Goals from Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott either side of Viktor Gyokeres’ penalty gave the Cherries the 3 points, having been the better team on a day where Arsenal looked a shadow of the side that had got them into this position.
Speaking to the press post-match, Arteta said: “It’s extremely disappointing. It’s a big punch in the face, but as I said to the boys, it is now about how we react to that. From now on, it is going to require a bigger spirit, a lot of fight and clarity on how we are going to approach that.
“There are no grey areas. We are in; we are out. We need to be very strong and determined to approach it (the final fixtures) in a different way than we did today, especially when the game wasn’t going our way."
Asked if he had any concerns about the team’s response to another defeat, Arteta looked down at the desk in front of him and drew a breath of air before finally responding. “No, because I have seen it before in many scenarios, and I have seen it for nine months,” he said.
“But, today, there were certainly some very basic things that we did extremely badly against a team that will capitalise when you do that. They stretch the pitch; it becomes very chaotic and very difficult to control.
“It’s a lot of good things that they (Bournemouth) have done, and credit to them, but I think there is a lot on our plate to look at ourselves.”
The Arsenal manager was keen to ask the fans before the match to “bring their dinner" – a phrase most commonly used among English fan groups to prompt a ferocious atmosphere.
But the fans simply responded to what they were witnessing right in front of them. Loose passes from the ever-reliable midfield pairing of Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi allowed Bournemouth the chance to pounce all too often.
“I apologise. Take it on the chin, and that’s it. What I am trying to do is give the best to the club and give the responsibility to our players,” said Arteta.
“When the atmosphere, the energy and the support in the stadium are the best in the world, we have a much better chance. I don’t think there is any other possibility to perform better than when you have that kind of support, but then, you have to respond, and you had moments in the first half when we did it, and there were other moments where we weren’t on our levels.”
The Gunners remain 9 points clear at the top of the Premier League with six games to play, but the result leaves them hoping for a favour from London rivals Chelsea, who host Manchester City on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal then travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Pep Guardiola’s side in arguably the biggest game of their season on Sunday, April 19.