Gabriel Martinelli Leads Arsenal Past Nottingham Forest in EFL Cup

It was a day of firsts for Arsenal. 

In the club's first match of this season's Carabao Cup, summer signing Kieran Tierney made his much-anticipated debut for the Gunners and 18-year-old prospect Gabriel Martinelli scored his first two goals for the senior squad in a 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

Rob Holding, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson also scored for Arsenal, while Calum Chambers notched two assists.

The Gunners also managed to keep a clean sheet, which wasn't a first this season but might have felt like it for the supporters after watching the backline's recent struggles, which included conceding nine goals in the club's last four Premier League fixtures. 

The hope will be that the return of left-back Tierney, centre-back Holding and right-back Hector Bellerin, who subbed in for Tierney in the second half, will help sort those issues. Like Tierney, Holding and Bellerin made their season debuts for the Gunners against Nottingham after torn ACLs suffered last season.

And like Holding, Bellerin played his part, assisting on the third goal of the game in his first minute of action, finding Joe Willock with a cross in the box for an easy tap-in.

Granted, Nottingham Forest may not offer the stiffest of challenges compared to the more clinical attacks the Gunners will face in the Premier League. But Nottingham sit a respectable sixth in the Championship after eight games, with 11 goals scored and six conceded. They were not a side to be dismissed lightly.

The Gunners looked in the mood from the jump, though, controlling possession, winning the ball back quickly through a high press and snuffing out any Nottingham notions of sneaking a goal on the counter. For much of the first 45, Arsenal probed, coming close to the decisive moment on several occasions, only for a Nottingham defender or goalkeeper Arijanet Muric to leave them wanting.

Even the woodwork joined the effort, as Reiss Nelson's brilliant free-kick attempt from just outside of the box in the ninth minute caromed off the post to safety.

But Martinelli finally cracked the resistance in the 31st minute. Nelson lofted a superb diagonal ball to Calum Chambers down the right flank. Chambers first-timed a cross between two Nottingham defenders in the box and onto the head of Martinelli, who steered the ball into the top right corner, opening his Arsenal account.

The Gunners continued to apply pressure early in the second half, though Nottingham slowly showed more ambition around the hour mark. Arsenal's defense remained resolute, however, a statement that hasn't been made on their behalf much this season.

And the attack finally broke the dam in the 71st minute, as Holding had a clear header off a corner and doubled Arsenal's advantage. Bellerin's assist to Willock—just three or four touches into the right-back's season—came six minutes later, and Nelson cleverly misdirected home Arsenal's fourth goal after another lovely cross into the box from Chambers, now playing down the left side. 

Martinelli had his brace in the 92nd minute, curling a lovely effort from outside the box into the top right corner.

All in all, Unai Emery will be rightly pleased with the performances by his young players and the efforts of Tierney, Holding and Bellerin. Tierney in particular looked the part of a £25 million addition, showcasing solid defensive positioning and looking to be a threat going forward, steering several dangerous crosses into the box. He looked like a player sure to be earning regular first-team football soon enough. 

And with Bellerin soon to return, Holding capable of pushing either David Luiz or Sokratis for a starting position and Chambers showing major strides as a full-back, Arsenal's much-maligned defense may suddenly have the answers it's needed. Certainly, the depth is about to get a boost. 

For Arsenal supporters, it's the hope they've craved. And with the youngsters like Martinelli, Nelson and Bukayo Saka also showing off their upside, Tuesday was a good day in north London.