Arsenal showcased both control and chaos in a commanding 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, with Viktor Gyökeres adding the raw edge Mikel Arteta’s side has sometimes lacked.
The first half had all the hallmarks of Arteta’s methodical blueprint: precision passing, structured movements, and dominance of possession. Yet, for all the control, it occasionally felt overly mechanical, as if watching a careful construction rather than a free-flowing spectacle. That changed after the interval.
Martin Zubimendi opened the scoring with a stunning hip-high volley, the kind of finish that carried flair as much as technique. Soon after, came the moment Arsenal fans had been waiting for. A simple but incisive move began with Riccardo Calafiori lofting a pass down the flank. Eberechi Eze controlled it beautifully before squaring for Gyökeres. The striker, who had spent much of the match tirelessly harrying Forest’s defenders, was perfectly placed to tap home.
It was the type of goal Arsenal once struggled to produce direct, uncomplicated, efficient. The Emirates crowd roared as Gyökeres marked his debut with the sort of finish that could become a hallmark of his time in North London.
Moments later, the match swung into chaos when Calafiori surrendered possession high upfield, leaving space behind. Forest almost capitalised as Chris Wood forced a looping effort towards goal, but David Raya reacted brilliantly, tipping the ball on to the bar. From the rebound, Cristhian Mosquera produced a superb recovery tackle, further underlining his growing reputation as a fearless one-on-one defender.
Gyökeres nearly doubled his tally on the hour, striking the post after a sharp combination with Eze. Though the attempt came from a narrow angle, it reflected the fearless directness Arsenal have sometimes lacked in recent seasons. His willingness to shoot, scrap, and stretch defences added a different texture to a side often accused of being too rigid.
While Forest sat deep in an effort to frustrate, Arsenal’s full-backs drifted into midfield, and Noni Madueke offered moments of direct wing play. Yet it was Gyökeres’ blend of simplicity and rawness that stood out. For a team often accused of overcomplicating attacking play, his straightforward approach could be invaluable across a long season.
Arsenal already possess enough players fine-tuned to Arteta’s meticulous system. What they needed was something rougher, more instinctive. Against Forest, Gyökeres provided exactly that and it might just be the edge that turns dominance into trophies.
