When a manager is left scratching his head trying to recall even so much as a tackle being made, you know it’s been bad.
In his post-match inquest, Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper could do little else but acknowledge how far short his side had fallen against Arsenal. There was no sugar coating a limp performance.
And it is that which clearly irked Cooper the most. The 5-0 scoreline was painful, but the manner of the defeat will have hurt even more.
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For all the strides they have made in recent games, all the positives, all the raw emotion which came with a memorable victory at the City Ground little more than a week earlier, the Reds looked a shadow of the team which saw off Liverpool. The intensity, the fighting spirit, the work-rate, all of the qualities which had been at the heart of that win were nowhere to be seen in the capital.
Having set the standard and a bar to be hit, Forest were well below it at the Emirates Stadium. Not even close. And they paid the price.
‘Backward step’
“I can’t think of tackles, even fouls, which can happen when you are competing - even bookings. Players running past us, one-twos etc. In the end, if you’re not going to do that, particularly at this level, then you are going to get hurt," Cooper reflected.
“It’s frustrating, because I think we’ve made some good steps on that part of the game in recent weeks. To take more than a step backwards on that part of our game is really frustrating, and it ended up costing us.”
The Reds have already been dealt some harsh lessons in the Premier League. Given where they are in the table and in terms of developing as a side, to give themselves any kind of chance of getting something from a game - any game, but even more so against a side with aspirations of being title contenders - they are going to have to fight for it. At least until they (hopefully) become more settled in their own skin.
Against Liverpool, players had thrown themselves in front of shots, gone full-throttle into tackles and bust a gut to make runs. Against Brighton, they had defended stoically as a unit to earn a valuable clean-sheet. There was none of that against the Gunners.
Arsenal were slick and incisive, and looked dangerous in the final third of the pitch. Their quality shone through - perhaps it was always likely to, particularly on their own turf. But Forest also gave them an easy ride.
What Cooper must ensure now is that the progress which had been made isn’t undermined by this result. A similarly bruising defeat at Manchester City back in August took some time to recover from. With two league fixtures left before the World Cup break - both of which are at the City Ground - the Reds must avoid a repeat of that scenario and get back to what they had been doing well.
Second half collapse
“I personally think we don’t start second halves that well. So the focus was massively on keeping the same energy for the first 10 minutes. Sometimes there can be a bit of a dip, I find - the first half can be so good, and then we come out a bit slow.”
The words of Ryan Yates after beating Liverpool. Forest are aware of the potential flaw. Fixing it is another matter entirely.
At the Emirates, they started both halves at a snail-like pace. The hosts caught them cold after five minutes, and then killed the game off with three goals in eight minutes after the break.
Cooper’s men had settled and grown into the game after their early lapse. At 1-0 down, they were still in it.
But they went from having some sort of chance to being blown away. This was a return to past capitulations which it was hoped this group had moved on from. The second half was woeful.
After shipping 18 goals in five matches, culminating in that dismal 4-0 thumping at Leicester City, the Reds had stripped their game right back and gone back to basics. They had looked much more resolute and compact in the following four fixtures.
It was always going to be incredibly tough against Arsenal. But watching Forest fold, Cooper admitted, was painful viewing. And it leaves them with a goal difference of -20.
Travel sickness
Away games in the top-flight are tough for plenty of teams, let alone one fresh to the division after a 23-year absence. The Reds have picked up two points from seven matches on the road so far, and have conceded 19 goals.
That is why Cooper takes a more pragmatic approach on Forest’s travels. It might be perceived as negative by some and isn’t pretty to watch, but it points to where this team are at right now. Going to the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal is another, significant, step up from Brighton, for instance, where the Reds battled to a hard-earned stalemate.
The plan going into the second half on Sunday was to build on a more solid end to the first period, in which Dean Henderson hadn’t really been troubled, and try to hit the hosts on a breakaway. That quickly went out of the window.
Forest still have to try to find a way of causing more problems on the road when they do get the ball, however. Against Arsenal, they gave it away cheaply and resorted to lumping it up field at times.
When they did get some big chances, they failed to take them. The two best opportunities fell to Jesse Lingard in the first half. The former Manchester United man would expect to have done better with them.
Moving on
It could be argued that it's not games against the likes of Arsenal which will decide Forest's fate this season. They would have had to be near-perfect in almost all areas to get something out of that match.
That doesn't mean Cooper or his squad can simply brush over it, however; put it down as a “free hit” and one which was always likely to be a write-off. If anything, picking the bones out of why they fell so far short carries even more weight.
Equally key will be making sure it doesn’t completely rip up the positivity which oozed from the victory over Liverpool and the good work which had been done leading up to it. That performance and result showed what this team are capable of, even if the Gunners looked of a different class to Jurgen Klopp’s side.
The next two home games, against Brentford and Crystal Palace, before the season pauses for six weeks are crucial. Getting back to previous levels is vital.
The Premier League table remains incredibly tight. The Reds are bottom, but they are not cut adrift by any means. Southampton, in 17th, are just three points ahead.
There is plenty to play for when the action resumes, and Forest will hope to benefit from an extended spell on the training ground. But they need to make sure they are still on the coattails of those above them by that point.
What went wrong for Forest at Arsenal? Have your say in the comments below
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