Flashscore reported on Sunday, October 18, 2026, that Arsenal failed to translate their possession advantage into clear scoring chances during the first half of their Premier League encounter with Nottingham Forest. The hosts defended resolutely, leaving Mikel Arteta’s men unable to break the deadlock before the interval.

Saka attempted to trouble Forest with his dribbling and crosses, but the home side repeatedly dealt with his efforts. Rice also struggled to produce effective deliveries from set pieces, while Havertz missed two good opportunities to give Arsenal the lead.

As the visitors continued to search for an opening goal, White sent an inaccurate cross into the penalty area, while Ødegaard’s long pass was easily gathered by Sels. Gabriel also saw his attempt blocked after Arsenal won a corner.

Forest created a few opportunities of their own. Ndoye fired wide, while Williams’ free-kick during first-half stoppage time was blocked by Arsenal’s defensive wall. Raya also collected a dangerous cross, helping the visitors reach half-time without conceding.

Four Arsenal Players Who Had Difficult First-Half Performances

1. Kai Havertz

Havertz wasted two promising chances during the opening period. In the 37th minute, he met a free-kick delivery with a header but sent the ball over the crossbar. Just four minutes later, he received possession inside the box but narrowly missed the target, with his shot going wide of the right post.

2. Bukayo Saka

Despite his efforts to create opportunities, Saka could not produce the breakthrough Arsenal needed. Forest stopped his solo run in the fifth minute, and Sels punched his cross clear in the 10th minute. Saka was flagged offside in the 23rd minute, while another dangerous delivery from the winger was dealt with by Forest’s defence.

3. Declan Rice

Rice struggled to make an impact with his set-piece deliveries, as Forest cleared his free-kick from a distance in the 17th minute. The midfielder also gave away a free-kick in the 44th minute after committing a reckless foul, allowing Nottingham Forest an opportunity to threaten from a dangerous position.

4. Ben White

White was unable to provide the quality of delivery needed to trouble Forest’s defence. He moved forward in the 28th minute and won a corner after a defender challenged him, but his cross three minutes later lacked accuracy and failed to produce a meaningful scoring opportunity.