Nottingham Forest are currently 14th in the Championship, not an impressive position, and one that is embarrassing to Arsenal. However, this is not a non-league opponent, and to treat them with such disrespect in a team selection is to the shame of Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal fielded a better side against Sutton United - a team without any professional footballers - than against Forest - a team with highly competent players and a rich history of high standard football. Alexis Sanchez was brought on from the bench against Sutton, whereas against Forest, the best player on the sidelines was Calum Chambers, who has appeared in the Premier League just three times this season. It was a perfect recipe for disaster, concocted by the unnecessary gamble of Arsene Wenger, who, while serving his dish, ejected his club from the only cup that is both winnable and respectable for Arsenal this season.
Perhaps it is unreasonable to place the blame entirely on the feet of Wenger. The quality of Arsenal’s line-up, albeit heavily weakened, should still have been too much for their opponents.
Sixty-nine per cent possession is telling of the domination without conversion, as is the 29 per cent shot accuracy to Forest’s 75 per cent. But football isn’t just a game of stats.