Player ratings

Arsenal player ratings vs Nottingham Forest: Mikel Arteta gets it horribly wrong as shambolic Gunners go out with a whimper

Charles Watts
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Mikel Arteta Ben White Arsenal 2022-23
The Gunners barely laid a hand on Steve Cooper's side as their defeat officially handed the Premier League title to Manchester City

Arsenal's title challenge ended with a whimper as they slumped to a horrible 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening. It was a third defeat in five games for the Gunners, and one that saw Manchester City crowned Premier League champions for a fifth time in six seasons.

Mikel Arteta's side knew they needed a win at the City Ground to at least put some pressure on City ahead of their game against Chelsea on Sunday, but from the moment they fell behind to a Taiwo Awoniyi goal on 19 minutes, they never really looked like coming back.

Arteta bizarrely opted to start with Thomas Partey and Jakub Kiwior as his full-backs, and it was a move that backfired massively, with his side offering no threat from the wide positions and Forest packing the central areas as they comfortably shut the visitors out despite Arsenal having more than 80 percent possession.

Arsenal barely had a sight of goal all evening, with Bukayo Saka's tame effort from a tight angle which was comfortably saved the closest they came all evening to an equaliser.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the City Ground...

Editors' Picks

  1. Goalkeeper & Defence
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    Goalkeeper & Defence

    Aaron Ramsdale (5/10):

    Barely had a thing to do all evening. Not at fault for the goal.

    Thomas Party (3/10):

    Saw a lot of the ball at right-back, but offered very little width or threat.

    Ben White (3/10):

    Slow in possession. Arsenal missed his overlapping runs out wide.

    Gabriel Magalhaes (4/10):

    Unlucky with the goal, when his clearance deflected in off Awoniyi, but looked nervy all game.

    Jakub Kiwior (2/10):

    Barely saw any of the ball at left-back. Should never have started there.

  2. Midfield
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    Midfield

    Jorginho (4/10):

    Saw plenty of the ball but didn't do much with it. Took too many touches at times.

    Granit Xhaka (3/10):

    Couldn't get into the game at all, with most of Arsenal's play going down the right.

    Martin Odegaard (3/10):

    Gave away the ball in the build-up to Forest's goal. Couldn't get into threatening positions.

  4. Attack
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    Attack

    Bukayo Saka (3/10):

    Had one half chance in the second half, aside from that he never really threatened.

    Gabriel Jesus (3/10):

    Cut a frustrated figure by the end. Looks someway off his best still.

    Leandro Trossard (2/10):

    Scuffed one decent effort wide before half-time. No real impact.

  5. Subs & Manager
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    Subs & Manager

    Eddie Nketiah (4/10):

    Didn't get a sniff of a chance.

    Kieran Tierney (5/10):

    Should have started at left-back. Damage was done by the time he came on. Did at least show some urgency.

    Fabio Vieira (3/10):

    No impact having come on for the final 20 minutes.

    Mikel Arteta (1/10):

    Really odd team selection that simply didn't work. Should have changed things at half-time.