Gunners handle run-in pressure v Bournemouth to keep title challenge alive

Arsenal 3 Bournemouth 0   
Premier League   
Saturday 4th May 2024  12.30pm    

After the disappointment of the home defeat to Villa, sandwiched by the Champions League quarter final legs v Bayern, all Arsenal were left with to finish their season were six Premier League matches. With Manchester City’s record of closing out campaigns from a winning position, the prevailing wisdom was that Arteta’s players would need to win every game for the remainder of the season, and this was the fourth out of the the six. 

 

The manager stuck with the same eleven that had delivered wins against Chelsea and Spurs, and people were conscious of how good a run of results Bournemouth have had in 2024, so were not to be taken lightly. Last season it took the last minute wonder goal by Reiss Nelson to secure three points in the corresponding fixture (and keep Arsenal’s title hopes very much alive back then). Same consequence of the win yesterday, but it was a far more comfortable affair. 

Arsenal dominated, with Rice and Odegaard particularly influential, and the attacking threat of Harvertz and Saka in particular creating a hatload of chances. On one level, it was slightly disappointing that only two goals had been scored by the start of second half injury time, so plentiful were the number of opportunities the Gunners enjoyed. Their goal difference is so healthy that you hope it will hardly matter if the title does go down to goal difference, although Manchester City won by four against Wolves later, so they might be trying to score as many as they can in the event that they do drop any points.

 

The main thing of course was the win. Without securing maximum points, the chances of a title feel extremely slim. Arsenal can achieve a total of 89 points and that would be undeniable progress on the 84 of last season, even if they are two short of the holders. The first eleven is stronger, but there is a need for futher improvement – certainly in terms of squad depth. 

 

The starting eleven yesterday were certainly up to the mark, and were rewarded for their superiority over the visitors with a penalty as the half time whistle neared. Kai Havertz was upended by the keeper, although in honesty, he could have stayed on his feet if he wanted to. But in these situations, strikers will always go down, take advantage of the keeper committing himself if he fails to touch the ball and win the penalty. If VAR are only going to overturn clear and obvious errors, then this was always going to stand. Bukayo Saka took the spot kick coolly and gave his side a lead before the interval. Arsenal had missed some decent chances by this time, and Bournemouth were perhaps fortunate the ref did not spot Christie’s challenge on Saka, which in the current climate was a red card offence.

 

In terms of the required win, everyone could breathe a lot easier when Declan Rice got into the box and teed up Leandro Trossard after 70 minutes. The relief was palpable. Bournemouth might not have had many chances, but the odd slip at the back – Gabriel being the culprit on two occasions – might have seen them capitalise. As it was, they did have the ball in the net not long after Arsenal’s second, but referee David Coote decided Raya had been fouled. Once again, VAR was not going to disagree with him, as there was certainly contact between the keeper and the Bournemouth player competing for the high ball. However, there was also an obvious piece of holding by Saliba on another player challenging, so the home side got a bit fortunate there. 2-1 would have made for a far nervier end to the game.

 

Gabriel rocketed a peach of a goal into the top corner as the match wound down, only for the offside flag to go up against Havertz. Rice was the man of the match for me, and completed his performance with a late goal after substiture Jesus played him in to finish from a tight angle with aplomb. A wonderful conclusion to an excellent performance. There weren’t too many signs of pressure, and the players handled it well. Tomiyasu is also worth a mention for his contributions at both ends of the field. With Timber to return next season, and the fact that all of White, Tomiyasu, Timber himself and Kiwior can play at centre-back, there feels no need to buy another defender. If Zinchenko goes, then that could change, as you need more than six in the squad, however versatile they might be, although I’d be inclined to retain Zinchenko as a back-up for Rice in the number 8 position. 

 

The Partey / Jorginho holding midfield position is a quandary. Rice seems so much more effective at winning matches playing further forward, but Partey doesn’t stay fit, and Jorginho is not going to play two games a week. So maybe a quality purchase here. Saka needs to have a back-up who can give him a few games off without the levels dropping too much, and sadly Reiss Nelson isn’t it. And of course a decision needs to be made on the centre forward position, although you do feel that Arteta will now stick with Havertz, which simply leaves the question of whether to sell Jesus or continue as things are, except for the likely departure of the hardly-used Eddie Nketiah, which looks inevitable, and certainly the best option for a player who needs to be playing regularly to develop fully. 

The goalkeeper position is an interesting one. Arsenal have not bought Raya yet, and I have heard whispers that Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak is being considered, his price tag highly affordable by Premier League standards. He does have a long contract in Madrid, but who knows? It would certainly raise Arsenal’s keeper standard to match those at Anfield and the Etihad. Personally, I don’t see if happening and believe Arteta will buy Raya and retain him as his number one, although it seems obvious Aaron Ramsdale will be sold, as much as anything in fairness to the player. It should be an interesting summer in the move to strengthen the squad even further. Rice and Havertz have worked out well from last summer, and hopefully Timber will be equally as impressive. 

 

For this season, we watch and wait. City go to Fulham next Saturday for a lunchtime kick-off of their own. Arsenal are at Old Trafford the day after and simply have to win. Much as United may be a mess currently, you feel they will raise their game against the Gunners in front of their own crowd, even if almost all of those in the stands would prefer Arsenal to win the league over Manchester City. Footballers don’t think about things the same way, which is why I haven’t completely given up on Spurs facing City two days after the Gunners play Manchester United. 

 

Despite the feeling of inevitability that Arsenal will just miss out, the bottom line is that they haven’t played in games of this significance at this stage of the season for a very long time. A year ago things went off the rails before May, with the nine points dropped in four matches during April. This time around, the team are taking it to the wire, and who knows? Just win their last two matches and see what happens. Football can surprise. 

 

To be notified when there is fresh content on my blog (generally two days after a match), follow me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/KevinWhitcher01