Gunners lost their second league game of the season to a distinctly average Forest side. Forest started the better of the two teams and put Gunners under some early pressure although they seemed limited to attempting to play long balls over the top of the defence.
Gunners were initially sluggish and failed to really get a grip of the game in the first twenty minutes, the team failed to communicate and the passing was poor. However after some initial pressure from the opposition which saw them come close on a couple of occasions Gunners began to create some chances when the team began to move the ball swiftly up field.
Paul Stout came close when he turned a defender in the box and his shot hit the side netting and Matt Rees came close to scoring from a header. Dave Owen also had a chance to score and Paul Stout came close again with a close range header.
Unfortunately, Gunners conceded a goal just before half time when Forest intercepted a loose pass in midfield and played the ball through to the forward who finished from close range. At half time Forest held a 1-0 lead after an even first half.
The second half was virtually all Gunners with Forest being limited to a couple of long balls to chase which Julian Willis just managed to clear.
Gunners had numerous chances to score with Dave Owen coming close twice and Richard Alderton firing across the face of the goal. Gunners created plenty of chances but could not find the final pass or have a decent strike on goal and the teams lack of a natural finisher was very evident today.
Dave Owen was unlucky not be awarded a free kick when he was hauled back on his way to goal and Paul Ali came close to scoring when his header flashed wide of the post. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Gunners day and despite their efforts in the second half the team didn’t have that piece of luck which they needed to find the target. Forest ended up eventual 1 - 0 winners and Gunners were very disappointed losers.
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