Morning all.
The period over Christmas and the New Year saw opinions and results fluctuate but maybe not as wildly as many in the media expected or wanted. All the same, the end result of all the jaw jaw was some very encouraging results for us and disappointment for everyone else – and that’s always a good thing.
Arsenal negotiated an awful holiday period injury wise with our defence down to the absolute barest of bones and with our best player having to play at right back, but we emerged in a stronger position than the one we had entered the holiday period with, the media adjusting it’s own biased narrative once more like a chameleon.
We’ve been here before of course but there is a definite resilience about this current iteration of Arteta’s Arsenal and the haters are most certainly getting nervous.
Bournemouth are a better side than their recent results have shown and always seem to enjoy playing the Gunners. With that in mind Arteta rotated up front but stayed strong in midfield and defence as back came Declan Rice for Merino whilst Madueke and Martinelli rotated with Trossard and Saka.
Almost as if to introduce us to an evening of chaos and anxiety Semenyo almost got in after only 30 seconds with the Gunners snoozing. It was a salutary lesson that the good guys in red didn’t heed. After 8 minutes of Bournemouth threats Madueke got free and ran at his full-back turning him easily, but after cutting inside with a clear sight of goal Noni wastefully ballooned his shot over the bar. 2 minutes later we experienced a Gabriel calamity when under pressure, the King of Brazil abdicated his composure and passed directed to Evanilson who gleefully slotted Bournemouth ahead. Alas dear Gabby, I knew him well!
Dean Court was rocking and the Gunners needed to dig in and turn this calamity around, fortunately Noni was just the guy to do that as following a free kick on 16 which Rice drove into the box and where it was eventually cleared to the man with a headscarf. Noni then went on a mazy dribble towards the byline causing chaos in the Bournemouth defence, he squeezed a low cross past several Cherries defenders and following efforts by Hincapie and Martinelli, the ball ran to His Majesty on the far post and he drilled it into the net.
The next 10 minutes was a continuation of Bournemouth pressing like Dervishes with Arsenal desperately trying to compose themselves and exercise some control. The referee Mr Kavanagh didn’t help as he got caught up in the mayhem. Viktor Gyokeres has to stay on his feet, nobody is giving him a free kick regardless of how much pushing, pulling and holding he endures, this isn’t Portugal. The rest of the half played out without anymore serious goal threats but plenty of chaos.
Half-Time 1-1 and breathe.
Arteta didn’t make any changes to personnel but he did make a few key tactical tweaks although the chaos continued unabated even if Arsenal did slightly show signs of controlling the game.
On 53 a quick Bournemouth free kick found us sleeping and Brooks got in a really dangerous shot that fizzed across goal and just past the far post, phew. A minute later it was happy days, a pass up to Gyokeres which he didn’t exactly control but his fighting qualities saw the ball run to Odegaard who set up Declan Rice and he swept home a low drive between defenders and wide of the goalkeeper. The presence of Viktor will be overlooked I suppose but it was his fighting qualities that provided the opening.
Still Arsenal couldn’t quite tame the Bournemouth press although the game was gradually swinging the way of North London. Kavanagh yellow carded Zubimendi for sod all showing a complete lack of common sense, he really isn’t a great official, then on 67 Arteta played his ace card as on came Trossard, Jesus and Saka for Noni, Viktor and Gab, 4 minutes later we got the key breakthrough. Timber pushed a forward pass to Odegaard who switched it out wide to Bayayo and his accurate pull back was calmly dispatched by Declan Rice and that was that.
Well it should have been but with Arsenal gearing up to possibly score again Koupi blasted a shot from nothing past a helpless Raya and the chaos was on again, oh for God’s sake! With the game in the balance Arteta brought Merino on for Odegaard on 80 and Mikel never wasted a pass showing how it could be done. Even so it was still bloody nervy and with the moronic commentators clearly showing their bias I turned the volume down. It’s enough to suffer the angst without those dipsticks piling in. On 86 Merino fired in a shot that was saved, on 88 Bakayo shot over the bar and on 92 Jesus had a low shot saved. For all the huffing and puffing of Bournemouth, in the end the Gunners defence kept them at bay.
It was a hard fought but thoroughly deserved 3 points and it piles the pressure again onto the Etihad mob. I did think that Madueke was underused as I thought he had the beating of his full-back and Viktor again got very little service but all in all it was a satisfying win and we go again in 5 days time.
We march on.
**By Kev.**