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Forget about Edu, this Arsenal/Nottingham Forest ‘rivalry’ has just been escalated to a whole new level.
And it all owes to one key ingredient: Ange Postecoglou. The Greek-born coach is replacing Nuno Espírito Santo at the City Ground just three months after his Sp*rs exit and will take charge of Forest for their upcoming trip to Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta will focus on his own team, of course, but his track record against Postecoglou should be a reason for optimism ahead of Saturday. In their four NLD meetings since 2023, the Gunners boast a record of three wins and one draw; suffering zero defeats in that time as well as registering a healthy average of two goals per match.
Who can forget that sensational first-half blitz during our 2024 title push (3-0 up in just 38 minutes), or the towering header by Gabriel Magalhaes to claim all three points at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 12 months ago?
That sole failure – a 2-2 stalemate back in September 2023, in their first match up – indicates that the boss has his counterpart’s number now, and our recent frontline investment (albeit with Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz still out) means he can truly take advantage of Ange’s ‘brave’ defensive set-up at the weekend.
Mikel Arteta has a strong track record against new Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou
This appointment might also bode well for our title push, which needs to get back on track after the Liverpool loss.
Even at this early stage, the Anfield defeat leaves Arsenal with no more room for error and there are perhaps no better opponents to face to get that much-needed three points than Forest. Nuno was a popular figure whose exit will hurt dressing-room morale, while a prickly nature and awful domestic campaign last year could prevent Postecoglou from getting an instant response out of his potentially downbeat squad.
Consider, too, the sharp tactical contrast for Forest: shifting from a coach who built the team on firm defensive foundations to one that made Sp*rs stand on the halfway line. The players will need some time to adapt and a few days will *hopefully* not be enough, certainly not when you find yourselves up against a title-chasing side.
Arteta will remain wary of the threat posed by an Ange attack – his three wins over him have all been by one-goal margins – and must plot for victory without William Saliba, who is ruled out of action for several weeks due to an ankle injury.
But KSE gave him the depth to cope in these circumstances and the boss himself has long possessed the formula for beating Postecoglou, so nothing other than an extension of his brilliant record will do here.