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Followers anticipated Santo to play with a back-five formation against the Gunners, however, the Portuguese manager opted for a four-man defence and it was enough to secure a point from the game at home.
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo on the touchline during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Nottingham Forest coach Nuno Espirito Santo appeared to be quite satisfied with his team playing out a goalless draw with Arsenal in the last Premier League fixture on Thursday, February 27. Defenders mostly dominated the proceedings at the City Ground. After conceding as many as six goals in the last two league games, Santo should be proud of his team for registering a clean sheet in the home game. During the post-match interview, the Portuguese manager was asked about the strategy he chose to stop Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
Following consecutive defeats to Fulham and Newcastle United, fans might have expected Santo to play with a back-five formation against the Gunners. The hosts, however, opted for a four-man defence and it was enough to secure one point from the important game.
When asked about the tactical set-up, Santo gave a brutal response, referring to how Arsenal struggled for not having a goal-poaching forward in the team.
“As Arsenal doesn’t have a striker with Merino playing that position, there’s no need for an extra body. So the overload would be in the midfield when he drops in, so it was about containing the midfield,” the Forest boss told TNT Sports.
Arsenal enjoyed a superior ball position throughout the game. The attackers, however, were unable to break the Nottingham defence. It was the first time since 1998 that a Premier League match ended in a 0-0 draw at the City Ground.
“The most important thing was to realise how we do things, how we play and our strengths. Today it was there. We were compact and didn’t allow Arsenal too much. Arsenal had chances, of course, because they are a very good team. But at the same time, we were compact, solid and aggressive,” Santo said after the match.
“Maybe we could have found better transition points but it is always difficult. The positive is the clean sheet and, more than anything, finding ourselves as a team again with the way we do things. In the last moments of the game, we were the team getting the set pieces and the dangerous momentum. That is a positive, also,” he added.
Nottingham Forest has emerged as one of the dominant forces in the Premier League this season. They look promising to finish in the top four, ensuring a Champions League qualification. Nottingham Forest remain third in the league table with 48 points.
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