Mikel Arteta fumbled his chance to be bold ahead of Arsenal’s defeat to Bournemouth on match day seven.
Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season is over as the Gunners fell short to Bournemouth at the Vitality.
A 2-0 defeat was an unexpected result, in what was an atrocious showing from the visitors, who failed to manage the game after going down to 10 men.
For the third time this season, Arsenal had a player sent off, giving Arteta a lot to think about after the shock defeat.
- READ MORE: Mikel Arteta faced one problem for the first time since February 2021, it led to Arsenal defeat
Arsenal’s approach against Bournemouth was questionable
William Saliba’s sending off after 30 minutes was not ideal for Arsenal, but the Gunners did not help themselves even before the Frenchman’s dismissal.
Arteta made the decision to field a three-man midfield consisting of a trio of defence-minded players, as Mikel Merino lined up for his full Premier League debut alongside Thomas Partey and Declan Rice.
For all of the talent that the trio possess, a lack of creative spark was evident, which should have been expected from the manager’s team selection.
Saliba’s red card didn’t inspire Arteta to go for the win, but instead limited Arsenal’s presence going forward even more, sacrificing Raheem Sterling to bring on Jakub Kiwior.
In light of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli’s injury concerns, there was hope that 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri would get a chance to make a difference going forward.
It wasn’t until the 81st minute that fans got a glimpse of the playmaking teenager in action, as one Arteta frailty continued to shine through.
Ethan Nwaneri will be wary of Mikel Arteta favouring experience
As seen throughout Arteta’s time at Arsenal, the manager isn’t much of a risk-taker, which against Bournemouth, was a possibly match-defining factor.
Having seen what Nwaneri is capable of when involved with the first team, there was a strong call for the boss to hand the teenager his full Premier League debut, putting any concern over his experience aside.
Instead, Arteta favoured experience, playing it rather safe by playing the likes of Merino, Partey, Sterling and Leandro Trossard instead of handing Nwaneri a chance to prove himself.
Particularly after Saliba’s sending off, the Spaniard had the opportunity to prove doubters wrong and show that he’s ready to make a bold decision but again, this was not the case.
The 17-year-old shone bright during his late cameo, with his confident and assured performance prompting questions to be asked over Arteta’s bravery.
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