David Hytner was at the Emirates this evening. Here’s his verdict. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Andoni Iraola talks to Sky. “We had our chances in the first half … we were playing well … the key was the set plays in the second half … the key in close games … at half-time we were playing well … a lot of the ball … good positions … decent chances … it was a matter of doing the same things … the subs … [Antoine Semenyo] coming from the bench was the spark when both teams were tired … I am really happy … today was longer that I expected from Antoine! … [Dean Huijsen] is playing very well … confident … we are not a very tall team so he is our biggest threat … he helps us a lot … we needed this one because we know the schedule, Villa, City … you have to get points you do not expect … we have missed a couple of chances lately.”
Mikel Arteta speaks to Sky Sports. “We had so many open situations … big opportunities to score … but we didn’t and when you defend the box like we did and concede two goals from set pieces, at this level it’s very difficult to earn the three points … we don’t finish the actions … we gave so many simple balls away … we didn’t kill them and then we gave them hope … [conceding at set pieces] is really something to improve … we did not create the positive momentum … it has certainly created a lot of anger, frustration, rage, disappointment … let’s use all of that for Wednesday, that’s what we have to do.”
He also reports that “there is a chance” Jurriën Timber won’t be available for the PSG match on Wednesday.
Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen – named player of the match - speaks to Sky Sports. “We knew that we never had a point here, so that motivated us more … we always give our all … it’s a really important three points for us … in the first half in phases we were good … in the second we put more rhythm into the match and it worked … honestly, I didn’t expect Antoine Semenyo could throw it that long! … I’m always joking with him and now I can’t make any more jokes … he’s a strong guy but I always say he can’t throw it that far … I guess he proved me wrong! … I wanted to grow as a player and improve … the rhythm of the Premier League, I have learned a lot … I’m really happy with my decision [to join Bournemouth] … I need to keep working hard and stay humble and try my best … if you’re good enough, you’re old enough, and that’s what we’re proving … this is such an important win for us … it would be great [to qualify for Europe] … everyone wants to be a part of making history … hopefully we can make it … I’m pretty relaxed … just a chill guy … I don’t think about [potential transfers] too much … at the moment I’m just having fun and it’s going well.”
A damning statistic courtesy of Sky Sports: of all the Premier League goals Arsenal have conceded this season, 48 percent of them have come from set pieces and corners. That’s the highest this season, with only Wolves (44 percent) coming anywhere close. The average in the league is 26 percent.
That’s a huge result for Bournemouth, and quite the response to being denied at the death last weekend by Manchester United. The Cherries move into eighth spot, which if the season ended today, would be enough for a spot in the European Conference League next season … providing Manchester City win the FA Cup final, that is. Arsenal meanwhile are suddenly looking over their shoulder, second place far from secure, with in-form Manchester City on the charge, and tricky matches at Liverpool and against Newcastle still to come.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 34 | 48 | 82 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 35 | 33 | 67 |
| 3 | Man City | 35 | 24 | 64 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 34 | 21 | 62 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 34 | 19 | 60 |
| 6 | Nottm Forest | 34 | 12 | 60 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 35 | 6 | 60 |
| 8 | AFC Bournemouth | 35 | 13 | 53 |
| 9 | Fulham | 35 | 3 | 51 |
| 10 | Brighton | 34 | 1 | 51 |
| 11 | Brentford | 34 | 8 | 49 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 34 | -4 | 45 |
| 13 | Wolverhampton | 35 | -11 | 41 |
| 14 | Everton | 35 | -7 | 39 |
| 15 | Man Utd | 34 | -8 | 39 |
| 16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 34 | 6 | 37 |
| 17 | West Ham | 34 | -19 | 36 |
| 18 | Ipswich | 35 | -41 | 22 |
| 19 | Leicester | 35 | -47 | 21 |
| 20 | Southampton | 35 | -57 | 11 |
Andoni Iraola and Mikel Arteta, boyhood Basque pals, embrace as the whistle goes. One man much happier than the other. That’s a thoroughly deserved victory for Bournemouth, who on the balance of play were arguably unlucky to trail at the end of the first half, and turned things around confidently in the second. It’s a historic victory at the home of Arsenal, who go into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final under a cloud. Their opponents PSG lost today as well – 2-1 at Strasbourg – but unlike Arsenal, they’ve won their league title, and rested nearly all of their big names today. Iraola hops around with joy in front of the Bournemouth fans; Arteta disappears down the tunnel with furrowed brow.
FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s hopes of European football are real. They complete their first-ever league double over Arsenal!
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90 min +6: Partey tries to burst past Semenyo on the right. He goes over on the edge of the box and claims a penalty, but it was a fair shoulder barge, and the ball sails out for a goal kick. That should be that.
90 min +5: Kerkez wins the ball out on the left and passes to Semenyo. The full back wants a return pass, and he’s in space on the underlap, but Semenyo plays it cool, turning back and running down some clock.
90 min +4: Raya hoicks long, straight out of play for a goal kick. There goes that rare period of sustained Arsenal pressure.
90 min +3: … Odegaard blasts witlessly into the wall. But Arsenal come again, Sterling twisting down the left and cutting back for Odegaard, whose first-time shot is blocked immediately by Scott.
90 min +2: An Arsenal committee of Odegaard, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Sterling and Nwaneri discuss their options. And then …
90 min +1: Odegaard spins into space down the middle and draws a foul from Scott, who clumsily shoves him from behind. A free kick in a dangerous central position, just outside the D.
90 min: Bournemouth are six additional minutes away from completing their first-ever league double over Arsenal.
89 min: Nwaneri jinks down the inside-right channel and into the box, but can’t get past Kerkez and concedes a free kick. Pressure off.
87 min: Bournemouth make a change of their own, replacing the potential match-winner Evanilson with Jebbison.
86 min: Arsenal make a triple change, replacing Saka, Martinelli and White with Nwaneri, Sterling and Zinchenko.
85 min: Arsenal probe. Bournemouth push them slowly back up the field. The home fans groan. Their team on the verge of dropping more points from a winning position. Second place not locked down yet. Far from it.
83 min: Arsenal haven’t responded to falling behind at all. In fact, it’s Bournemouth who look the more likely right now. Brooks strips the ball off Merino, 30 yards out, but can’t find the killer pass to release Evanilson. Arsenal breathe again.
81 min: Bournemouth knock the ball around the back to a chorus of olés from the away end. Hey, we’ve got two Spanish managers here, why not.
79 min: That eight-minute double whammy has sucked all of the air out of the Emirates. You can hear the Bournemouth fans, to be fair. Meanwhile Kachilapo Mulongoti would like to make a persuasive defence of Mikel Arteta and his touchline antics: “I’m writing regarding the amount of emotional energy Arteta and other coaches use up on complaining about every incident. I think they view it as necessary for success, Arteta and other coaches like him feel that the best version of themselves is essentially a 12th player on the pitch. They have to be completely engaged with what is happening on the pitch because it maximizes their chances of success. Believe them when they say every detail matters, they truly believe it does.”
78 min: The goal stands! It’s not clear and obvious that the ball hit Evanilson on the arm. On Sky, former Arsenal striker Alan Smith gives his verdict: “Do you know what, I think that’s fair enough, there’s no conclusive evidence.”
77 min: This might have pinged off Evanilson’s elbow. If so, Arsenal are off the hook.
76 min: … but VAR will have a look at a possible handball by Evanilson and an offside. Cue some Stockley Park rock-and-roll.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth (Evanilson 75)
The corner’s sent in from the left. Tavernier flicks it on to the far stick, where Evanilson, falling backwards, wins a tussle with Odegaard and forces the ball through Raya and in!
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74 min: While Ouattara is being seen to, Rice is replaced by Merino. Then Ouattara makes way for Brooks. And then the corner …
73 min: Now it’s Ouattara’s turn to cross from the left. Tavernier takes up possession and shoots. Deflected. Over. Before the corner can be taken, Ouattara goes down and requires treatment.
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71 min: Bournemouth are suddenly first to everything. Kerkez crosses from the left but Saliba eyebrows clear just in time.
69 min: That was Bournemouth’s first attempt on target. And now look. Arsenal are a bit shocked by that. Shell-shocked, in fact, when you consider the aquatic theme on Bournemouth’s shirt.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Bournemouth (Huijsen 67)
From the resulting throw, Semenyo launches long. His throw finds the head of Huijsen, who directs a simple header towards the top left. It loops over Raya and in. Easy as that! What an instant impact Semenyo has made!
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66 min: Semenyo’s very first touch takes him into acres down the right. He’s got space to run into, and options in the middle, but takes a heavy touch upon entering the box, allowing Saliba to come across and block-clear. But it doesn’t make much difference, because …
65 min: Bournemouth make a double change, replacing Kluivert and Araujo with Semenyo and Scott. That will see Cook moving to right back.
64 min: Ouattara is booked for a cynical tug on White, who had just nicked the ball off him.
62 min: Partey dallies on the ball and is dispossessed by Cook. Arsenal are pushed back, but let off when Kluivert flays a wild shot over the bar from distance.
61 min: Odegaard has the opportunity to shoot from the edge of the Bournemouth D, but decides against it and eventually gets stripped of possession. A few groans from the home faithful.
60 min: Arsenal are beginning to look a bit skittish. Saliba takes a poor touch that nearly allows Evanilson to race off down the left with the ball. The defender recovers just in time.
58 min: Yet another awful pass by Raya, straight up the middle, is nearly intercepted by Kluivert. Then Ouattara comes bombing down the left. His low curler nearly finds Kluivert in the middle. Raya comes to claim, and this time his efforts to progress the ball quickly are stopped unfairly by Evanilson, who goes into the book.
56 min: Saka nearly scores a peach, probing down the left and cutting back to see off Adams, before sending a curler across Kepa and inches wide of the top-right corner. That would have been lovely.
55 min: Trossard battles hard down the left and appears to be hauled down by Araujo, but doesn’t get the free kick his efforts deserve. The referee has been a bit too laissez-faire since the restart. Fair’s fair, perhaps Mikel had a point.
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54 min: Some head tennis in the Bournemouth box. Kepa eventually claims another weak Saka effort.
53 min: The corner comes to nothing. But there’s a nice, open feel to this game, with both sides going for it in attack.
52 min: Saka and Trossard combine crisply down the inside-right channel. Saka runs into Huijsen and claims a penalty, but he’ll have to make do with a corner that he’ll take himself.
51 min: Tavernier jigs right to left across the face of the Arsenal box. Trossard appears to drag him down, but the referee waves play on. Tavernier beyond livid.
49 min: Chances at both ends in quick succession. Martinelli dinks a cross in from the left for Saka, whose header is weak and easily cleared. Then Kerkez whistles a low ball in from the left, Tavernier unable to extend a leg to guide home at the far post.
47 min: Arteta would probably be better served ranting at his own keeper, as Raya plays another dismal pass out to Odegaard, putting his captain in all sorts of trouble again. He’s fortunate Bournemouth are unable to take advantage.
46 min: Mikel Arteta is convinced Arsenal should be awarded a garden-variety free kick in midfield. He’s right on the touchline, having his say, fully animated. You have to wonder about the amount of emotional energy he uses up on inconsequential stuff like this. It must be tiring.
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Arsenal get the second half started. No changes. “By rights, and by anything like a reasonable conversion of their exceptionally good chances, Bournemouth should have been at least a couple of goals up at the end of the first half,” suggests Gunners supporter Charles Antaki. “But they’re not. Arsenal are living a few millimetres away from a world of counterfactuals.”
Half-time advertising break.
HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth
Arsenal edging a close match.
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45 min +2: Evanilson bombs down the middle and has Ouattara to his right, and Kerkez to his left. He opts for the latter. He should play Kerkez into the box, but sends the full-back far too wide, and the chance is gone. Bournemouth have responded well to falling behind.
45 min +1: In the first of two additional minutes, Kluivert swings in from the left. Raya claims under not much pressure.
45 min: Raya plays a dreadful pass out to Odegaard, and it’s immediately intercepted by Ouattara, who plays it back upfield to Evanilson. The striker turns and attempts to replicate Jean-Philippe Mateta’s chip of a couple of weeks ago. Had he got it on target, it was the Crystal Palace fiasco all over again. But it floats over the bar. Raya has the good grace to look a little embarrassed.
43 min: White half-clears the corner. Cook curls the ball back in from the right. Evanilson loops a header over the bar. That had Raya scuttling back in the unsure style. The flag pops up for offside anyway, though had it gone in, VAR might have had something to say about that.
42 min: Cook takes. Kiwior clears. But Bournemouth come back at Arsenal, Kluivert zipping down the left before sashaying infield. He aims a curler towards the top right that’s deflected wide by Saliba. Corner coming in from the right.
40 min: Tavernier dribbles down the right and draws a foul from Partey. A free kick and a chance for Bournemouth to line up on the edge of the Arsenal box.
38 min: But this isn’t over. Not yet. Arsenal have dropped 18 points from winning positions this season. Only six teams have a worse record in the Premier League.
36 min: That was a wonderful finish. This is Rice’s 100th appearance for Arsenal, so what a way to celebrate the landmark! He takes a theatrical bow as the home fans record the scoreline via the medium of the Village People.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth (Rice 34)
Arsenal go up the other end and take the lead! Odegaard glides in from the right before rolling a pass down the channel for Rice, who rounds Kepa to the right before looping a shot into the net. Zabarnyi can’t block on the line.
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33 min: Tavernier slides a pass down the inside-right channel for Ouattara, who for a second looks like getting clear in the box. But just as the attacker prepares to shoot, Saliba comes sliding in to take the ball off his toe. That was timed to perfection. Had it not been, it’d have been a nailed-on penalty. But what a tackle!
31 min: Martinelli twists his way past Araujo down the left, reaches the byline, and clips back for Trossard, who aims a header towards the bottom right. Kepa gets down and stops on his line. A goalkeeper put to work at last!
30 min: Evanilson catches Lewis-Skelley late, a little retribution for his pal. No great drama from either player, just some good knockabout fun.
29 min: Lewis-Skelly swings a hand in Kluivert’s face as the pair chase a ball in midfield. Kluivert wants a free kick, perchance a booking for his opponent, but he’s getting neither.
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27 min: Good persistent work from Saka and Trossard down the right, and the ball’s worked back to Martinelli, in the Bournemouth D. He should make demands of Kepa, but drags a poor shot well wide right. Big chances at both ends in the space of 60 seconds. Somewhere in a more entertaining part of the multiverse, it’s 1-1.
26 min: … and that’s still the case, but Raya should have been put to work here. Probably by way of picking the ball out of the net. Kerkez whips in viciously from the left. Evanilson meets it, six yards out, and powers his header over the bar. He had to score. He’d lost his marker Kiwior with ease.
25 min: A free kick out on the Bournemouth left. Cook floats a long diagonal into the box. Kiwior clears. As of yet, neither keeper has had anything to do.
23 min: Cook launches long down the right towards Tavernier, who runs into Lewis-Skelley, who had stopped his chase back. The Bournemouth man claims deliberate obstruction, and wants a free kick in a dangerous position, but he’s not getting one. Play goes on.
21 min: In the technical area, Mikel Arteta is jumping around, barking orders and pointing quite a lot. This isn’t breaking news, is it.
20 min: Arsenal are dominant now. Rice dribbles hard down the left touchline and nearly gets the better of Araujo but eventually runs out of road. Goal kick.
19 min: Saka dinks a pass down the right for White, who digs out a chip to the far post. Rice races in, hoping to head home from close range, but Zabarnyi, facing his own goal, manages to flick out for a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece, Rice slapping it straight into the side netting.
18 min: Kiwior launches long down the inside-left channel. Martinelli is ahead of the last man, and nearly gets on the end of the pass, but Kepa comes out of his box to head clear. Arsenal are beginning to hit their straps.
16 min: Martinelli burns his way past Araujo down the left, winning a footrace with ease. He cuts back for Rice, who opens his body on the edge of the box before slicing another shot wide right. Again, a fine move.
15 min: Odegaard, in a central position, finds Martinelli down the left channel. Martinelli shuttles the ball further down the flank instantly, springing Rice into the box. Rice swipes a shot across Kepa and harmlessly wide right. But that was a slick move by Arsenal.
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13 min: Kluivert finds Araujo down the right. Araujo crosses long, forcing White to turn behind for a corner at the far stick. Tavernier hits it long, and Huijsen tries to keep the ball in play on the other flank, but only manages to gift the ball to Martinelli, who starts a counter attack. Trossard nearly releases Rice through the middle, but Zabarnyi is on point to intercept.
11 min: Space for Partey in a central pocket, 25 yards out. He’s urged by the fans to shoot, but tries to find Trossard ahead of him instead. Bad choice, as his pass clanks into the nearest defender.
9 min: Kerkez comes snapping in on Saka and nearly sets an attack off down the left. Arsenal appear slightly agitated by Bournemouth’s eager press during these early exchanges.
7 min: Kiwior faffs around with the ball at his feet, allowing Evanilson to nip in from behind and take it off his toe. The defender’s fortunate that the referee has spotted a Bournemouth infringement earlier in the passage of play.
6 min: Some more Bournemouth possession. The home support pipe up in the hope of snapping their heroes into focus. All a bit flat.
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4 min: Martinelli is skittled by Araujo down the left. Odegaard swings the free kick into the mixer, but fails to beat the first man Araujo, who makes good by heading clear.
3 min: The returning Partey’s first touch is a rusty one, a gift for Adams in the middle of the park. Tavernier tries to release Kluivert down the inside-right channel but the pass is no good. Arsenal are not yet awake, and are slightly fortunate Bournemouth haven’t found the final ball. They’ve already had two half-decent opportunities.
2 min: Huijsen spreads a pass wide left for Ouattara, who gets the better of White too easily, one touch taking him clear. But his cross is straight into the arms of Raya.
Bournemouth get the ball rolling. Zabarnyi goes long down the right, looking for Tavernier. Too long. Goal kick.
The teams are out! Arsenal in their famous red shirts with white sleeves, Bournemouth in a third kit which [MBM reporter squints, adjusts pince-nez] “draws its inspiration from our seaside roots, finished in deep lagoon green with an aquatic themed design on the front featuring subtle seashells and waves.” We’ll kick off after a verse or two of North London Forever.
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A reminder of what happened between these teams last time round. Arsenal beware, because only Fulham, with 20 points from 11 games, have taken more points against the top-six teams this season than Bournemouth’s 15 from ten. (The new champions Liverpool have taken 15 from eight, to put this achievement into some sort of perspective.)
Mikel Arteta speaks to Sky. “[Timber and Merino] are both unable to start the game … Jurriën out … let’s see how he evolves … the rest OK … we still have a lot to do in the Premier League … we have been working many months to be in the position we are … we cannot win it so be the best of the rest … we face [intense teams like Bournemouth] a lot of times in the Premier League … they can cause you problems but we are the same … they have been consistent … clear in their intentions … very impressive.”
Andoni Iraola talks to Sky Sports. “It’s true that now every result is important but when you play Arsenal away you forget about the standings … the game is going to be so difficult that you just have to focus … try to give them a good game … be able to get a result … it is a bad thing that we face their best XI … but it’s also a good thing because it means they respect you … they have to go all-in to get a result … we competed very well against Manchester United and hopefully we can do it against Arsenal too.”
Arsenal have put out a strong team this evening. Their opponents in Paris this coming Wednesday? Not so much. Of the 11 PSG players who started the first leg, only one has kept his shirt for today’s Ligue 1 match at Strasbourg: Joao Neves. Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire Emery, subs at the Emirates with 21 minutes between them, both get a run-out, while Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue are on the bench. PSG are 2-0 down at the break, but with the league title long in the bag, and a first European crown within touching distance, they’re unlikely to be too fussed. You can keep tabs on that score in our match centre.
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Jurriën Timber is indeed injured, but his omission today sounds precautionary rather than something more serious. Here’s the latest, hot off the press, courtesy of our man at the Emirates, David Hytner.
Jurrien Timber is nursing a minor knock – the one that forced him off in the first-leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday – and so Mikel Arteta has left him of the squad for today’s visit of Bournemouth. In comes Ben White. But the Arsenal manager has made only one other change: Thomas Partey in, Mikel Merino down to the bench. Partey missed out against PSG because of suspension and he was missed. Arteta is plainly in the mood to ignite some momentum ahead of Wednesday’s second-leg in Paris.
Arsenal name a strong team, making just two changes to the starting XI after the 1-0 home loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Ben White and Thomas Partey are back, with Mikel Merino dropping to the bench, and Jurriën Timber missing out altogether. No word yet on why Timber is absent, but he was withdrawn as a precautionary measure towards the end of that Champions League semi-final after picking up a knock, so let’s see.
Bournemouth make three changes to their starting side after the 1-1 draw with Manchester United. Lewis Cook, Marcus Tavernier and Julián Araujo are in, with Alex Scott, Adam Smith and Antoine Semenyo dropping to the bench.
The teams
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.
Subs: Setford, Tierney, Zinchenko, Merino, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Nwaneri, Clarke.
Bournemouth: Arrizabalaga, Araujo, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Cook, Adams, Tavernier, Kluivert, Ouattara, Evanilson.
Subs: Dennis, Senesi, Brooks, Scott, Smith, Soler, Jebbison, Hill, Semenyo.
Referee: Jarred Gillett (Australia).
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Preamble
Arsenal have bigger fish to fry, with the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with PSG coming up next week. Then again, while the Premier League title might be done and dusted, it wouldn’t be the greatest look to somehow end up third or fourth in a two-horse race. And Bournemouth still have their sights set on European football next season, as well as the completion of their very first league double over the Gunners, having won 2-0 at Dean Court last October. So this isn’t without jeopardy. Could be a cracker. Kick-off is at 5.30pm BST. It’s on!
