Mikel Arteta describes the pain he felt on losing the title at Forest last season

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Fans look on in the sun during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Nottingham Forest at Emirates Stadium on October 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

At the end of last season, after Arsenal had led the Premier League for most of the season, and having just won an amazing game up at St James Park, with Newcastle also being in top form at home.

But suddenly our world fell apart when we completely capitulated at home against Crystal Palace, and we travelled to Nottingham knowing that only a win at the City Ground would keep our slim title hopes alive. Alas! After 20 minutes Forest took the lead, and then sat back and set up the low block, and despite our best efforts we couldn’t find a way back into the game, and just like that our title dreams were extinguished and we knew our season was over.

Mikel Arteta was asked in the pre-game press conference how he felt after losing that game, and obviously it was not a happy day for him, the players and us fans as well. He remembered it clearly: “I was devastated.” he said.

“I remember being in one room and I was not in a good place. When you realise that all the joy you have created, and all the hopes you have created, are now not happening, and that is the only picture that I had in my head.”

“Yes that was a difficult day, yeah.”

So yet again, we go back to Nottingham hoping to break our awful record at the City Ground and hoping to keep our title hopes intact.

Let’s all hope we have a different reaction after today’s game….

COYG!

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