NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – MAY 20: Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal looks dejected during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal FC at City Ground on May 20, 2023 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s petrol tank is reading empty
The Gunners were clearly not at their best against Forest, and the long, hard, arduous task of competing with Manchester City finally has caught up with them.
Against Brighton, it was evident, and against Forest, it was reinforced that this Arsenal side is cooked…we can figuratively stick a fork in them because they are done.
Both mentally and physically, Arteta has gotten out all he can from this team this year, and they can see the finish line.
Continued on next slide…
pic.twitter.com/MZk9YbRGK7
<p>— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/21/nottingham-forest-1-0-arsenal-3-talking-points-gunners-stall/2/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1659990193141678087?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Arsenal simply wasn’t at it against Forest, and the home side took that advantage and ran with it. The loss now marks back-to-back losses and no goals scored for Arteta’s side as they desperately need the finish line.</p>
<p>The game provided plenty of talking points; here they are.</p>
<h2>Arteta’s bizarre changes</h2>
<p>We aren’t really sure what to make of how Arteta set out his team against Forest, but it was eyebrow-raising, that’s for sure.</p>
<p>Thomas Partey started at right back as the thought was for him to become more inverted in a similar way to Oleksandr Zinchenko. Jakub Kiwior was pushed out to left back (even with Kieran Tierney in the side, which all but spells the end for him), and both moves simply didn’t work.</p>
<p>Whether it was by necessity or Arteta trying something new as the title race was over, but the changes were certainly odd, and Arsenal suffered as a result.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/21/nottingham-forest-1-0-arsenal-3-talking-points-gunners-stall/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Talking Point #2 </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-134621 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/21/nottingham-forest-1-0-arsenal-3-talking-points-gunners-stall/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1707,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1256524519-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1256524519-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1256524519-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1256524519-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1256524519-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:2560px;">NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – MAY 20: Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal looks dejected during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal FC at City Ground on May 20, 2023 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Arsenal’s petrol tank is reading empty</h2>
<p>The Gunners were clearly not at their best against Forest, and the long, hard, arduous task of competing with Manchester City finally has caught up with them.</p>
<p>Against Brighton, it was evident, and against Forest, it was reinforced that this Arsenal side is cooked…we can figuratively stick a fork in them because they are done.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Arsenal looked like a spent force against Brighton.</p>
<p>Nothing so far today to suggest otherwise.</p>
<p>— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/21/nottingham-forest-1-0-arsenal-3-talking-points-gunners-stall/2/"https://twitter.com/gunnerblog/status/1659972546660368384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/21/nottingham-forest-1-0-arsenal-3-talking-points-gunners-stall/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>Both mentally and physically, Arteta has gotten out all he can from this team this year, and they can see the finish line.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/21/nottingham-forest-1-0-arsenal-3-talking-points-gunners-stall/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Talking Point #3 </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-134622 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/21/nottingham-forest-1-0-arsenal-3-talking-points-gunners-stall/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1256563816.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1256563816.jpeg 1600w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1256563816-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1256563816-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – MAY 20: Mikel Arteta, Head Coach of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal FC at City Ground on May 20, 2023 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>The summer transfer window is going to be a big one</h2>
<p>The loss against Forest told us that Arsenal’s biggest weakness has been its downfall…squad depth.</p>
<p>With the team clearly running on fumes, the Gunners’ bench again had academy players on it. City’s has full internationals, and that is where Arsenal needs to get better.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/ArsenalBuzzCom/status/1660046669126201344?s=20</p>
<p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/21/nottingham-forest-1-0-arsenal-3-talking-points-gunners-stall/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/06/28/3-improvements-mikel-arteta-must-make-next-season/">Hence why the summer transfer window is crucial.</a> Declan Rice, Moises Caidedo, and two or more players need to be brought in. With the Champions League on the horizon, the squad must be seriously strengthened.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
