'Hurt' Mikel Arteta questions Arsenal players' desire

Arsenal's Ben White, Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli, from left to right, react after Nottingham Forest's Lewis Grabban scored the winner during the English FA Cup third round match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal at the City Ground, Nottingham. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted he is "hurt" and questioned the hunger and desire of his players after they crashed out of the FA Cup to Championship side Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners failed to have an effort on target as substitute Lewis Grabban scored in the 83rd minute to land Forest a fourth round tie at home to holders Leicester City.

At half-time, Roy Keane, who was summarising for ITV, labelled Arsenal a "pub team" for their limp first-half performance.

“Arsenal, for all of their quality, they look like Real Madrid but they are playing like a pub team, it’s been so poor,” said Keane.

“The pace of pass, decision making, passing it behind people, it’s been really rubbish.” 

“I’m really disappointed with the performance first of all,” said Arteta.

“Not with the attitude, but how much purpose we have and what determination we showed to change the game when it’s difficult to play against and the way they play.

“But [we needed] more drive, more hunger to win at any cost in every single action, much more. We were not there at our level today.” 

Arsenal have won the FA Cup a record 14 times and Arteta admitted the defeat cut deep.

“It is really hurting,” added the Spaniard. “It is a competition embedded in our history and to get out of it is a big bump.

“We didn’t have enough incisiveness and determination and purpose to progress the ball with enough quality.

“And when we had the chances we didn’t hit the target.” 

Arteta hauled off Nuno Tavares after just 34 minutes after the Portuguese left back looked off the pace and made several mistakes.

The 21-year-old’s frustration was summed up when he hurled his gloves on the ground in front of the dugout.

Regarding the early switch, Arteta said: “I just want to focus on the performance of the team.

“I just knew that I had to make a decision. I don’t want to talk about that.” 

Arteta made seven changes to his team but insisted he knew the sort of challenge his side would face against Forest.

“I know because I’ve been playing games like that for 18 years and I know how complicated it is to come here,” he said.

Forest manager Steve Cooper admitted it felt "comfortable" as his team saw the game out in relative ease.

“Yeah, I did feel comfortable. Someone asked me it must have been a long eight minutes after we scored, but I’ve had longer eight minutes,” he said.

“I mean no disrespect, the players were really engaged with what it took to win.

“If someone said we’d score a goal, miss a good chance with Phil (Zinckernagel), and maybe have a penalty – and them not having a shot on goal, I think we would have taken that.” 

Several Forest players will have caught the eye of Premier League clubs with their performances against Arsenal, such as right wing back Djed Spence and forward Brennan Johnson.

But Cooper isn’t concerned and has challenged them to succeed where they are.

“The players have to believe they belong at this club and can be successful,” he said.

“We all want it and we have a lot of work to do in so many areas of the club, but moments like this will only add to the belief.” 

Arsenal wore an all-white kit to highlight the club’s No More Red campaign aiming to put a stop to knife crime against youngsters.

But the Londoners were left with red faces after a no-show at the City Ground.

The Gunners were without the injured Emile Smith Rowe and Takehiro Tomiyasu, while Granit Xhaka and Folarin Balogun have Covid and several players are at Afcon.

Forest’s new arrivals Steve Cook and Keinan Davis made their debuts, after their transfers from Bournemouth and on loan from Aston Villa respectively.

The Premier League side’s only real effort was when Eddie Nketiah flashed a low drive wide after cutting in from the right.

Forest forced the first on-target effort in the 53rd minute.

The hugely impressive Johnson surged down the right and crossed to Philip Zinckernagel, whose volley was turned around the post by Leno.

Leno then leapt to his right to palm away a curling free-kick from James Garner.

Forest’s winner came when Ryan Yates won possession and fed Johnson before returning it to Yates, whose cross picked out Grabban to stab home with the outside of his right foot for his 11th goal of the season.

Nottingham Forest (3-4-3): Samba 8; Worrall 8, Cook 9, Yates 9; Spence 9, Garner 8, McKenna 6, Colback 8; Johnson 9, Zinckernagel 7, Davis 7 (Grabban 68, 6).

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Leno 6; Cedric 5, White 5, Holding 5, Tavares 3 (Tierney 34, 6); Lokonga 4, Patino 5 (Lacazette 69, 4); Saka 6, Odegaard 4, Martinelli 5; Nketiah 6.

Referee: Craig Pawson.