Arsenal cannot afford any more mistakes. Nine points behind leaders Liverpool, any misstep will see the Gunners fall out of the Premier League title race. In fact, the risk of them falling out of the top four is extremely high.
Amid talk of a lack of attacking options, the last thing the Gunners want is to face one of the best defences in the league in Nottingham Forest this weekend.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has installed a solid defence, with only Liverpool conceding more goals in the Premier League this season. And remember, Nottingham Forest beat Liverpool at Anfield in September, with their defence looking solid.
Overall, Nottingham give opponents very little space and time to get to their goal. Their non-penalty expected goals conceded per shot faced is the lowest in the league.
Of course, if we look at the above parameters, Arsenal also did very well, only behind Nottingham. Basically, Mikel Arteta's defense is still working well if we look at the injury situation they have to face.
According to Sky Sports, Arsenal are ranked 4th in the Premier League this season when considering the number of days players have been out due to injury. As of round 11, Arsenal players have been out for a total of 297 days due to injury, only behind Brighton, Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace.
The positive sign for Arsenal at the moment is the return of playmaker Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian midfielder played in the draw with Chelsea and did not have to participate in the November international break. Therefore, this player will be in the best physical condition.
In theory, Odegaard's creativity will be key to breaking down a tight defence like Nottingham's, and with the absence of key attacking players like Trossard and Saka, Odegaard's role will be even more important.
The schedule for the next 10 rounds is considered easy for Arsenal and will be an opportunity for them to accumulate points. They need to focus on the Premier League as getting through the Champions League group stage is not too difficult.
The 9-point gap with Liverpool in the Premier League is not small, but it does not mean that there is no chance for The Gunners to catch up.
The match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest takes place at 22:00 on November 23 (Vietnam time).
