On a dismal evening for Mikel Arteta, Arsenal slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Bournemouth in a Premier League encounter on Saturday.
Arsenal never really got going in this match, and their task was made all the more challenging with 30 minutes on the clock as William Saliba was sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Mikel Arteta’s side looked even more disjointed having been reduced to ten men, and clearly suffered in the final third due to the injury-enforced absences of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
The hosts took a 1-0 lead after the break, before David Raya brought down Cherries striker Evanilson in the box, handing Justin Kluivert the opportunity to seal victory from the penalty spot.
All in all, this was a match that Arsenal fans will want to quickly forget, as their unbeaten start to the season came to an end, but there are still valuable lessons for Arteta and his players to take from this setback.
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Discipline still a huge problem for Arsenal
The Gunners have now been reduced to ten men on three occasions in the Premier League already this season. Arsenal have failed to win any of those games.
On top of that, Arteta will have been frustrated by Ben White, as the right-back was booked for time wasting whilst the scores were still level and the Gunners needed to be on the front foot.
If Arsenal don’t get a handle on their disciplinary issues immediately then it will cost them dearly this season. Arteta will now have to find a way to cope without Saliba against Liverpool next time out in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta loses patience with Jakub Kiwior
After Saliba’s dismissal, Raheem Sterling made way so that Jakub Kiwior could come on and restore the Gunners’ back line to a full complement of players.
However, the Poland international had a tough time on the south coast. He has not been a regular for the Gunners this season, and his rustiness showed. The 24-year-old’s poor back pass put Raya into a difficult situation, and ultimately led to the concession of the penalty.
Having been introduced from the bench, the defender was then humiliatingly hauled off again by Arteta with ten minutes still to go. Arsenal are expected to sell Kiwior in January, and it seems clear that the Spanish coach has now lost patience with the player.
Gabriel Martinelli still lacking killer instinct
Arsenal’s best opportunity of the game fell to Gabriel Martinelli in the second half. However, the Brazilian could not beat Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Martinelli has shown signs of improvement recently, as he scored in back to back Premier League outings prior to this evening. However, it is clear that the 23-year-old is still lacking the true, instinctive killer instinct in front of goal that comes with full confidence.
Arsenal currently missing midfield edge
Mikel Merino was handed his first Arsenal start in this fixture, alongside Thomas Partey and Declan Rice in the middle of the park.
This trio boasted plenty of experience and physicality, but not much in the way of creativity, which was certainly an issue as the Gunners struggled to break down Bournemouth.
With the club’s creator-in-chief, Odegaard, out of action, Arteta must find another way to add cutting edge to his midfield contingent. That may mean being less conservative in his team selection and throwing Hale End academy wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri into the starting XI.
Fans show their true colours vs Bournemouth
After Saliba was sent off, Arsenal fans were heard chanting his name in a show of support.
What’s more, in the final stages of the match, as it became clear that defeat beckoned, the fans who had travelled in support of the North London outfit remained in full voice, singing, “we love you Arsenal, we do!”
It is testament to how Arteta has healed the relationship between the club and the fanbase that such a show of support in the team was evident on such a disappointing trip to the south coast. The Arsenal fans deserve credit and some recognition for their efforts.
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