Updated
I’ll leave you there as there’s more football for you to enjoy. If you’re an Arsenal fan, though, you didn’t enjoy that. What on earth happens now? They should have seen that out after Bellerin squeezed them ahead; instead they conceded two quick goals from nothing, never looked like equalising and deservedly lost. So poor for them, so good for Bournemouth – who are clawing themselves away from trouble! Think on that – and then enjoy Jacob Steinberg’s MBM of Liverpool v Man City:
Robert Lowery emails:
“Sure you’re being inundated with depressed Gooners but to expand on your point, once Sánchez and Ozil go, what do Arsenal have? I see not very much at all. It’s all well and good saying that the upper echelons of the league are more competitive and monied clubs are impossible to compete with but this squad is the weakest both in terms of actual ability and, more depressingly, apparent potential of Wenger’s Arsenal by an order of magnitude ... there was more to work with when he took over, more throughout the “Emirates mortgage years”, more even in the nadir of the humiliation at Old Trafford ...now ... well even the kids don’t look up to much ...”
Full-time: Bournemouth 2-1 Arsenal
A huge result at both ends of the table!
Updated
90+4 min: Arsenal huff, puff, are caught offside and the end appears nigh.
90+3 min: Now Afobe wins a corner. A superbly effective sub, in his way! Bournemouth keep it in near the flag for a while but then concede a free kick.
90+2 min: Afobe’s first act is to chase the ball down to the corner and win a throw-in. Game management, etcetera.
90+1 min: Ramsey laces one well wide. Afobe comes on in Wilson’s place to face his old side for a few minutes. How many minutes exactly? I’ll tell you: we are to play four more.
89 min: That’s half a sight of goal though, Cook doing exceptionally well to slide in and prevent Welbeck getting in. Now the pressure is building ahead of the final few minutes ...
88 min: Arsenal haven’t come close to equalising yet. That double blast shocked ... well ... pretty much everyone. They now enjoy a spell of possession around the area, ending in a cleared cross from Maitland-Niles.
86 min: Ibe goes off to deserved applause – that was his first league goal for Bournemouth, a fact I didn’t know – and Marc Pugh replaces him.
86 min: Now the emails are coming in! Scott Stricker writes – “Arsenal could end January having sold Coquelin, Sanchez, Ozil, and Walcott. By the end of the year they will may longer have Wilshere, Mertesacker, Cazorla, and a reliably fit Koscielny. Another five or so first team members will then be entering the final 12 months of their contracts, Ramsey included. That’s an entire squad that needs rebuilding in a market so inflated, they’d need to spend a quarter of a billion dollars. Even if Arsenal were willing to spend that kind of cash, does anyone believe Wenger is the right man to spend it?”
85 min: Ibe goes in search for a second and is not too far off, setting himself 25 yards out before daisycutting one a foot and a half wide.
84 min: “Now that Walcott is on, the comedy is nearly complete,” writes Charles Antaki. “There’s just enough time for Arsène to locate Manuel Almunia and fly him in to replace Peter Cech.”
The real, serious question though is – whether or not he is to your taste – how things have got quite this bad for a player like Walcott, and why. And that’s before we get to some of his squad mates.
82 min: Wilshere, the only man who looks as if he can, raises pulses by making space around the ‘D’ but can only drag wide.
81 min: Amid all this a word for Ibe, who has been a constant threat today and maybe, just maybe, is starting to come really good.
80 min: Holding tries to be Pirlo, and the ball ends up behind the goal.
79 min: Can you, in all honesty, see Arsenal finishing in the top four?
78 min: Of course, as it’s just been pointed out on the telly, Arsenal turned it round themselves in this fixture last season with three late goals. So there is plenty of time. But this is an inferior Arsenal side. I’m just struggling to see what they’ve really got out there to change things apart from the decent Wilshere.
77 min: It’s got so bad that Wenger indeed has to add to Walcott’s 49 minutes. He’s on for Iwobi.
76 min: This had *really* not been on the cards. Arsenal have self-destructed and Fraser, full of confidence, has another go from long range but misses the target.
Goal! Bournemouth 2-1 Arsenal (Ibe 74)
Unbelievable! They’ve turned this one right around! Mousset has the freedom of the penalty area to bring down a chipped ball from Smith. He can’t make space for a shot but nudges it back to Ibe, who blasts low, hard and true under Cech from 18 yards!
Updated
74 min: Aaron Ramsey is back in the fray for Arsenal, replacing Chambers. Presumably Wenger, looking taut and pensive in the stand, knows they really need to win this.
72 min: That was a Cech error, really, although the move was nicely worked with Ibe to give Fraser the space. Really thought Arsenal looked like seeing it out, as Wilson had looked isolated up there all afternoon. They’ll be kicking themselves – a familiar sensation.
Goal! Bournemouth 1-1 Arsenal (Wilson 70)
They hadn’t particularly been threatening it, but there it is! Fraser scampers down that right side, whips in a delicious ball and Cech has to make a decision. Does he come out and try to gather, or does he stay and risk Wilson having a free shot? He does the former and Wilson beats him to it, nudging the ball past him and into the net!
Updated
67 min: Ibe gets rather more change from Holding moments later though, twisting past him before cutting in and drawing a save from Cech – although he doesn’t get the purchase he’d have wanted.
66 min: Fraser cuts inside and hits a harmless effort at Cech. Now they look livelier though and Maitland-Niles does well in a subsequent one-on-one with Ibe.
65 min: Fraser will play at right wing-back now, Mousset further forward and I think Smith moves across. Let’s see if this makes a difference ... Bournemouth do threaten immediately with Francis chipping over a tempting cross that nobody can get onto at the back stick.
63 min: It’s Daniels, who was done for the goal rather, who comes off now though and is replaced by young forward Lys Mousset.
61 min: Bournemouth haven’t really mustered a response to the goal yet. Could Arsenal old boy Benik Afobe be summoned from the bench?
58 min: Cook and Welbeck collide and are down, the latter appearing to be in the worse state. He receives treatment; I think it was an inadvertent hand in the face, but he’ll be alright.
56 min: Xhaka is booked for terminating a weaving run from the lively Ibe. No complaints.
55 min: The goal came from nothing, but Bournemouth have been vulnerable down that side all afternoon. What have they got now? In the short term they have a corner, which brings a blocked shot from Fraser.
Goal! Bournemouth 0-1 Arsenal (Bellerin 52)
Arsenal make the breakthrough! It’s a beautiful slide-rule pass from Iwobi that sends Bellerin scampering away down the right, even if it’s all too easy from a Bournemouth perspective. He shoots, Begovic half-saves and for a second he seems to have done enough ... but the ball bounces on into the net! “How [bad] must you be, we’re winning away,” sing a few of the visiting fans.
Updated
51 min: ... which is half dealt-with before Gosling thrashes over from 20 yards.
50 min: Still scruffy here. The ball’s spending a bit more time in the Arsenal half though, and Fraser’s cross goes above Wilson’s head before the striker air kicks from a silly angle seconds later. Then Bournemouth win a corner ...
48 min: Little to report from the first knockings. Perhaps this is a game that will, indeed, be decided by a substitute. You feel Bournemouth would be the happier with a draw even if it’s not in their nature to play for one.
Peeeep! Second half underway
No introduction for Walcott yet. He remains rooted on 49 Premier League minutes this season.
13 - There are 13 English players starting in the Bournemouth v Arsenal match, the most in a Premier League game involving Arsenal since January 2002 (Leeds v Arsenal, 14). Lions. pic.twitter.com/CU4ZIxuh5X
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 14, 2018
Another stat, before we get back to the second half.
To be honest, this has been no more insipid than most of Arsenal’s away games recently. Not as good as at Palace but better than at Burnley, West Brom and Southampton for example. What have they got to step things up? For all his limitations I find it incredible that Theo Walcott can’t really get near this side. He’s on the bench if they want.
“My 9 yr old is crazy Bournemouth,” writes Ken Babstock. “And it’s got nothing to do with Defoe, either. He found out my family is Dorset from waaaaaay back and now’s gone all blood and soil on me in a way I find slightly disturbing. Anyway, he loves Arter, Fraser, and King et al. but WHO, Nick, on the Bournemouth squad was born closest to (or in) Dorset? I’d like to buy the boy a tattoo for his tenth.”
I think there are laws against that, Ken, but I’m sure you could source him a temporary stick-on of Hastings-born Steve Cook.
Half-time: Bournemouth 0-0 Arsenal
I make that fair. A lively start at both ends gave rise to a spell of Arsenal pressure that threatened an opener – but Bournemouth responded, had a penalty appeal turned down when a corner struck Iwobi’s elbow and created a couple of chances before the interval. Maitland-Niles, who clipped the bar, and Welbeck have had the best moments for Arsenal, who haven’t been bad. All to play for!
44 min: Nearing the break now and Bournemouth have done well to end that earlier spell of Arsenal dominance.
42 min: They’ve really come alive. Fraser finds a pocket in front of the defence and hits a half-volley not too far high. Back to that handball claim earlier and replays show it did seem to hit Iwobi on the elbow. Seen those given? It would have been harsh I think. In other news, it was more like a combination of Chambers and Cech that blocked the earlier Fraser chance.
40 min: Bournemouth have their best chance! Ibe does superbly down the right, makes space to pick out his man, and the ball ends up with Fraser – who is right in front of Cech. Like Begovic earlier, the goalkeeper is so quickly out and blocks excellently. The resulting corner comes to nought.
39 min: Some respite now, though, as Smith wins a free-kick from Maitland-Niles in a favourable area on the right. Ibe, or “Jordon” as his shirt bears, delivers well and there are a few shouts for a handball in there. The ball stays alive, Fraser seeing a shot blocked before Smith eventually sends a harmless low one through to Cech.
Updated
38 min: Another Arsenal corner. They’re getting stronger and Bournemouth need to get a grip on things. This one is met, again, by Mustafi at the near post. On this occasion the header is bulleted over.
36 min: ... they come close through Welbeck, who gets away down the middle after a Lacazette pass squirms through and is thwarted by the legs of an onrushing Begovic! Xhaka then wins a corner that Mustafi glances narrowly wide at the near post.
34 min: Maitland-Niles shows a lightning turn of pace now after being released cleverly by Wilshere, but just runs out of space at the byline. Arsenal are pretty dominant now and ...
32 min: Welbeck thinks he has kept the ball in by the left corner flag, but he hasn’t. He disagrees though and has some prolonged, futile words. The crowd jeer. Xhaka then has an effort deflected through to Begovic.
31 min: Francis is booked for clipping Welbeck, although I don’t think there was a lot of intent there.
Updated
28 min: Iwobi is found in space behind Daniels on the right and slides a tempting ball across goal, but Lacazette isn’t quite up there to convert. Good move, though.
26 min: In recent minutes it’s gone from “scrappy but engaging” to plain scrappy. Arsenal are again having trouble imposing themselves convincingly on an away game.
23 min: Wilshere somehow bundles his way through the area towards the line and wins a corner. He’s been the best Arsenal player so far. This flag kick comes in from Xhaka on the left ... but it’s poor and dealt with easily.
21 min: Gosling is booked for a foul. It’s snappy, enthusiastic fare out there.
20 min: Then Welbeck almost exposes Cook similarly and Begovic has to be very sharply out to smother. I can’t see this finishing goalless, there are too many mistakes in these defences.
Updated
18 min: My goodness, Holding dwells on the ball in his own area and, chased ferociously by Ibe, has to run it all the way across the pitch and eventually out of play. That was slightly comedic. Bournemouth, too, look fast and sharp in attack.
17 min: Iwobi has another effort deflected away where a bit more decisiveness might have given him a better angle. The front men look lively though.
16 min: Now Bournemouth put a nice spell together, ending when Fraser arrows a cross into Cech’s arms. Good tempo to this game.
13 min: Ibe wastes a wonderful position on the break for Bournemouth after sloppy play from Maitland-Niles. There are spaces at both ends here.
12 min: Cech holds a Fraser free-kick that the winger overhit rather. Arsenal go straight down the other end and probe extensively around the edge of the box, Ake eventually having to glance a Maitland-Niles delivery out for another corner. Xhaka inswings it ... and Begovic gets a strong fist on it.
10 min: Now Iwobi, making space on the right of the area, hits a deflected effort that Begovic has to parry wide. Bournemouth will always give you a chance. Ake clears the corner, though.
9 min: Maitland-Niles hits the bar! That’s very good from Arsenal and now they’ll be encouraged too. Lacazette wriggles to the right byline after a lovely Wilshere pass, clips the ball across and it ends up under the spell of Maitland-Niles, who control, jinks inside and cracks one against the top of the frame and over!
8 min: Bournemouth can be encouraged so far. They look slightly the sharper. What must Arsenal’s players think of the unrest caused by Sanchez, in particular?
5 min: At the other end it’s the other right-back, Bellerin, running through into the area and it takes some fine defending by Cook to snuff out a chance.
4 min: And the home side come close! Daniels bursts forward from left back and loops a high cross beyond the back post, when the ball is touched back for right wing-back Smith. He drills a low shot narrowly wide of Cech’s left post.
Updated
3 min: It’s a slow start, Bournemouth dominating the early possession and Fraser buzzing around a little bit.
1 min: Kevin Friend is the referee, incidentally.
Peeeeeeep! We are underway
Arsenal, in blue, kick off and shoot left to right.
The players are in the tunnel. Wenger, of course, will not be in the dugout – it’s the final match of his ban, and he’ll be in the stands. Not the press box, this time, apparently!
Jack Wilshere’s back at his temporary home of last season of course. He’s another who could yet leave Arsenal in the next six months. He’s just given a fairly interesting interview to Sky, saying that he feels better equipped for top-flight football now and that his preparation for matches has improved considerably. The new contract seems to remain up in the air. Big few months for him.
9 - Bournemouth have lost each of their last nine Premier League games against ‘big six’ opponents, scoring just twice and conceding 23 goals in that run. Picked.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 14, 2018
Oooof. Is today the day? They’ve really struggled whenever I’ve seen them this season but there are a few signs of improvement – dramatic draw with West Ham, point at Brighton and win over Everton were all heartening.
Did you miss this interview with Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson by Jacob Steinberg? Then you shouldn’t have:
Arsenal fans, what now if we are indeed entering the post-Sanchez era? Will Malcom be able to fill his boots? Or even Henrikh Mkhitaryan? Or is this a bit of a sorry situation that may as well have been nipped in the bud last summer?
Alex Iwobi starts for the second time since Tuesday, when Arsene Wenger said he would punish him if he had been found to be partying two nights before the Nottingham Forest defeat. Either Iwobi is on a long leash or he did not, in fact, go partying; he’s not good enough to be a nailed-on starter either way, in my view.
(More) team news
Bournemouth: Begovic, Francis, Steve Cook, Ake, Adam Smith, Lewis Cook, Gosling, Daniels, Ibe, Fraser, Callum Wilson. Subs: Boruc, Surman, Pugh, Arter, Afobe, Mousset, Simpson.
Arsenal: Cech, Chambers, Mustafi, Holding, Bellerin, Xhaka, Wilshere, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Welbeck, Lacazette. Subs: Mertesacker, Ramsey, Ospina, Walcott, Kolasinac, Elneny, Nketiah.
I fancy Lacazette to end his drought today. But I also fancy Bournemouth to get some kind of result.
Good afternoon
Arsenal travel to Bournemouth hoping to maintain their unbeaten record against the Dorset club and we’ll break with our tradition of walking these meandering, ruminatory preambles in by bringing you some important overarching narrative. You ready? Here it goes: Alexis Sanchez is nowhere near Arsenal’s squad this lunchtime. Wherever he might be, he’s not here. Nor, for that matter, is Mesut Ozil but there’s less innuendo around that at the moment. The top line, really, is that Sanchez appears to be off sooner rather than later, whether to Manchester United or Manchester City. Dave Hytner has more here:
It all distracts, slightly, from a Big Game. Arsenal really need a result here because they sit five points behind fifth-placed Spurs and fourth-placed Liverpool. Bournemouth’s form has picked up a little, with five points from their last three games, and if they could snaffle the points they’d be four points clear of the bottom three. Will their calmer buildup be to their advantage? What do you think? Send in your emails and tweets – and let us begin!
Nick will be here soon. Until then, here’s our match preview:
How Arsène Wenger, who will again be peering from the stands, would love a victory after the nightmare in Nottingham. Arsenal are winless in four in all competitions – their longest barren run since a streak of five starting in February 2016 – and that could easily continue. Eddie Howe can count on making chances with ease against Wenger’s notional defence and that could be enough as the burden of Arsenal’s successes may no longer be able to lie squarely on Alexis Sánchez’s shoulders. The dream of an easier life in Manchester may prove too much of a distraction even if he does play. Graham Searles
