His first assignment will be a tough one, as Forest travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal. This means Postecoglou immediately comes up against Mikel Arteta, reigniting a rivalry that began during his time at Spurs. However, the circumstances are very different this time, as he inherits a struggling Forest side with a poor recent record in north London.
Arteta has enjoyed strong results against Postecoglou in the past. The Arsenal boss is unbeaten in four meetings with the 60-year-old, winning three and drawing one. Across those fixtures, Arsenal scored eight goals and conceded five. While each victory was only secured by a single-goal margin, the Gunners were dominant in all four matches but often missed opportunities to make the scoreline more comfortable.
Forest’s recent record at the Emirates does little to inspire confidence either. Arsenal have won their last four home clashes against them, scoring 15 goals in the process. However, when the fixture is reversed, the story changes dramatically, with the Gunners winning just once in their last five trips to the City Ground.
For Arteta, the timing of this meeting is favorable. Arsenal return to the Emirates after putting five goals past Leeds in their previous home game. Despite suffering a narrow defeat to Liverpool in their last outing, the performance suggested they were unfortunate not to take anything from the match. With the title race in mind, Postecoglou’s appointment may actually hand Arsenal a short-term boost.
The new Forest boss will have had little time to instill his philosophy or implement tactical changes before the game. While the notion of a “new manager bounce” is often discussed, its impact is far from guaranteed in the modern game. Nevertheless, Arteta cannot afford complacency. The change in opposition manager means Arsenal’s preparations may need adjusting, focusing more on individual threats rather than Forest’s overall system.
