3 things to watch as Arsenal take on Nottingham Forest

#AFC</a> should be finalised in time for Saturday. My understanding is that, while it&#39;s an initial loan (as reported by <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@TheAthleticFC), the expectation is absolutely that it will become permanent. &pound;30m package. Deal structure is mainly due to payment timings etc</p> <p>&mdash; Sam Dean (@SamJDean) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"https://twitter.com/SamJDean/status/1689598813068029952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>August 10, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div> <h2>1. How Raya&#8217;s arrival affects Ramsdale</h2> <p>Aaron Ramsdale, by all accounts, had a really good season last year, so much so that he was selected to represent the Three Lions at the 2022 World Cup.</p> <p>Arsenal are now on a title quest and while he may start the season as the number-one choice, the <a title="Arsenal Transfers: Interesting twist in David Raya deal" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/10/arsenal-transfers-interesting-twist-david-raya-deal/" rel="">arrival of David Raya on a loan deal</a> with an option to buy from Brentford speaks loud.</p> <p>While Matt Turner was a decent number two, there was really no pressure from the American international to supplant Ramsdale. Raya&rsquo;s arrival is similar to when Ramsdale arrived and Bernd Leno was the club&#8217;s first choice. Ramsdale quickly usurped the German, and Leno was later sold to Fulham.</p> <p>When you&rsquo;re competing for a Premier League title and are in the Champions League, every little mistake counts at the top level. Ramsdale was good but he faltered somewhat down the stretch last season and some might argue Raya was the better-performing keeper out of the two in 2022/23.</p> <p>Will Ramsdale look over his shoulder or will he thrive with someone threatening to take his job?</p> <p><em>Continued on the next slide&#8230;</em></p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span>&nbsp;#2 thing to watch vs Forest </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_135801" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-135801" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1706,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1596752101-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1706" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1596752101-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1596752101-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1596752101-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1596752101-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Will Declan Rice start with Thomas Partey on Saturday? (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>2. Arsenal’s midfield dynamic</h2> <p>Arteta rolled out Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, and Martin Odegaard against Manchester City. I think against the best sides, we will see Rice and Partey play the double pivot to control the tempo and match the midfield so that Arsenal will not be overrun as they were at the Etihad in April.</p> <p>It will be interesting to see Arteta’s tactics against a side they beat 5-0 at home last season.</p> <p>Does he roll out Partey as the DM, or does he immediately slot in the £105m man Rice into the fold? And if he doesn’t start them both together, who joins Odegaard in the midfield? Will we see Kai Havertz in the mix?</p> <p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 thing to watch vs Forest </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_135715" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-135715" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1707,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1581676517-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1581676517-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1581676517-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1581676517-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1581676517-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Leandro Trossard led the scoring charts in pre-season. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>3. Does Trossard start?</h2> <p>The one certainty is that Bukayo Saka will be on the right wing. The left-wing will be interesting.</p> <p>Leandro Trossard has certainly been in form and deserves to be in the starting XI. Will he usurp Martinelli down the left, or is it possible Arteta starts his number 11 and has Trossard leading the line?</p> <p>The question remains as to who will slot in at the centre forward position in Gabriel Jesus’ absence. Eddie Nketiah is capable, Trossard has been in form, and Havertz looked good playing as the false nine against City. His finishing, however, could have been better.</p> <div class="embed "> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="dsxr4PHlZb"><p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/10/arsenal-vs-nottingham-forest-3-key-battles/">Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest: 3 key battles for Emirates curtain-raiser</a></p></blockquote> <p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="“Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest: 3 key battles for Emirates curtain-raiser” — Pain in the Arsenal" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/11/3-things-watch-arsenal-nottingham-forest/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/10/arsenal-vs-nottingham-forest-3-key-battles/embed/#?secret=3OdMnVPpHr#?secret=dsxr4PHlZb" data-secret="dsxr4PHlZb" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p></div> <p>One thing for sure is the gaffer has options, and I think it will be interesting to see how Arteta mixes and matches his attackers to start the season without Jesus.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">