5 standout Arsenal players from opening day victory over Forest

3. Martin Odegaard

Arsenal’s captain had another great game, pulling the strings in midfield. He showcased his intricacy and his play between the lines. He excels in tight spaces, which is great for when Arsenal face deep blocks.

He keeps the team ticking and is always available to receive the ball. The White-Odegaard-Saka triangle was not always on display as Partey started as the right back but the Norwegian’s connection with Saka was as evident as ever.

He didn’t score or assist but still put in a very solid and useful display, on and off the ball.

4. Eddie Nketiah

Eddie took his chance ruthlessly for the first goal, albeit with a slight deflection. It was the killer instinct that I really wanted him to show. Nketiah tends to play his best when he is battling for his place in the team and that was the case against Forest.

His pressing is always exemplary and his runs in the channels caused real problems for Forest’s defence. Combined with Havertzs’ off-the-ball movement, Arsenal players were popping up anywhere and everywhere, and it was impossible to deal with, especially in the first half.

According to Arteta, he performed incredibly well in training this week and warranted his place in the team. Eddie has continuously improved for the past two years and if he keeps going on this trajectory, he could easily be a 20+ goals-a-season striker very soon.

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