Noni Madueke’s second-half goal gave us a hard-fought win in a close encounter away to Nottingham Forest.

Our last two trips to The City Ground had ended goalless, and this one looked to be heading the same way before Madueke’s deflected strike 10 minutes from time. 

The first half contained little goalmouth action for either team. In fact neither side had a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.

The second-half was played out in a similar vein – Declan Rice skying our best chance inside the area – before half-time sub Madueke struck. 

Forest had three big chances at the death, the last of them quashed when Ezri Konsa made a huge block to deny Liam Delap when the striker was through on goal. 

GOALLESS FIRST HALF

We completely dominated the ball in the opening 15 minutes, enjoying 80 per cent possession, but weren’t able to work it into the right areas to hurt Forest. The play was condensed in the middle of the park with the hosts working hard to get men behind the ball and look for opportunities on the counter.

There were 20 minutes on the clock before either side had an attempt on goal. Riccardo Calafiori gave the ball away near the halfway line, and after we only half cleared a cross, Dan Ndoye’s low shot was tipped round the post for a corner.

The closest we came in the opening half hour was a scramble inside the six-yard box from a corner, but Gabriel’s improvised backheel was blocked. 

As a fairly sterile first half drew to a close, Kai Havertz headed a free-kick over then ran onto an Odegaard throughball but hit the side-netting.

FRUSTRATIONS CONTINUE

Mikel Arteta introduced Madueke into the action for the second half, replacing Eberechi Eze on the left. 

We were still unable to create much going forward though, and as the afternoon wore on it was the home team who increasingly looked dangerous, with Liam Delap occupying our defenders well, and looking dangerous from set pieces.

Arteta again turned to his bench, bringing on Mikel Merino, Viktor Gyokeres and Jurrien Timber – the latter for his 100th Arsenal appearance.

It injected some energy. Gabriel got up well to an inswinging Rice corner but headed over before we created our best opening of the game.

Odegaard found Timber on the overlap, he burst into the area and cut back for Rice, but he blasted his shot over the bar when well placed.  

NONI KNICKS IT

As we moved into the final 15 minutes we started to put the hosts under pressure, and finally broke the deadlock thanks to Madueke’s deflected effort. Rice spread the pass out to the England man on the left, he cut into the box before firing goalwards, and a diversion off Jair Cunha helped the ball fly past Matz Sels.

The away section at The City Ground erupted. 

Forest generated three big chances in the final three minutes.

First Chris Wood was free in the box after some quick thinking at a Forest throw led to a counter attack, but Rice got back well to block the shot.

Next defender Murilo tricked his way into the box, dragged the ball past his man, before curling just over.

Then the last action of the game saw Delap streak through on goal, only to be denied by a superb sliding challenge from Konsa.

We had done enough though to make it six wins out of seven to start the Premier League season. 

WHAT’S NEXT

We head to Germany in midweek for our Champions League match away to Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening, before resuming our Premier League campaign at home to Everton next Saturday.