for what feels like the first time in ages. Martinelli has had to do a bit more travel than most to return, which could factor into his availability. If he is unable to start, Gabriel Jesus or Leandro Trossard (if healthy) could slot in on the left. As it stands, though, I imagine Martinelli is the de facto starter.

Midfield: Merino, Rice, Odegaard

Similarly to Saka, Rice's decision to stay back should mean he has rehabbed enough to be available for selection. Odegaard also stuck around London to continue getting back up to match speed and fitness. The chance to field the first choice midfield trio will be a welcome sight after so much upheaval this season. Thomas Partey's performance against Chelsea left much to be desired, which means we could see Rice anchor the middle of the pitch.

Defense: Calafiori, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber

The Ben White surgery was a huge blow to the defense, but with Timber finding his feet, he should slot back into the right without much issue. The big question mark will be the revolving door that is the left back position. Riccardo Calafiori had been sidelined for several weeks after sustaining a knee injury against Shakhtar in the Champions League, but could be in contention. He was Mikel's first choice for left back until injuries began to mount, so he should start if fit. If not him, then one of Alexander Zinchenko, Miles Lewis Skelly, or Jakub Kiwior could start on the left.

Keeper: Raya

Table Watching

As if the Gunners didn't have enough pressure to win Saturday's match, there is the small matter of Liverpool and Manchester City facing off over the weekend. That fixture means the match against Forest is a potential six-pointer for the Gunners. Arsenal have an opportunity to eat into the gap between them and the top two, especially if Liverpool drop points.

The mental fortitude of this side has come into question after a slate of frustrating close-yet-so-far results in recent fixtures. The talent is undoubtedly there, but they have lacked a bit of the incisive edge and focus that kept them in the title race all of last season. The mistakes have been more costly, and the wins less assured. The added pressure to win on Saturday will be its own test that they can't afford to not pass if they want to stay in the hunt for the PL trophy.

I really hate to type these words, but here they are: Saturday is a must-win. There's really no other way to view it. Liverpool have amassed a 9 point lead, and Manchester City, though heavily injured, will undoubtedly flip their "win every possible match" switch in the run in. Their match on Saturday will see one of them drop points, if not both. If Arsenal have any chance of staying in the hunt, they need to win and keep up the pressure. A loss or draw could very well put too much daylight between them and the top two.

WHO: Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest
WHAT: Premier League Match Day 12
WHEN: Saturday, November 23rd, 10:00am EST/7:00am PST/3:00pm GMT
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
HOW TO WATCH: Streaming live on the Peacock app

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