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Arsenal fell to a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday, May 20.
The Gunners entered this contest on the back of a mixed run of form, one which saw them slip to second place in the table and lose ground to Manchester City in the title race. They suffered two defeats, won two games and drew the other two in their last six outings. Their last game was a 3-0 home defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in a toothless display.
With the title nearly impossible to win irrespective of wins, Mikel Arteta experimented with his lineup a bit as Thomas Partey returned to the fold but started as the right-back.
As they usually do, Arsenal made a slightly slow start to the game as Nottingham Forest were allowed time on the ball. The hosts looked confident and made several attempts to stitch moves together to try and break the deadlock early on. Their sustained pressure paid off as Taiwo Awoniyi pounced on an error by Gabriel and Aaron Ramsdale and scored to make it 1-0 after 19 minutes.
The Gunners controlled possession and kept the ball for 80% of the first period, attempting five shots but with just two on target. Gabriel Jesus was wasteful for Arteta's side as he rushed his shots and failed to really test Keylor Navas. The hosts received two bookings as they fought hard to carry a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
Nottingham Forest made a positive start to the second period as they looked to shut Arsenal out and prevent them from causing any threat to Keylor Navas' goal. They were partly successful of their own accord, restricting the Gunners to just five attempts despite keeping 80% possession. However, they were also helped by the fact that the visitors fired just one of those attempts on target.
Both managers turned to their benches as they looked to freshen things up on the pitch. However, things seemed to be working according to plan for just Steve Cooper as his men dug deep and pulled off an incredible 1-0 win over Arsenal.
On that note, let's take a look at how the Gunners fared.
Arsenal Player Ratings
Aaron Ramsdale - 6.5/10
He made just one save throughout the game.
Thomas Partey - 7/10
Partey played out of position as a right-back but had a good game. He won eight of his 10 duels, making one clearance, two interceptions, and one tackle. He also played one long ball and completed three dribbles.
Benjamin White - 6.5/10
White moved in centrally and started as the right center-back for the Gunners. He passed the ball well but struggled against Awoniyi's physicality at times. He won four of his six duels, making two clearances and one tackle.
Gabriel Magalhaes - 7/10
Gabriel was partly at fault for Nottingham Forest's goal as he had a moment of miscommunication with custodian Ramsdale, which allowed the striker to score. He won 10 of his 16 duels, making three clearances and one block. He was booked for a foul late in the game.
Jakub Kiwior - 6/10
Kiwior struggled to maintain the team's tempo and shape as he started in his secondary left-back position. He won four duels and passed the ball with 76% accuracy.
Granit Xhaka - 6.5/10
Xhaka started the game well for Arsenal and was a vocal presence, helping his teammates maintain focus. He passed the ball with 86% accuracy and made one clearance and two interceptions.
Martin Odegaard - 7/10
Odegaard passed the ball well and looked to find his teammates in open spaces in wide areas. He completed 64 passes with 86% accuracy, including one key pass and two long balls. He also won four of his seven duels.
Jorginho - 6.5/10
Jorginho started the game well but looked to keep the ball at his feet a fraction longer than required.
Bukayo Saka - 7/10
Saka made a good start to the game and was highly-active for Arsenal in the final third. He played two key passes, two crosses, and one long ball. He also won three duels and attempted one tame effort on target.
Gabriel Jesus - 6.5/10
Jesus got himself into great positions but lacked cilinicality in front of goal. He attempted four shots but hit the target just twice, failing to test the 'keeper. He was also booked for a foul.
Leandro Trossard - 6.5/10
Trossard made a positive start to the game and looked to get on the ball and make an impact on the proceedings. He won two duels and played one key pass. He also attempted two shots but failed to hit the target.
Substitutes
Kieran Tierney - 6.5/10
Tierney replaced Kiwior in the second half and put in a decent performance.
Edward Nketiah - 6.5/10
Nketiah replaced Xhaka in the second half and played well.
Fabio Vieira - 6.5/10
Vieira replaced Trossard for the final 20 minutes and put in a decent cameo for Arsenal.
