Positives & negatives from Arsenal's 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest

Negative #1: No fear factor

Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo didn't dance around the subject. He was blunt. Nobody fears striker-less Arsenal.

Nuno made it clear to Gunners legend Martin Keown why the Forest gaffer didn't feel the need to use a back five: "As Arsenal doesn't have a striker, so Merino platying that position, there's no need for an extra body."

Ouch.

Forget tactical semantics, Nuno simply said it plain. There's nothing about the Arsenal attack to merit using an extra defender.

In other words, teams aren't scared, and honestly, why would anybody be afraid? The Arsenal forward line in Nottingham was comprised of a central midfielder flanked by an overworked teenager and an alleged top-quality winger no longer living up to the billing.

Things have gotten to this state because of Arteta declining to sign final-third difference-makers in multiple transfer windows. Notice the player description. This is NOT just a striker problem.

Arsenal have gone too long without enough guile and artistry in the centre of midfield. Not enough vision, trickery and next-level pace on the wings.

This Arsenal team usually only takes a direct route to goal. Either via a set-piece delivery or from a pre-injury Bukayo Saka cutting in from the right and onto his left foot.

Beyond that there's not much nuance, and every team facing these Gunners knows as much. It's a problem of squad composition, one that won't go away without a proper commitment of resources to the positions and players that ultimately decide matches.

Arsenal's improved defensive structures, which are in part a credit to Arteta, have given this team a chance to be competitive, but not enough decisive actions up front have reduced the likelihood of opportunity turning into silverware.

At least Arteta is finally having to answer for this disparity.

Positive #2: Arteta answering tough questions

Arteta can't avoid scrutiny any longer. People want to know why he hasn't reinforced the forward line, despite multiple opportunities.

The thing is the Arsenal boss doesn't want to talk about it.

Of course he doesn't. Talkiing about it would put Arteta where he's rarely found himself. Open to genuine criticism.

Make no mistake. No matter how many times the cult of Arteta tries to pass the buck and blame the board for not coughing up the cash -- an outrageous accusation given what Arteta has spent during his time in charge -- Arteta has fronted this "project" and "process" every step of the way.

He's made the decisions. He's been the poster boy for every successful move, but conveniently blurred behind every failure.

Not acquiring a striker is on Arteta. Just like stripmining the creative department and not replacing Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira is on Arteta. Just like overplaying key attackers like Saka and Kai Havertz is on Arteta.

So is a style of play based more on possession for the sake of attrition, rather than in the name of progression. The style comes from a default setting to seek less-than enterprising solutions to problems going forward.

Arteta has shunned bolder ideas like partnering bright young thing Ethan Nwaneri with lone creator Martin Odegaard in the middle. Or playing Trossard and Sterling as split strikers.

The latter is an idea worth exploring, if only to get two underperforming assets back up to speed.

Continued on the next slide...