Arsenal Review: Liverpool Draw, Portsmouth Win, Chelsea Statement & Nottingham Forest Preview
Holla footy nerds, it’s been a loooong while actually two away wins and a home draw ago. And a lot has happened since then. Man City signed Semenyo. Nigeria’s quest for a fourth AFCON trophy crashed into the host nation’s hurdle ...oh well, so much for hope in Osimhen, Lookman and co. The managerial merry-go-round kept spinning too. Xabi Alonso got the boot from the Los Blancos job, claiming it’s impossible to manage a team where players wield too much power ouch, Perez. Oliver Glasner dropped the mic after announcing he wont be renewing his Palace contract. Manchester United also reverted to a familiar face with Michael Carrick stepping in as interim. United being out of all domestic competitions means they’re staring at a 40-game season for the first time in over three decades. Some really crazy stuff, I tell ya.
It’s been a rollercoaster in the football world — some good, some not so good. But let’s get into the Arsenal action, starting where the frustration really kicked in.
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Frustration at the Emirates
Arsenal came into the Liverpool game on a run of five wins from five, while Liverpool had drawn three of their last five. Yes, they were unbeaten in six, but they weren’t exactly purring. Add City and Villa dropping points earlier, and the stage was set for Arsenal to capitalise again.
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| Raya wins Save Of the month Image Credit: Arsenal.com |
Except… it didn’t happen.
In hindsight, maybe we all assumed beating Liverpool at home was a foregone conclusion. Arsenal were unbeaten at the Emirates, winning all but one home game this season now make that two. It really was a game of two halves. Arsenal dominated the first half, threatening to run riot but not truly testing Alisson despite the control. The second half saw a different Liverpool. Arsenal couldn’t regain that grip, and while Liverpool were more adventurous, they still didn’t register a single shot on target. The midfield felt easier to play through, Frimpong found joy bombing forward against MLS, and the subs couldn’t shift the momentum. A stalemate.
The late Martinelli incident left a sour taste, but credit to him for owning it and apologising. Slot’s comments were spot on — calm, measured, like a true African elder putting out sparks before a fire starts. Gary Neville’s commentary, on the other hand… well, you already know. It was an opportunity missed to extend our lead from six to eight points, but in the spirit of sportsmanship, we at AnaijaGunner wish Bradley a speedy recovery.
Portsmouth vs Arsenal: FA Cup Response Led by Martinelli
Pompey rolled over, and Martinelli responded the best way possible — on the pitch. He grabbed his first Arsenal hat trick in the FA Cup third-round tie at Fratton Park. As expected, Arteta rotated heavily, and Arsenal started sloppily again, conceding inside five minutes — a worrying trend. They snapped out of it quickly, though, with Set Piece FC doing what it does best. An own goal brought the equaliser, no surprises there. Martinelli then shifted gears, meeting a corner with a glancing header to put Arsenal ahead by half-time. From there, it felt like a matter of time.
Madueke was lively throughout. Yes, he missed chances again, but he still provided assists for Martinelli’s first and third goals. Gabriel Jesus, starting ahead of Havertz and Gyökeres, supplied the assist for Arsenal’s third. Nothing too deep to analyse here. Portsmouth tried, Arsenal raised the tempo, quality showed. Martinelli stole the headlines post-Liverpool drama, Madueke contributed creatively, and Nwaneri impressed on a rare start. Mikel, play him more.
Arsenal move on to face Wigan at the Emirates in the FA Cup fourth round — but first came a big night under the lights of Stamford Bridge in west London.
Chelsea vs Arsenal: Carabao Cup Statement at the Bridge
This was Arsenal’s third away game in four matches, and a proper spectacle for neutrals. City had beaten Newcastle the night before, so the pressure was on.
The aim was probably simple — get a result, maybe even take a draw back to the Emirates. Instead, Arsenal went two goals up before sloppiness crept in, with Garnacho pulling one back after a rare poor moment from Ødegaard. The Arsenal captain didn’t have his best game overall, and neither did Eze in the FA Cup previously — not bad performances, but definitely room for much more. As captain, Ødegaard needs to rediscover his sharpest level quickly for the end of season run in.
The positives outweighed everything else. Gyökeres scored from open play, yes, Sanchez gifted it, but strikers are paid to react, to be masters of that positional awareness. He then showed excellent hold-up play to assist Zubimendi, whose finish was pure class. The feints, the composure, Fofana left in the mud, just sublime. Zubi continues to look like an elite signing. I wanted Partey kept around to ease him in, but despite the speed and physicality of the league, he’s so far taken to the #EPL like a duck to water, matching his career best of 4 goals a season already. Long may that continue.
Arsenal conceding late again made the tie tighter than it should be, sour taste that is i tell ya. This semi-final could’ve been wrapped up given the gulf in class, but context matters — winning at Stamford Bridge and bringing the second leg back to the Emirates is still a strong position. The social media noise around Gyökeres being frustrated with Saka didn’t move me at all. Also the Rice altercation with the assistant coach in the tunnel moment was quickly defused, with Big Gabi stepping in. Leadership on display. On we go.
Nottingham Forest Preview: Focus at the City Ground
Matchday 22 brings a trip to the City Ground to face Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest in a late Saturday kickoff. Arsenal could at worst match, or at best better, City’s result against Manchester United — though I’m not holding my breath for favours. This one has must-win written all over it. Dyche is Forest’s third manager this season, and his teams are never easy. They’ve already claimed big scalps, Liverpool at Anfield included. That six-point cushion can disappear quickly if Arsenal lose focus. We need to kill this game early, though it might still end up a narrow one-goal win. A clean sheet would be very welcome — conceding late sloppy goals has become a bad habit.
Physically, I’m not worried. This Arsenal side can no longer be bullied. We’re the ones standing firm now. Concentration for the full 90 plus stoppage time is the key. I expect Saka and Eze either side of Gyökeres, with Arteta likely trusting Victor over Jesus and Havertz, who still isn’t match sharp. A brace here would do wonders for Gyökeres’ confidence and keep momentum rolling. Make no mistake, this is kicks off a big run of games. With City getting Semenyo and Guehi (it appears) everyone is waiting for Arsenal to fumble their lead. It’s up to the players to show hunger, grit focus, and a true winning mentality to get this title challenge over the line.
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