Forest closed the centre and accepted less possession
Arsenal controlled the ball for long periods but struggled to enter the penalty area with balance. Forest protected the space in front of their three centre-backs and challenged the visitors to find a way around the outside. Crosses arrived, but the home side usually had enough players in place to clear them.
Liam Delap gave Forest an outlet when they regained possession. His running forced Arsenal’s defenders to remain alert instead of joining every attack. The plan did not produce constant chances, but it kept the match level and made every Arsenal turnover feel more dangerous.
Madueke brought the direct action Arsenal needed
Madueke entered at half-time and looked to drive towards goal rather than recycle every pass. In the 80th minute, Declan Rice found him on the left side of the area. The winger moved inside and shot with his right foot; the ball struck Jair Cunha and beat Matz Sels.
The goal was not the result of a long, clean combination, but it came from a player willing to test the defensive line. Arsenal’s previous patience had moved Forest repeatedly, even without creating a clear finish. Madueke finally used the small gap that appeared between a defender and the covering midfielder.
One shot on target was enough, but not comfortable
Forest still had opportunities to equalise. Arsenal needed a late intervention from Ezri Konsa to stop Delap, and the home side finished with more efforts on target. The visitors protected the lead, yet the final minutes showed why a second goal would have been valuable.
Arsenal leave with three points and another winning goal from a substitute. Their last three league victories have all been decided by players coming from the bench. Forest can trust the defensive structure, but they must add cleaner support around Delap if narrow performances are to produce points instead of respectable defeats.