Nottingham Forest dumped the holders of the FA Cup out of the competition in a breathless game that included a goal for the ages, two penalties and a red card
As soon as the teams were announced, one felt Arsenal could come undone here, and so it proved – Arsene Wenger’s first ever third-round defeat. Forest are fully deserving of their win, even if they did have a slice of luck with that last Dowell penalty.
Arsenal centre-backs looked Sunday League today. Arsenal had their second string out, but there was over 600 Premier League appearances between the XI that Wenger started with, this was not an inexperienced side. They were booed off by their own fans. I suspect that is the last time we see Walcott in an Arsenal shirt.
I wonder what Wenger thinks of those referee decisions. Remarkable that he didn’t have senior, game-changing players on the bench. It’s one thing resting players, it’s quite another leaving yourself up a creek without a paddle in reserve.
Forest were immense. Ben Brereton, man of the match, ran Mertesacker and Holding ragged. Smith had an excellent day in goal, the Welbeck clanger aside, saving twice from Nketiah. Cash and Osborn never gave Elneny and Willock a second of time to settle in midfield. Dowell showed glimpses of some frightening talent, the boy has one magical left foot. Forest saw out the game with great maturity, despite being down to 10 men.
Lichaj, another man-of-the-match contendor, was brilliant, scoring twice – including a goal for the ages, looping one into the top corner just before half time. But he was also solid at the back, organising his younger counter-parts well. “My wife said she would let me have a dog if I scored a hat-trick this year”, says Lichaj in his post-match interview. “But Kieran [Dowell] wouldn’t let me have the last penalty. He told me to go away.”
90+3 min: This has been some game, but the 10 men of Forest look as though they’ve done enough here. The young team are seeing the game out well here. Matt Mills replaces Kieran Dowell and Barrie McKay comes on for Matty Cash.
90+2 min: Nketiah is put clean through on goal … saved by Smith! He’s redeemed himself there after the clanger for Welbeck’s goal. Nketiah tries the dink, but Smith races out to meet him, gets a finger on the chip, the ball rolling agonisingly wide before Walcott has a chance to tap into an empty net!
89 min: The young defender is given a second yellow card for a sliding tackle on Welbeck. It’s probably the right decision. He had only picked up the first yellow card 45 seconds earlier.
87 min: It’s almost impossible to tell if Dowell touched it twice – if he did, the penalty wouldn’t stand and Arsenal would have a free kick. Personally I do think he did touch it twice! Forest have definitely had the rub of the green there.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 4-2 Arsenal (Dowell pen 85)
Dowell slips as he takes it, the ball spoons up into the air and it goes into the roof of the net! Arsenal are appealing that Dowell touched the ball twice – shooting into his standing leg that slipped from under him – but Moss awards the goal after checking with the linesman!
Kieran Dowell scores from the spot. Photograph: Super/SilverHub/REX/Shutterstock
Penalty for Nottingham Forest! Their second of the game!
84 min: Traore skips past both Debuchy and Mertesacker, he’s clean through … chopped down by Debuchy in the box! But wait, replays show Debuchy won the ball! It was a good challenge! Yellow card for Debuchy, he should be shown red if Jon Moss thinks it is a foul! Ospina also shown a yellow card for dissent!
80 min: Ten minutes left! A break in play as Cash goes down with a head injury. He took a shoulder in the face from an Iwobi challenge. The camera cuts to Wenger, who is furious that somebody is hurt.
3-2 Iwobi plays a slide-rule pass through to Welbeck, Smith is favourite to win it as he comes out of goal, but he fails to gather it, and Welbeck sidefoots the loose ball into an empty net. Smith is furious with himself!
77 min: Walcott finds some room down the right and fires a low cross but it’s too weak and Mancienne is able to slide back and tackle it clear. Another poor cross!
75 min: If anything, Nottingham Forest look the more likely to score. Before the third goal, they had 30% possession, but the City Ground are now cheering every pass as Vaughan, Osborn and Cash stroke it about the pitch.
73 min: Brilliant from Dowell! He nutmegs Mertesacker on the edge of Arsenal’s area, drives to the byline and his cut back nearly reaches Walker, only for Debuchy to stick out a boot.
70 min: Chance for Nkaetiah! He turns sharply in the box and fires a low shot at goal, but Smith closes the angle extremely well, advancing out of goal like an octopus, and gets a knee on the ball to turn it away. Big chance, big save.
68 min: Holding has had a nightmare day. Brereton has given him the runaround, getting in behind and winning free-kicks to alleviate the pressure in this second half. To top it off, Holding passes the ball out of play, when trying to find Maitland-Niles. He’s lost his head.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 3-1 Arsenal (Brereton pen 64)
Brereton – 18 years old! – wrestles the ball out of Dowell’s hands, confidently puts the ball on the spot and sends Ospina the wrong way! Forest lead by two!
Ben Brereton scores their third goal from the penalty spot. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images via Reuters
61 min: Chance for Brereton! Walker gets some room on the left – Debuchy is jogging! – he crosses to the near post and Brereton meets it. Deflected behind, the ball just going wide of Ospina’s right post!
59 min: Free-kick to Arsenal, Walcott again over the ball, but it’s straight into the arms of Smith. Walcott’s hair is strangely tall today. Giroud-esque.
55 min: Tyler Walker, son of Des, comes on for Forest, their first change. He’s another that’s come through the academy in Nottingham. He’ll replace Clough, no relation of Brian/Nigel, who has had a poor game in truth.
53 min: Maitland-Niles sends Lichaj for a hot dog, dumping the Forest goalscorer on his arse, but with plenty of time to cross from the byline, overhits the cross. Another poor delivery after some good play.
The City Ground erupts as Jon Moss blows for half time. You can’t say that Forest don’t deserve that lead. Arsenal’s back four look like they are skating on ice.
2-1 Cash gets a cross in from the right, it’s headed clear but only as far as Lichaj on the edge of the area. The ball doesn’t touch the floor, as the right back takes one touch on his chest and volleys the ball into the top corner, a looping effort that left Ospina motionless! Postage-stamp stuff. Wow! Forest lead!
Noooooo Eric Lichaj you can't do that 😱
He puts Nottingham Forest back in front with a stunning volley!
42 min: Ospina looks like he’s got a problem here. The glove is off and he’s grimacing. Looks like a finger that causing him discomfort, but he’ll carry on.
40 min: Once more, Brereton goes clean through on goal, the third time this half! Brereton tries to get the ball back onto his stronger right foot, Holding is able to get back, and Brereton aims a weak shot straight at Ospina. It’s another golden chance wasted. Arsenal’s line is so high! Why would you defend like that with Mertesacker in the team?!
38 min: Walcott has looked lively. He dribbles past two Forest players inside the box and cuts the ball back to Iwobi, but Lichaj does well to read the pass and makes the interception. The Forest right back has had a fine half.
35 min: Mertesacker may have scored Arsenal’s goal, but he looks like he is running in syrup. He’s always been slow, but this is ridiculous. Forest are obviously targeting him.
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