Arsenal Can’t Capitalise On City Slip

Stalemate at the City Ground: Seven Clear at the Top, Still No Way Through

Another trip to the City Ground, and it's another afternoon spent wondering how the ball refused to cross the line and thinking how we couldn't capitalise on Man City's defeat at United.

For the second consecutive season, we were held to a goalless draw away to Nottingham Forest. It was hardly a thriller, but it was one of those games that quietly underlined why we're top of the table. Forest barely laid a glove on us, we created the better chances, and even on an off-day in front of goal, we somehow walked away seven points clear.

Not bad for a "frustrating" afternoon.

Martinelli Misses the Moment

The opening half was cagey to the point of sterility. No shots on target, plenty of probing, but little in the way of incision. Still, the chances that did fall went our way.

Gabriel Martinelli was at the centre of almost everything dangerous. First, he saw a close-range effort charged down after Matz Sels got fingertips to a corner. Then came the chance: completely unmarked at the far post, sliding in, six yards out… and wide. One of those moments where you're already halfway through celebrating before reality bites.

Martin Zubimendi followed suit, side-footing wide from a promising position as we began to turn the screw, while Ben White tried his luck from distance and David Raya reminded everyone he's not just there for vibes with a perfectly timed sprint from his box to snuff out Callum Hudson-Odoi.

An engaging half, yes. A productive one? Not remotely.

Triple Change, Same Story

After a quiet opening to the second half, Mikel Arteta rolled the dice. On came Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka — and suddenly Forest had something to think about.

Saka made an immediate impact, robbing Neco Williams and swinging in a cross that Declan Rice volleyed goalwards, only for Sels to intervene. Moments later, Rice returned the favour, standing up a cross for Saka whose looping header looked destined for the corner before Sels clawed it away in what would be his defining contribution.

Merino joined the party with two headers — one forcing another sharp save, the other drifting wide — as Forest retreated deeper and deeper into survival mode.

Viktor Gyökeres nearly punished a defensive mix-up when Martinelli's clearance bounced awkwardly for Murilo, but the defender recovered just enough to deflect the shot wide. Close, but not close enough.

That Penalty… Or Not

The late drama came not from open play, but from VAR purgatory. A long Raya clearance, a scramble, and what looked very much like Ola Aina moving his arm towards the ball in the box.

The check came. The replays rolled. The decision stayed.

One of those calls that somehow manages to be "inconclusive" despite being shown from every angle known to modern broadcasting. We moved on, still searching, still frustrated.

The winner never came.

Perspective Is Everything

Yes, it's back-to-back goalless draws. Yes, the finishing boots were left somewhere on the M1. But Forest didn't manage a single shot on target — again — and we extended our lead at the top to seven points thanks to events elsewhere.

You don't win titles by blowing teams away every week. Sometimes you win them by not losing, even when the door stubbornly refuses to open.

By the Numbers

• Consecutive 0–0 draws in the league for the first time since 2012/13
• Fifth time this season we've faced zero shots on target — a club record in the Premier League era
• Forest failed to register a single shot on target at home for the first time in nearly two years
• Martinelli, despite coming off at half-time, still led the match for shots and was second for touches in the box

What's Next

There's no time to dwell. Away again on Tuesday night, this time in Italy, with a Champions League clash against Inter Milan as we look to maintain a perfect record in Europe.

Then it's back home, back to the league, and back to familiar opposition next Sunday.

The goals will come. The points already have.

Gyo-goal Ignites Blue Touch Paper

WHITE HOT, ZUBI COOL, GYÖKERES CLINICAL — ADVANTAGE ARSENAL

A Carabao Cup semi-final should feel like this: frantic, fearless, faintly ridiculous. And under the lights at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal did exactly what knockout football demands — scored when it mattered, bent without breaking, and left town with something precious stuffed into the kitbag. A breathless 3–2 win over Chelsea gives us a one-goal lead to bring back to the Emirates on February 3.

This was not control. This was not serenity. This was chaos — curated just enough to keep the tie tilted our way.

WHITE HOT

Eight changes from Portsmouth? No problem. Set pieces remain our quiet obsession, and seven minutes in they paid out again. Declan Rice swung it in, Robert Sánchez flapped, and Ben White did the rest — powering home our 24th set-piece goal of the season and reminding Chelsea that he rather enjoys scoring against them.

The early strike dragged the hosts forward whether they liked it or not. Enzo Fernández tested Kepa Arrizabalaga, but we were sharper in the spaces. William Saliba pinged a beauty down the flank for Martin Zubimendi, whose cut-back nearly found Viktor Gyökeres — a deflection sparing Chelsea further early pain.

Set pieces kept rattling them. Zubimendi volleyed over, Saliba fizzed one just wide. The message was clear: we were here to hurt them.

END-TO-END

Down the left, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber combined with real menace, while Chelsea's Estêvão flashed enough talent to keep Kepa busy. It was end-to-end without ever tipping fully out of our control — a dangerous place to live, but one we navigated.

EARLY GOALS, AGAIN

If the first half was a warning shot, the second began with a punch. A quick throw from White, Bukayo Saka released down the right, and White again — marauding, mischievous — drilled a low cross that Sánchez couldn't handle. Gyökeres, alive to the spill, tapped home. Ruthless.

Chelsea responded. Enzo wriggled free, the ball was lifted to the far post, and Alejandro Garnacho lashed in to halve the deficit. Momentum swung. The Bridge stirred. For a moment, the air felt thin.

ZUBI SHOWS CLASS

Enter calm. Mikel Merino arrived from the bench, Gabriel Martinelli stretched the pitch, and suddenly the game slowed — just long enough for quality to surface.

Saka slid Merino in, Merino drove, Gyökeres held it up beautifully, and Zubimendi — ice in the veins — guided a composed finish into the corner. A proper team goal. A proper semi-final moment.

Merino nearly added a fourth, denied only by a sprawling Sánchez. But this was never going to be comfortable. Chelsea struck again from a corner not cleared, Garnacho smashing home to set up the inevitable grandstand finish.

HOLDING OUR NERVE

Late pressure came. Noise came. But panic did not. We saw it out. Not perfectly. Not prettily. But effectively — and in knockout football, that's the currency that matters.

A one-goal lead. A second leg at home. Everything still to do — but crucially, everything still in our hands.

WHAT'S NEXT

Attention turns back to the league on Saturday, January 17, with a 5.30pm kick-off at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest, before we complete a run of four straight away games with a Champions League trip to face Inter at San Siro on Tuesday, January 20.

But for now? Enjoy this. White hot. Zubi cool. Tie alive — and tilted our way.