Steve Cooper believes Arsenal scored two ‘brilliant’ goals in their 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest with Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka ensuring a winning start to the new Premier League campaign.
It was a funny old game at the Emirates Stadium. 80 minutes of almost total domination, followed by a nail-biting finale brought about by Anthony Elanga’s burst of acceleration and Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-time tap in entirely against the run of play.
Steve Cooper himself would accept that the eventual scoreline – Arsenal triumphing 2-1 on home soil – is not really an accurate description of proceedings. Mikel Arteta’s side were not just the better team until that late scare, they were pretty much the only team in it; passing and pressing Forest into submission.
“Arsenal were excellent,” Cooper tells the BBC; disappointed his Forest side did not do more to knock the hosts out of their rampant rhythm. “They are a brilliant team, and they play in a great way.”
Arsenal survive Nottingham Forest score
Arsenal’s two first-half goals were typical of their opening 45 minutes. Eddie Nketiah slammed past former Gunners keeper Matt Turner after a magisterial assist from the irrepressible Gabriel Martinelli, before Bukayo Saka produced a more-than passable Arjen Robben impression with a sublime 25 yarder.
“The last thing we did was gift them goals because they were brilliant finishes,” Cooper adds. “But, from our point of view, we should be much better defensively in them moments.
“I’m frustrated with the first half. Arsenal are a really good team and have strengthened from last year. They dominated and had territory. We were always going to have to play that mid to low block, (with a) fast attack game. We had a lot of success with (that approach) at the end of last season. 
“What we didn’t do quite right was compete strong enough within the duels, and show enough quality on the turnovers.”
