19 October 2024
Bournemouth 2 Arsenal 0
Andoni Iraola’s side welcomed a hungry Arsenal to the Vitality Stadium. With their two main rivals not playing until Sunday, The Gunners had the chance to go top of the Premier League table with victory. It was a game Mikel Arteta would have seen as winnable on the fixture list and anything apart from maximum points would seem a missed opportunity in the grand scheme of things.
It was the ‘Basque Country’ derby with two managers who had known each other since childhood. If you believe all the pundits’ thoughts, this Arsenal team was something to compare to the great Arsene Wenger teams. Those who don’t lap up ex-players’ opinions may well agree that is a very bold claim of a team who have seen silverware almost as regularly as their North London neighbours.
The game had started off a little scrappy, with neither side able to get a hold of the game. That suited the hosts more than the visitors in this case. The Cherries are more than capable of getting the ball down and passing it around, which can often be quite attractive to the eye, but they also know how effective direct balls forward can be to stretch their opponents.
It was one such ball, from Trossard of all people, that saw Evanilson spin off Saliba and challenge him to a footrace. The Gunners’ centre-back opted out and dragged him to the floor. The referee immediately produced a yellow card. Then his carers in the VAR studio sent him to the monitor. After some deliberation, he decided to upgrade the card to red, given that he was the last man.
This seemed a logical decision but what is more worrying, from a quality viewpoint, is how he didn’t come to this decision in the first place. It seems as though officials rely upon the technology far too much now. Either way, this spurred the usual tantrum from Arteta on the sideline who believes his side of angelic footballers are never in the wrong.
Despite going down to ten men, the visitors managed to carve out the first real clear-cut chance of the game. Sterling twisted and turned out wide before cutting the ball back to Merino in the box. He seemed to do everything right as he dropped the shoulder and gave himself a yard of space but dragged his shot wide of the near post by the narrowest of margins. Kepa was rooted to the spot.
The Cherries started to ask questions of the visitors. Semenyo got free down the left and beat Kiwior with ease. As he hit a low cross into the box, Raya came out to smother it but could only spill it to Tavernier. Fortunately for The Gunners, he managed to make amends by getting an outstretched leg to the follow-up shot to send it wide of the goal.
Football nowadays seems like some psychedelic trip when you hear people talking about David Raya and Andre Onana been in the top two positions for the coveted golden gloves award. Neither keeper gives their fans that air of confidence that a blunder isn’t just waiting to happen. Maybe that is just the modern game, taking short goal kicks and playing out from the back invites trouble.
Into the second-half, the hosts started to grow in confidence. Kerkez got down the flank and picked out Semenyo perfectly with his cross. Completely unmarked in the middle, the Bournemouth attacker blazed his shot over the bar. We have come to expect a lot more from him, as does he, hanging his head in shame for the wasted opportunity.
With half an hour left in the game, Kepa shanked a clearance straight to Merino. The Spaniard laid it into the path of the advancing Martinelli but the Brazilian showed the finishing ability of the project manager for the HS2 scheme. It was a big chance wasted for The Gunners to grind out a win in a game where they had been very off their game.
Bournemouth then forced a corner. Cook played it along the floor to the near post, where Kluivert cleverly flicked it into the path of a teammate. Christie drilled a first-time shot into the back of the net, which saw the Vitality Stadium erupt. It was a brilliant training ground move from Iraola’s side against a team lauded for their presence at set-pieces.
With twenty minutes remaining and down to ten men, Arsenal’s prospects looked darker than Arteta’s hair after a trip to the barbers. He was going to have to show his true managerial prowess if he was going to turn this game around. These are the sort of situations that separate title challengers from the rest of the pack in the Premier League.
Sadly for the Spaniard, his international clown troop were not done yet. An underhit pass from Kiwior sold Raya short. Evanilson got there first and took it around the keeper, only to be brought to the floor by the Arsenal stopper. With no hesitation, the referee pointed to the spot. The home fans wanted to see the keeper sent off but no card of any colour was produced.
Kluivert stepped up to take it and sent the keeper the wrong way as he seemingly sealed the win for The Cherries. It was no more than they had deserved, Iraola tactically had got the better of his old friend on this occasion. The Gunners need to address their disciplinary problems if they want to be anything other than the bridesmaid in another Premier League wedding once again this season.
Did you enjoy this article? Please share to your social media. With one click you can help spread the word and make Solid at the Back the one-stop shop for all Premier League fans.