Match report
Here was another desperate indictment of Arsenal’s inability to sign a striker in January.
After Mikel Arteta’s bare-bones society failed to score for a third time in four matches, it looks as though the Gunners will struggle to finish second in a one-horse race.
A point away against Nuno Espirito’s Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest – who are unbeaten at home since September – is not a terrible result in itself.
But with midfield man Mikel Merino struggling as a false nine, there was precious little prospect of Arsenal scoring on the banks of the Trent.
Since their 5-1 pasting of Manchester City, the Gunners have only managed to score against the whipping boys of Leicester City.
And in defence of Merino, it was not as if Arteta’s team created any chances for him to miss.
Out the top four?
Martin Keown reckons Arsenal have to be careful or they might lose out on the TOP FOUR.
It’s a bold claim but the Gunners hero reckons the lack of goals could end up costing them if they don’t buck their ideas up.
He told TNT Sports: “Just because you can’t be champions doesn’t mean that you throw it all away. If they don’t score goals there is a danger that they might slip out of the top four.
“Tonight when you come away with a point you think that is important because it means Forest don’t get any closer to catching them.
“Rest, recover and then they are away to Manchester United, and they must win.”
Next four
Forest have Ipswich in the FA Cup this weekend and then again in the league in a fortnight.
But Man City and Man Utd visit the City Ground in the next month too as part of their next four games.
Arsenal have the Champions League to content with, with games against PSV to come.
A trip to Old Trafford is their next league game the weekend after next before a home game with Chelsea as their game in hand.
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