Arsenal and Nottingham Forest had to play each other in the 3rd round of the League Cup. Arsenal fielded a lot of youngsters who got the opportunity to show Arsène Wenger what they’re capable of.
The first half was quite good from Arsenal, with a Granit Xhaka wonder strike the absolute highlight. Arsenal were the better team and went into halftime with a deserved lead.
Forest started the second half really well, they kept pressing and created some chances but it was Arsenal who scored after 60 minutes,through a Lucas Perez penalty.
13 minutes later, the Gunners made it three with Perez netting his second of the game. In the 90th minute, it was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who scored the fourth goal of the game.
Let’s take a look at the five things we learned!
Oxlade-Chamberlain has to step up
We all know that the Ox is talented, he always shows as much in the pre-seasons, but for some reason he rarely shows it in the games that matter. In this game he once again made quite a few mistakes. He kept giving the ball away and even though he scored the fourth , he has to step up his game. Let’s hope he turns around his poor form in time as it’s rumored that this season is his last to prove he’s good enough for Arsenal.
Xhaka keeps impressing
The Swiss star scored yet again with a great shot from distance. He’s also very calm when he gets the ball and is always looking to play it forward. He provides balance to the team and is really good defensively too.
Lucas showed what he’s capable of
The game against Forest was the third game for Lucas Perez in an Arsenal shirt. This time, he really showed what he can bring to the side, scoring two goals and being a threat throughout the game, especially in the second half where he was a joy to watch.
The youngsters look promising
Arsène Wenger gave game time to some of the most promising youngsters at the club. Jeff Reine-Adelaide showed some good technique and vision and looks like a special player. Rob Holding yet again looked like a solid defender and formed a good partnership with Gabriel. Chuba Akpom was involved quite often and he almost assisted Reine-Adelaide at the end of the first half. The only player that wasn’t really involved was Ainsley Maitland-Niles, but it has to be said that he didn’t play in his favoured position.
Xhaka - Elneny partnership does work
This was the first time that the partnership of Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny started a game. They showed they can play alongside each other and provide a balanced partnership, which bodes well for the future.