Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Match Two: Punched in the guts by the Gunners at the Emirates

Return to Arsenal, First time to the Emirates

The Gillespie Road tube station, bought by the Arsenal Corporation
in a Milton Keynes Dons-like way, a bit like their move from Woolwich.


It's been almost 35 years since I last saw Forest play Arsenal. That was in the FA Cup 6th Round in 1988 and it was a very happy occasion indeed. A Nigel Clough and Stuart Pearce inspired Forest won 2-1.



Coincidentally, from the point of yesterday's blog post, playing across London at the same time that day was, you've guessed it, Wimbledon. They were also in the quarter finals and they also won 2-1, against Watford. Both of their semi-finals also ended 2-1 but that's where the similarities would end. Wimbledon would beat Luton, whereas Forest lost to Liverpool. 
This was, of course, the season Wimbledon's "crazy gang" beat Liverpool at Wembley for their only major domestic trophy.


Of course, Forest's win was at Highbury, Arsenal's ground for 93 years, and that had been my third visit there. I saw Forest win there 2-0 on Boxing Day just a few months earlier and my first visit was back in 1977 early in the season Forest won the league. That day Arsenal won 3-0, our worst defeat of the season.



So, with Forest arriving at their new Emirates stadium bottom of the league, and Arsenal starting the season so well (top for most of the season so far), a 3-0 defeat would have been perfectly acceptable.

Unfortunately...

Match Two: Arsenal 5 Nottingham Forest 0
(Emirates: 1; Arsenal Home: 4; Arsenal Seen: 15; Forest seen: 442)

Getting a seat for this match for a Forest fan was like seeking gold. All of Forest's away contingent was sold out at the start of the season and the only reason I had a chance here was because my uni mate's old mate from school is an Arsenal season ticket holder and he couldn't go.






I think I had one of the best seats in the ground. On the Upper tier, block 133 row 1. So allow me to publicly thank Steve for making my day - at least as far as half time!






Any hopes of a shock Forest win (and believe me, I had deluded myself about that) seemed to be gunned down after just 5 minutes when Martinelli headed past Henderson to put Arsenal 1-0 up.

1-0 to the Arsenal

Spurs fans will tell you that there isn't much noise at the Emirates but I have to say the roar sounded pretty loud to me. I guess 60,000 people chatting is going to be pretty noisy.

Still, it doesn't sound right when another group of fans sing "Come on you Reds!"

Like Forest, Arsenal call themselves the "reds" but, of course, *we* are the original reds. We borrowed them a set of red shirts early in their history and as they won the game they started playing with them ever since. See here for more on that.

Anyway, after a period when Arsenal seemed to be able to slice through our defence at will, largely with the threat coming from the right in the form of the elegant Bukayo Saka, Forest gradually seemed to settle and caused Arsenal a few scares of their own before half time. When Saka had to go off injured, I began to think this might be our day.

After last week's remarkable win against Liverpool and creditable draw at Brighton, it looked like Steve Cooper had tightened up the defence and as Forest showed some threat of their own towards the end of the half, maybe ... just maybe.

As the half time whistle blew, I went to grab a pint and a burger feeling pretty confident. 

A word about the food at the emirates: poor. Honestly, after the fare at Wimbledon, which seemed like gourmet cuisine in comparison, the food choice and quality was dire.

But if that was poor, Forest's second half capitulation was worse.

The start of the second half repeated the first with another quick goal but this time there was no time to settle and a third was soon added. So much for my theory.

The game ended as a competitive fixture after that and it was just a matter of how many Arsenal would score. My "par" of 3-0 was soon breached and then a fifth put the final nail in the coffin. Forest, it has to be said, showed little fighting spirit and seemed resigned to their fate far to easily.

Grim, then grimmer.


Never mind. 

At least we have now played both Manchester City and Arsenal away. It can't get harder than that.

After the game, I stayed back and waited for the stands to empty and then had a stroll around the stadium which, it has to be said, is magnificent.




So, congratulations Arsenal and thanks once more to Steve. 




Another ground reclaimed...



The mood score? Not as good as yesterday but still 9-1! (And yes, the "one" was a bit of depression about how easily Forest caved in.)


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