Noni Madueke's second-half strike secured Arsenal a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, extending the Gunners' streak of goalless opening periods to six matches in the Premier League and Champions League.
Mikel Arteta had smiled on Friday when asked if he could promise some excitement at the City Ground. Arsenal's two most recent trips to face Forest had ended goalless, and the omens for a lively encounter were not promising.
"We're going to try really hard to score goals and to prevent goals as well," the Spaniard said, in what was not exactly a hugely revelatory response.
Another Slow Start for Arsenal
One of those aims is proving much harder than the other for the Gunners. This 1-0 win secured a precious three points in hard-fought fashion, but it continued what is becoming a frustrating and concerning theme.
For the sixth match in a row in the Premier League and Champions League, the north Londoners failed to score in the first period. In some games in that run, the issue has been poor finishing. On this occasion, though, there was just nothing to raise the pulse in attack in a dire half of football.
It took more than 25 minutes for Arsenal to have a shot of any kind, a hopeful backheel from Gabriel. By half time, the Gunners had still not managed an effort on target.
Madueke Makes the Difference
Nor did it feel particularly surprising. Of Arsenal's 11 goals in the Premier League this season, eight have come in the second half. In all competitions, it is now 15 of 22, and all of the last eight goals scored after the break.
Their 'finishers', as Arteta calls his substitutes, have often come to the rescue. However, a repeat of that on Trentside felt like no sure thing. Arsenal's best attackers were already on the pitch. Arteta turned to Noni Madueke at the break, putting Eberechi Eze out of his misery after a woeful performance.
Midway through the second half, Arteta then resorted to a triple substitution for the third match in a row, as clear a sign that Arsenal's gameplans have not been working as any.
Once again, Arteta's intervention made the difference. Madueke cut inside off the left wing and fired a finish into the far corner with the help of a deflection. That was Arsenal's one and only shot on target in the match, coming after 80 minutes. The elite nature of this team's defending means that one moment is normally enough for victory.
Concerns Persist Despite Win
However, it is not sustainable for the champions to keep producing these kind of first-half performances and get away with it. It had not cost them this week, when three slow starts have still delivered three wins, but it will catch up with them.
Grinding out wins, particularly on the road, when not at your best is one of the classic attributes that champions show, but it should not need to be required on such a regular basis.
The flow that Arsenal started the season with in attack has faded, and large spells of their matches have become a fairly turgid watch. That was fine at the end of last season, when it was a case of winning at all costs in order to get over the line. Much more should be expected this season and especially in October, long before any suffocating pressure of a title race has arrived.
Arsenal's finishers continue to do their job. So too, more often than not, the defenders. The starters further up the pitch need to get back to doing theirs.
