Make No Mistake! Sean Dyche Explains What Has Changed at Arsenal Under Mikel Arteta
Nottingham Forest put Arsenal through a frustrating 0-0 bore draw at the City Ground in the Premier League, making it impossible for the Gunners to pad their lead at the top of the table.
Despite dominating the ball and having a host of clear cut chances, Mikel Arteta’s side just couldn’t manage to find the back of the net against a solid Forest defence.
A Tough Test for the League Leaders
Arsenal turned up at the match as very likely winners, but stepping up against Sean Dyche’s super-organised Nottingham Forest side was always gonna be a bit of a challenge.
The Gunners created loads of chances – a golden opportunity for Gabriel Martinelli was snatched from them – but were thwarted by a string of top saves from Matz Sels and a resolute Forest back line.
And then just at the death, Mikel Arteta had the hump when he claimed his side should’ve been awarded a penalty for Ola Aina’s apparent handball, despite VAR and that well-known ex-referee Mark Clattenburg disagreeing with the idea.
Dyche, predictably, came out swinging on the decision saying “If we started awarding them penalties like that we might just as well cancel the whole freakin’ game.”
Also Read: Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest: Stat Reveals Worst First Half Since Arteta Debut
Sean Dyche Praises Arsenal’s Impressive Transformation
Sean Dyche was as pleased as punch with his team’s hard-won point against one of the top Premier League sides & speaking to HaytersTV afterwards , the Nottingham Forest manager had a big word of praise for the change Mikel Arteta’s made at Arsenal:
“Make no mistake, they’re a top, top team. And if you look back on what they were like a few years back, everyone was saying they had to score some beautiful goal every time. In reality , they now just seem to score whatever they need to – set-piecs , scrap-goal type stuff, anything, really.” Dyche added ” I think that makes them more of a threat than ever”
Dyche who has been up against Arsenal for over a decade praised his team for holding a clean sheet against a team which has transformed significantly since Arteta took over in 2019. Back then Arsenal were struggling to get out of bed in the morning but now they are – possibly – serious title contenders who could beat anyone.
Arsenal’s New Versatility Makes Them More Dangerous
Dyche’s observation rings some serious bells – Arsenal are not as tied up with playing a pretty game. They’ve added some real grit & bite – scoring from set-piece situations, all sorts of scrappy efforts & “ugly” goals when they need ’em.
This extra dimension has made them a complete and formidable force in the Premier League.
And you can see this all season, helping Arsenal to keep racking up points and stay right at the top of the league.
The Lingering Issue: Finishing Clinical Chances
While Dyche is spot on about how much Arsenal have improved, there is still a nagging concern here – not being able to put the chances in the net when they’ve got ’em.
They created at least four really good opportunities against Forest but just couldn’t get the job done, Declan Rice’s frustration summed up the mood – as did that of many of the Arsenal supporters.
This profligacy in front of goal is what prevented Arsenal from making the most of their rivals’ slip-ups & turning draws into wins. For Arteta’s side to keep in the title hunt, they’ll have to start converting some of those chances in the coming matches.
The point was a valuable one for Nottingham Forest, but for Arsenal it was two points dropped in a season where every match really does count.
Also Read: Former Referees Chief Says Arsenal Denied Clear Penalty vs Nottingham Forest
Make No Mistake! Sean Dyche Explains What Has Changed at Arsenal Under Mikel Arteta