Arsenal’s title hopes took another hit as Mikel Arteta admitted his frustration following a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, allowing Liverpool to extend their lead.
Mikel Arteta cut a frustrated figure as he assessed Arsenal’s goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, a result that left them 13 points adrift of Arne Slot’s Liverpool, whose march towards the Premier League title now appears inexorable.
“It was very disappointing not to win after such a dominant performance,” Arteta admitted. “We did very well in many aspects of the game without really conceding anything. With all the territory and control we had in the final third, we should have found a way to win.”
The gap at the top is widening, and with Arsenal’s bluntness in attack becoming an increasing concern, the Spaniard did not sugarcoat the situation.
His side remains without Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, while Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus’s absences have further deprived them of attacking focal points.
Arsenal had chances, hitting the woodwork and crafting several promising openings, but the inability to break through against a low-block Forest side underlined familiar offensive struggles.
“We had a one-on-one chance that we didn’t score. In set pieces, I felt that was an area where we needed to be more efficient – to unlock the game, create more shots on target, and ultimately get the win. At the end of the day, when you dominate like this against these teams, you have to win the game,” Arteta insisted.
“This team always gives you reasons to believe, to keep going. The frustration comes from knowing that when you control a game like this, you have to win it. But in this league, the margins are so small, and unfortunately, we didn’t find a way to score.”
The frustration is magnified by the knowledge that Arsenal’s defensive record remains strong, with another clean sheet on the road. But clean sheets alone do not win titles.
“For many years, that [our defensive record] has not been a problem, but in order to win, you have to score goals. We need to find ways to convert more chances and get goals from different areas of the pitch. That’s something we certainly need to improve.”
The mood among the Arsenal players was described as one of collective disappointment, though Arteta insisted he remains unwavering in his belief that this squad has the resilience to fight until the end.
“This team always gives you reasons to believe, to keep going,” he said. “The frustration comes from knowing that when you control a game like this, you have to win it. But in this league, the margins are so small, and unfortunately, we didn’t find a way to score.”
As Liverpool claimed a 2-0 victory over an Isak-less Newcastle, The Kop erupted into a chorus of “We’re gonna win the league.” The contrast between the two teams could not have been starker. While Arsenal stumbled in front of goal, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai ensured Liverpool edged ever closer to the title.
Liverpool did not dazzle, but they did what Arsenal could not – turn dominance into victory. Slot’s side was not at their best, but when Mac Allister swept home the decisive second goal at Anfield, there was an air of inevitability about their growing supremacy.
Arsenal’s failure to beat Forest was another hammer blow to their already slim title hopes. The Gunners’ next fixture sees them resume their Champions League campaign away at PSV, a competition where, as Arteta put it, “the building starts now.”