I like Nottingham. All the Midlands games are amongst my favourites, Villa, Leicester, Wolves. But I particularly like coming to Nottingham. In West Bridgeford, for those of a sporting inclination, you are spoilt for choice. On the river Trent, athletic looking men and women propel row boats around, although, in January, it’s a chilly old pursuit. Dominating the scene as you come over the bridge from the City proper is the grand and historic old cricket ground of Trent Bridge, where I have tickets to watch a day of the test match against the West Indies in July (I will also be watching cricket at Lords and the Oval. These are the activities, together with watching The Arsenal, inter alia, that fill the days of a retired and sport loving gentleman. For those of you still punching the clock I say to you, your time will come). In late January, Trent Bridge shivers and waits for summer, but takes part in the winter sporting life by opening its car parks and hostelries for those going to the football at Forest or Notts County, just the other side of the river.
The City ground is just 10 minutes from Trent Bridge – more of that shortly. But first on the agenda was food and an old favourite. Hard by Trent Bridge, opposite the Trent Bridge Inn (now, alas, a Weatherspoon’s. O tempora! O mores!) lies the Bombay, Bridgeford . We pushed open the door and immediately walked into enticing aromas and, at 5.45 before a 7.30 kick off, absolutely heaving, with every table taken, mostly by folk in Forest replica shirts. Luckily, anticipating this, I had booked and we were quickly shown to our table. Poppadum’s and Cobra beer were quickly served. The first mouthful of Cobra, as always, hit the spot. We gave our attention to the menu, which is broad and eclectic, the standard dishes mixed in with ones you will never have heard of. We ordered curries, dhals, rice and of course naan breads. The naan breads at the Bombay are the best I have had in this country and, as regular readers will know, I have some experience in these matters. The service was impeccable and all the food tasty.
As we reached the filling up corners stage the team news came in. To our delight, ESR was in the starting XI. Declan and big Gabi made it through their late fitness tests. Replete, and ready for football, we paid up and made our way to the City ground. Forest’s home, like all the most evocative grounds, is reached through streets of terraced houses. The set up for away fans is perfect, giving us about two thirds of the Bridgeford lower tier. We were towards the corner flag, about nine rows back, with a fine view. Around 2800 enthusiastic Gooners joined us (more than 5% of the capacity as is normal – naturally we sold out our full allocation at, I believe, 15 credits). Now we all know that, as a club, Forest’s zenith was in the late 70s, early 80s when, under Clough and Taylor, they won the league and the European Cup (twice). Their pre match big screen entertainment focused almost exclusively on this era, with the green sweat shirted sardonic features of Brian Clough seen extensively.
As the game began, with Arsenal kicking away from us, a ritual call and response is required by contract when we visit Forest or Villa (West Ham have started doing it as well which is, frankly, risible)
Champions of Europe! You’ll never sing that!
Champions of Europe! You weren’t even born!
Exchanges complete, we settled into the game. A familiar pattern quickly emerged. Forest fell into a disciplined low block, with little enthusiasm to get forward. We made lots of passes, had a huge amount of possession (about 80%) but we rarely tested Arsenal old boy Matt Turner, were a bit slow recycling the ball and seemed to be trying to score the perfect goal (never heard that before). Smith–Rowe was bright and effective and almost played Jesus in but he put it just over. Gooners were supportive and loud in their singing but there was a feeling of frustration as the half time whistle went with the game scoreless. It appeared that we are still struggling with the low block. We were firing in shots but they were being blocked.
Halftime: Forest 0-0 Arsenal
We started the second half much better, moving the ball quicker and swapping our front three around to pull the defenders out of position. Ǿdegaard was everywhere, pressing hard, recycling the ball, involved in everything. Saka was looking dangerous, Martinelli less so. I increasing think I would like to see Martinelli and Jesus swap positions.
But we were getting behind the Forest defence as they tired and we raised our level. Ǿdegaard laid in Saka who struck a good right foot shot, partially deflected, towards the corner of the goal. We were right in line with it and it took a good save from Turner to deny our golden boy. A lovely piece of football saw interplay between Saka and Ǿdegaard before Jesus was laid in on the six yard line. He struck his shot with power, but it rebounded from the junction of the post and the bar. Should have scored really.
The pressure and our patience was telling. Our forward press, led by Ǿdegaard and Rice, kept winning the ball back in the Forest half. On 65 minutes we forced a throw in on the Forest right. Zinchenko took a quick throw in to Jesus in space in the area (when I watched a replay of the game this morning I heard the TNT commentator say “the flag stays down”. Of course it stayed down you numpty. You can’t be offside from a throw in). Jesus did what we’ve been imploring the team to do which was to drive in on goal and shoot. His powerful shot squeezed through Matt Turner’s legs (I say credit a great finish) and we were one up.
From the Bridgeford lower after the limbs had subsided, an aria rose into the cold Nottingham air.
Oh Mik Arteta called him.
Said now’s your time to shine.
‘Cos I’m collecting Gabi’s
And I’m going to make you mine!
They say he walks on water
And turns it into wine
Oh I believe in Jesus
He’s Arsenal’s number nine!
Forest 0-1 Arsenal (Jesus 65 minutes)
We were moving smoothly through the transitions as Forest pushed forwards. Another great move saw Jesus to Ǿdegaard to Saka (this combo worked so well last night) whose fierce shot was blocked. After 70 minutes Havertz came on for ESR who had made an excellent contribution.
Forest gave the ball away badly in midfield. Ǿdegaard picked the ball up and put Jesus away on the left. He made ground rapidly and made an excellent pass to Saka, unmarked in the inside right position in the box. He took one touch and then rifled in a right footed shot into the corner of the net. Turner had no chance. A great goal.
This time it really was pandemonium in the Bridgeford end. We were sure that was the winner. And when everything calmed down and glasses and phones had been retrieved, Saka’s song rent the air.
Bukayo
Saka!
Running down the wing
Saka!
Hear the Arsenal sing
Saka!
We’re gonna win the league!
Forest 0-2 Arsenal (Saka 72 minutes)
Now the choir was in full voice. We ran through the repertoire, including informing the Forest fans that they had only come to see The Arsenal. And of course that we won the league at Anfield, we won it at the Lane, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford (no-one can say the same). So Paddy got up got a rare airing.
As the clock ticked around to 77 minutes, Jesus, who had been excellent, came off for Eddie, and Martinelli left for Trossard. We learnt later that Jesus had been carrying a knock but insisted on playing. He was the game changer. I love watching Jesus.
Well we’ll just see it out we all thought and we were almost right. Trossard looked very lively, making space for shots and holding the ball up well. Until, in the 89th minute, a long diagonal went over Zinny’s head (a reprise of the AA/Salah goal from earlier in the season). The ball was headed towards the penalty spot and Awoniyi bodied Saliba out of the way and tucked it past Raya.
Forest 1-2 Arsenal (Awoniyi 89 minutes)
We faced 5 plus several minutes of added on time. We faced one more test of nerve as some head tennis in our area bobbled about but finished safely in Raya’s hands. The final whistle went and it was celebrations all round. Ben White and Zinny were having words at the final whistle. Arteta said he doesn’t mind that and the players have to hold each other to account. I 100% agree.
Full time: Forest 1-2 Arsenal
A big win. Not the perfect performance, but taken on balance we played well. We found a way. Plaudits to Jesus, Ǿdegaard, Rice and Saka. Partey due to come back in. Liverpool awaits on Sunday.
The M1 played silly buggers on the way home but we were back indoors by midnight.
A good, if not great away day out in West Bridgeford.
An excellent and evocative report . I could almost smell the cooking in the Bombay Bridgeford and I did hear the singing on the TV . I agree about Darren Fletcher’s daft remark about potential offside for our goal. He needs to learn the rules .
Game superbly described . We take three mighty points but Sunday is pivotal . Onwards!
Cheers, c100. Loved your description of the pre-match atmosphere and the match itself.
I asked Freddie Ljungberg about this review.
He said it was fuckin’ excellent.
I agree.
COYG
It can be difficult to render the action when you’re actually at a game such that it bears resemblance to what those at home have seen on the telly. This report shows it can indeed be done. Thanks C100 and glad you had a good day out.
Top stuff, C100. Evocative on both the football and culinary fronts. The more good away days you have, the more likely we will be to win the league.
I looked up the Bombay Bridgeford and there seems to be a photo on its home page of one of my favourite Indian dishes, Dal Makhni, a black lentil dal made with more butter and cream than is good for you, which is what makes it so delicious! Ever tried it there?
Apropos of nothing very much, Dal Makhni’s provenance is caught up in the legal case over who devised Butter Chicken. https://www.cnn.com/travel/butter-chicken-inventor-india-dispute/index.html
Cheers all. Ned I’ve never tried Dal Makhni at the Bombay (I’ll look for it next time) but have tried the Butter chicken, which is excellent and with an underlying but understated chilli heat that you do find in India, but which is missing from most British Indian restaurants where it’s super bland (Butter chicken, unlike chicken tikka masala, is a genuine and definitive native Indian dish).
My next confirmed awayday is at Sheffield United, our first visit to BDTBL (beautiful down town Bramall Lane as the locals have it with a trowel full of self deprecating humour). Our other away matches are West Ham, Burnley, Spurs, City, Wolves, Brighton and United. 21 points from those and we are on our way.
C100@6: Kashmiri chilli powder is the secret.
The days when we had multiple players whose names rhymed with Saka are long gone. Is the club working to remedy that situation? It did seem to bring a certain feelgood factor.
A characteristically colourful and spicy match report C100. Certainly one of the best of your and GHF’s repertoire. Thank you. It more than compensated for my unwillingness to interrupt my skiing and the minimal highlights available on TNT, Sky and MotD. A pleasing result despite the late wobble. The real test comes on Sunday.
Thanks C100, enjoyed the report and glad to hear you had a good trip.
Not sure what White was annoyed with Zinny about but agree it was very similar to the
TAA / Salah goal – Zinny had time to adjust I felt and just misread the flight (it was also unfortunate that Kiwior had been waiting a couple of minutes to come on as I believe he would have cut I out) and if I was Ben I would be annoyed that he let the same thing happen again.
Agree with you that Jesus did very well for the first goal. Of course Turner might have done better but we have all seen similar goals let in at the near post even by very good keepers. It was a strikers goal where he went for it and the dice rolled his way. Very good news for thé upcoming game to see Jesus and Saka back on the scoresheet with Gabi M and Leo scoring in the previous match. We should have whacked the bin dippers in the FA cup, but revenge on Sunday would be nice.
Interesting that after years when everyone moaned about the weakness of FFP it seems to have severely restricted activity in the January window .
It is also interesting that Liverpool apoea4vto have unearthed another young tyro who will enable TAA to push forward in Bradley. He was very impressive in the Cup game against us. Arteta is in a problem now because it’s hard and indeed unfair to bring youngsters into key games now. I still think the PSV game was a huge opportunity missed to test out the quality of our back up. It’s going to be hard to persuade tge next young stars tgat Arsenal is the place for them when you put Cedric into a game like that . ACD is struggling to agree a contract and we may lose him too.
I hope we can use Nwaneri and Walters and Lewis- Skelly productively in pre-season
TTG @11 – on the other hand the career trajectory of the vast majority who leave prior to creating a decent first team footprint is unmistakeably gravitationallly impacted. One need only look at Omari Hutchinson, for example.
TTG,
So you think the sudden 10 pointy teeth FFP has acquired and the quiet January transfer window could possibly be connected? 😂😂
Excellent enjoyable review of a good night out in Nottinghams, C100.
OM
Yes indeed! If you looked at old Goonerholic and GHF posts there was a regular ( and justified) lament about the impotence of FFP . Now we’ve seen its teeth it has certainly impacted on spending patterns
That is why I’m adamant that the PL cannot allow Citeh to escape 115 charges when they are punishing sloppy or overambitious financial management of clubs who haven’t flagrantly ridden over the rules like Citeh . Other Holics do not share my optimism
Thanks C100
I’m agnostic but I do love our Jesus more and more despite some other’s moans about lack of goals. There was a good piece on him in the Grauniad today that suggests he may look for more of a killer instinct. I love his contribution.
As far as curries go, I have been lucky enough to spend quite a bit of time in India and sample some of the diverse offerings available. Despite that, my wife and I agree that our best ever curry was about 25 years ago in, of all places, Stratford upon Avon.
We can’t remember the name or much else about the place other than its mock-Tudor entrance but damn it was good.
Better than another place in West Hampstead where we once sent back a Lamb Madras, because we’d ordered chicken, and watched the waiter retreat behind the kitchen curtain, but not quite close it, turn on his heel and put the same dish down and proclaim it as chicken!
Happy Days.
UTA.
Layth of the Gooner has been kind enough to publish my piece above with due credit here and a couple of nice plugs and a link (in the main piece) to this site.
https://x.com/goonerfanzine/status/1753012500876988922?s=61&t=cVFjCyGkt4y-Ne45LtfqkQ
👏👏👏 C100, as Layth says an excellent piece and I am glad more people will read.
Great work C100. Glad to see we now have a productive and friendly relationship with the Gooner . Layth has done a fine job with the fanzine
A reminder to everyone that TTG writes the Rewind column in the Gooner. If you’re not subscribing, you really should.
Congratulations on the pick-up, C100. Well-deserved recognition for an excellent read.
TTG@11: No question that you are right that the PL’s profit and sustainability regulations have dampened activity in this transfer window. No club is going to risk an Everton-like points deduction. That has had the intended deterrent effect. If the top clubs aren’t buying, then the money isn’t there to trickle down to the selling clubs to do their own deals.
I am less sanguine than you that the PL will be as correspondingly severe on Man City as they were on Everton (assuming the PL’s ‘independent’ commission finds the charges against Man City proven). I don’t get the impression that there would be much appetite within the PL (which is owned by its clubs) to strip City of its titles because of the turmoil it would create, even if some in the press and government will be baying for that. My two cents would be a finding of some ‘administrative breaches of the rules’, which will bring a token points deduction in a future season (nothing retrospective), perhaps a meaningless fine, and heightened monitoring of City’s finances for a probationary period with a suspended further points deduction. The thudding sound you will hear will be the carpet falling back to the ground, sweeping completed.
Ned, The thudding sound will I hope be the sound of the fans battering ram striking the gates of the PL castle if things come to pass as you have outlined.
You may well be right of course but I think I will share TTG’s optimism for now as there is an awful lot to sweep.
@15TTG, I share your desire for punishment of the most draconian kind, but sadly I suspect palms will be oiled copiously and the threat of the deserved 115 lashes will disappear into the white hot heat of a Mancunian mirage.
Cheers, C100. I enjoyed the pre-match bits even more than the match report in itself (probably as I know what happens there, having seen it :-D), the flavour of the place (well not just the Bombay but the whole Nottingham scene) made me feel I was there.
OM@22: As the old saying has it, rich hands can afford many brooms.
So Lino Sousa has been sold to Villa, who are immediately loaning him to Plymouth. Couldn’t we have made that loan deal and hung onto a prospect?
In other deadline-day news. Miguel Azeez has joined Atlético Baleares in the Spanish third tier on a permanent move, Charles Sagoe Jr has gone to Swansea on loan and Alex Runarsson has left Arsenal by mutual consent. Please be supportive of other ‘holics particularly with that last piece of difficult news.
One of my main reasons for believing Citeh will be roasted is the likely reaction from their main rivals many of whom are American owned and prepared to lawyer up just as much as Citeh. Comparison with Everton and Forest is like comparing stealing a couple of packets of fags with a major sustained corporate fraud . The Premier League will have absolutely nowhere to go if they fail to hammer Citeh. There has to be proportionality .It would completely undermine the competition from a credibility point of view and apart from a massive media reaction it would cause huge numbers of fans to be disaffected . How could you have any enthusiasm for a product that is so corrupt ? Broadcasters would be very unhappy in carrying such a tainted product . I suspect we might see calls for the ESL to be resurrected ( possibly without Citeh) because to let Citeh off with a slap on the wrist would be profoundly wrong
TTG @28, I am very encouraged by your observation that the US owners may ensure the PL apply the fullest sanctions to Shitteh and Chavski. Your analogy of the scale of their criticism me compared to Everton and Forest is entirely apt. However we have lived with a rigged tournament in the U.K. for 20 years during which most journos and televised media have quite simply been venal cheerleaders. While I fully expect their little brains to fail to recognise their hypocrisy, their need to follow the pack and thus generate a feeding frenzy will hopefully result in the scenario you depict. However my gut instinct leads me to agree with BtM @23, that greasedpalms and backhanders will dilute the punishment.
I had an interesting discussion on a long chairlift with a guy from Rochester NY, who used to be heavily interested in PL football but has lost interest since the financial doping of Shitteh ensured their dominance in every competition. He described the NFL draft system and salary cap that ensures that no team can remain dominant for ever and that while poorly managed teams may languish in a middle grade twilight zone, good owners who make good coach appointments and strategic drafts can take a team from the bottom to the top in a few well planned seasons. He is a Bills ST holder and they, the 49ers and the Chiefs are perfect examples of that.
I do think a salary cap must come into the PL if we are going to continue to have owners with endless state funds and no respect for the rules.
TTG is right that the big clubs are pushing hardest for the PL to hold City to account, but not necessarily for the reasons he suggests. A ten-point deduction for City wouldn’t change the prospects of a Brentford or Wolves winning a trophy, but it would transform the odds for Liverpool or us. However, the big clubs are also aware of the danger of killing the goose that is laying their golden eggs. Yes, there is a reputational risk to the PL if City is seen as getting off with a light slap on the wrist. But there is a balance to be struck, which is why I think the punishment will be along the lines I suggested above. I hear the big clubs are not pushing for City to be stripped of its titles if found guilty because of the turmoil that would create. Punishing City is not a zero-sum game.
Bath: Don’t underestimate the extent to which salary caps are gamed in the three US pro sports that have them (American football, basketball and hockey; baseball has a Competitive Balance Tax, basically the same thing. Take, for example, the 10-year $700 million contract Ohtani signed with the Dodgers. He will earn only $2 million a year over those ten seasons and have the remaining $680 million paid out from 2034-2043, essentially when he is retired. Keeping the Dodgers within the financial rules at that point will be the problem of the following management, not the current one.
Another point is that the ability to turn around poorly performing franchises is essential for closed leagues like the US has. It performs the same function of injecting ‘new blood’ (i.e., interest) into the competition as promotion and relegation do organically for football. Salary caps are another component of that, as is the draft system and the league’s control over the club’s revenue generation, which allows collective bargaining for a labour contract with the players’ unions. You can’t just transplant one element of the ecosystem without the others and expect it to have the same effect.
Some late loanee news: Khayon Edwards is going to Leyton Orient and Zane Monlouis to Reading for the rest of the season.
Cheers, C100, for the usual enjoyable account from behind enemy lines.
I completely agree about swapping Martinelli and Jesus around – as I said in some previous drinks. Martinelli is looking a bit restricted by that left touchline and Jesus performs much better there than in the middle – as he always has.
Sorry it’s taken so long to get to read but things are just difficult at the moment.
London Colney on here please.
https://www.arsenal.com/news/london-colney-becomes-sobha-realty-training-centre
The game has changed, and not for the better in my opinion. Still, to compete in this day and age, I guess we have to take the money for the naming rights, and pray like hell that it is a large pile.
Our new training ground sponsor holds the Guinness World Record for the largest helmet mosaic formed by people.
I kid you not.
https://www.sobharealty.com/media-center/press-releases/dubai-sobha-achieves-guinness-world-record-title-with-largest-helmet-mosaic-formed-by-people/
Partey’s injured again, according to Arteta. Time of return unknown.
This is getting like Tommy Rosicky.
It is, C100 but at least Supertom came back and was a very useful injection of urgency and dynamism I fear we may never see TP5 in an Arsenal shirt again.
c100, lovely report. i could smell the curry house, very evocative. i, too, love that first taste of cobra… thank you for reporting so eloquently on the away games you go to, and even those at home. i enjoy them thoroughly.
tp5 is done for us; i really wonder how much of this is legal and how much of this is injury. a setback…
new predictathon results are up.
london colney forever. regardless of the pile of money. much like ashburton grove, or tnhof.
The updated GHF Predictathon leaderboard for Match Week 22 is up. You know where to find it…
Interesting reads on Academy players. I think the one that really shows how hard it is to succeed at the top level is Azeez. It seems just a couple of years ago a lot of people were thinking he was a future starter at Arsenal. Now he’s off to the Spanish third division.
I can’t think of any player in recent years that started their career at Arsenal when they were young (9 or 10 years old), we sold or let go before any significant time with the 1st team, and then went off to be successful in the European top flight.
Although I would love to see more of the youngsters get a chance with the first team, Arteta sees them everyday in training and knows if they are ready.
Ecg
You make a fair point.
I think the boy Musa who went to Valencia and then on to the USA looks like a potential superstar . We rarely lost players like that but nowadays other teams try to poach young players
TTG
Musah is at AC Milan now and seems to be playing fairly regularly with 8 starts and 9 sub appearances. One assist for the season. It will be interesting to see if he continues to develop.
Gnabry might be the one to regret letting get away. And let’s not forget we have at least four in the first team squad that came through the ranks. But it is mighty hard to breakthrough at an elite club when the person you have to dislodge is probably a senior international. Klopp has been playing youngsters because injuries forced him. Ten Hag is doing it because his senior players are useless.
Ned
No arguments on any of those points (especially Ten Hag). For me both Gnabry and Szczesny were questionable decisions but my point was more about the players who have been at the team at a young age. Not the transfer of 16 year olds into the Academy.
Even though it seems like Eddie has been at Arsenal forever, he falls in that 16 year old transfer. So we have Reiss, Saka, and ESR that fall into the category of starting their footballing career at Arsenal.
Since the monks have apparently had too much mead, I did a little Googling and I would add Willock and Iwobi have been relatively successful, but I don’t see either of them starting in the current squad.
Some leave and make reasonable careers – Bartley at WBA and Ayling at Leeds are examples from a while back. Was Malen an early recruit? Anyway, for me there aren’t any I have regretted not even gnabry really as the reality was we couldn’t keep him at the time.
On Gnabry’s later success AW said ‘ I always knew he would have a great career’ and Pukis said ‘I’m amazed’ 😂
edg@43: Fair enough about the distinction between joining at eight and at 16. I didn’t count Woj as one who got away in as much as he was relatively older when he left, though I think he would have been our no 1 for many seasons had he stayed. I agree that Willock and Iwobi wouldn’t get into the current Arsenal team but both will have more than decent careers in the PL.
OM@44: Donyell Malen joined as a 16-year-old and spent two seasons with our U-18s and U-21s before being sold to PSV’s U-21s. He mainly plays on the right wing for Dortmund. Would he start ahead of Saka?
Definitely not Ned, I just didn’t remember when he joined. I wouldn’t start Gnabry in front of Saka either come to that
Spuds have just amusingly let in a late equalizer 😂😂😂
Oh var is looking. Onside just to rub it in 😂😂😂
Of course seeing Dyche looking happy is the downside there, but you can’t have everything I suppose
Anyway, I agree with you on Iwobi / Willock, they can do fine. And to go right back to ecg’s original comment Azeez fell a long way in a very short time. The current situation is quite unusual in fact to have three or four – I think Reiss, Eddie and ESR have shown enough to say they are PL standard if they do want to move.
Just to add, I hope they stay but I’d understand if they went.
Japan out and Tomi to be back soon. Good news at the back.
And England sportingly giving India a start at the cricket again
Out of the blue and into the net?
Or is that just a half-century?
*raises bat for France*
Well in, Ollie. Also bien accompli.
French cricket?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>