I’ve found myself repeating the phrase “Arsenal have done everything but score” far too often this season. Yet, that remains the reality. Their 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night once again highlighted their struggles to convert chances.
Opposing teams seem to have found a straightforward game plan: score first, and you’re unlikely to lose against this Arsenal side in its current state. Nuno Espirito Santo, with a nearly full-strength squad, aimed to replicate West Ham’s 1-0 victory over the Gunners. He was only denied by two outstanding defensive interventions and a crucial save from David Raya.
William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, and Raya were the key reasons Arsenal salvaged a point at the City Ground instead of leaving empty-handed. However, as for their Premier League title hopes? Those seem all but over.
The Champions League remains a lifeline, and Arteta made an interesting remark post-match about PSV, drawing a comparison to Forest. He hinted that Arsenal’s European opponents might not follow the same defensive blueprint as their last two adversaries.
“We have another day or two to prepare for PSV,” Arteta said. “We have different options, especially against a team that sits in a low block. If they were clearly superior to us, I would be much more concerned. But I know what’s at stake, and we need to find a way to break them down.”
Did Arteta just reveal too much to PSV’s coach Peter Bosz? Possibly.
The strategy for frustrating Arsenal appears simple: defend deep, absorb pressure, counterattack, and take your chances. PSV initially tried to play more openly at the Emirates and suffered a 4-0 defeat. However, after analyzing their mistakes, Bosz made tactical adjustments, which led to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture.
“My staff and I studied them,” Bosz said. “What exactly do they do differently from us?”