By now, millions of Arsenal fans may have just finished peeling their fingers from their faces after witnessing those uncomfortable final 20 minutes in Saturday’s 2-0 loss away at Bournemouth.
Even the most ardent supporters will concede Arsenal were second best for large periods of this contest, yet this disappointing result was compounded by preventable errors, and as per Declan Rice’s post-match comments, “naivety” cost the Gunners in this encounter.
Of course, there were caveats for the evening’s frustrations. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber were all unavailable and will have undoubtedly improved the team’s prospects of victory. However, this defeat perhaps provides a sizable indication of a high-level team still somewhat short of the nous needed to become champions.
For instance, examine the game’s key talking points much more closely.
William Saliba, the typically imperious and unflappable presence at the heart of Arsenal’s defence. Saturday brought the first red card of his senior career after he pulled down Bournemouth striker Evanilson, who had raced yards ahead of the defender, following a calamitous back pass from Leandro Trossard.
This, in all likelihood, will be a momentary blip in what will likely be a stellar career for Saliba, whose status as a world-class centre-back has been widely accepted at 23 years old. However, therein lies some of the problems. A world-class 23-year-old is still a 23-year-old, even after over 200 senior games played. Despite his abundant maturity, Saliba does not possess the reserves of experience that come with age and the variance of on-pitch scenarios stored with every match played.
There is a case to say even a few years down the line, Saliba most likely does not act with the same impetuousness when an attacker bypasses him after an errant pass, with the knowledge of the jeopardy that accompanies committing such a foul. Alas, this 23-year-old version of Saliba is who Arsenal had in defence on Saturday, with his dismissal not just affecting that match but also ensures his absence in this Sunday’s huge home clash versus league leaders Liverpool.
At the other end of the pitch, Gabriel Martinelli came on for Leandro Trossard in the 64th minute, with the winger finally showing recent signs of resurgence with two goals in his last two Premier League games after a 17-game goalless run. Moments later, Bournemouth goalkeeper Kepa misplaces a pass, which eventually gifts him with a significant opening in front of goal. His side-footed effort is saved by Kepa, with the game finely poised at 0-0. Then, no more than two minutes later, a tremendous finish from Ryan Christie courtesy of a brilliantly worked corner grants Bournemouth the lead.
Martinelli’s finishing does not routinely convey the clinicality that elite attackers require to decide matches, as could also be seen last month after missing another excellent opening in Arsenal’s 0-0 Champions League draw away at Atalanta. The Brazilian’s goal tallies in the league from the past three seasons are as follows: six in 21/22, fifteen in 22/23 and six in 23/24. Such a record suggests that the spike in 2022/23 was Martinelli riding the crest of terrific goal-scoring form for the first time in his career rather than having fully formed the ruthless potency in his finishing which would enable him to regularly decide matches.
Going back in time to when Arsenal last won the league in 2004, club legend Robert Pires was on the left flank of the Invincibles’ attack, finishing the season with 14 Premier League goals, his joint-best return in an Arsenal shirt. The Frenchman achieved this total over three consecutive league campaigns from 2002/03 to 2004/05, establishing himself as a consistent source of goals for the team in this period, something which Martinelli still needs to demonstrate in this team.
However, it is worth remembering Pires’ goals came at the peak of his powers in his late 20s, whereas, at 23, it is still very plausible Martinelli will refine his finishing to become a reliable marksman for Arsenal over the next few years. Yet, while this refinement continues, there may need to be acquiescence from Arsenal fans that more big chances may be missed at crucial intervals of matches.
One other interesting factor to consider is Gabriel Jesus. The 27-year-old has the requisite nous and pedigree to impact this Arsenal team, as one of only three players in this current squad with a Premier League winners medal, alongside Oleksandr Zinchenko and Raheem Sterling. With Arsenal trailing 1-0 up to the 75th minute, the Brazilian had still not entered the match. Kai Havertz has proven an able player in midfield this season, so removing one of either Partey, Rice or Merino for Jesus by that stage should have been logical, yet there is a harsh truth that is rather conspicuous.
Jesus has not scored for the club since January and has rarely appeared as threatening as he was in his dazzling first four months with Arsenal before suffering his knee injury in late 2022 during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Jesus’ recent plight now presents an eyebrow-raising dynamic within the squad, where Arsenal’s strongest starting XI have all not captured a league winners’ medal in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
This collective dearth of expertise in successfully navigating the peaks and troughs of a league season to become champions may be Arsenal’s main obstacle at present, even with the abundance of talent this current crop of players wields, especially against the substantial wherewithal contained within the four-time reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, whose late winner yesterday cements their capacity to collect wins, no matter the level of their performance.
Bukayo Saka, a few weeks ago, after their 2-0 victory over PSG in the Champions League, stressed how this Arsenal team believe this is their year to claim the Premier League title, having learnt from the near-misses and setbacks from the past few years. Great teams, indeed champions, invariably ensure disappointing results like those on Saturday are spontaneous aberrations rather than the portents of a mini malaise.
This Arsenal team, for the most part, are still learning the strenuous demands of becoming league champions, and whether they succeed in this quest this season will hinge on how quickly they can shed their callowness.
Joel Mians
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Trust me Arteta and Arsenal ain’t doing bad challenging the experienced and genius PEPG. It took a title winning Klopp at Dotmund to challenge him in Epl and only once.
Challenging a serial winner twice back to back can’t be lack of tactical know how imo. Remember there are better and more experienced coach than Arteta in Epl. What I think our young players lacked and are gradually gaining is experience. I think there is an “Art” to winning Epl trophy which PEPG have mastered and Arsenal are ready to challenge. Let’s not get ourselves worked up. Having the best record away last season, getting to UCL quater final after many years and losing to City by two points couldn’t have been tactical concern. I rest my case.
Completely agree with your comment about our young players gaining experience. It’s a natural progression they need to undergo to improve. Where I’m wary is whether they can gain this necessary experience to win the league THIS season. This group of players can definitely win trophies together. They all just have to learn very quickly.
The two legs to Bayern and Villa games were tactical concerns
@Sylva
Using Pep and Man City as an excuse for Artetas failings, can only go so far.
I sincerely think that Arteta have tried his best so far but don’t think he can win the premier league for Arsenal because of poor game management. A team of Arsenal level should have subbed Gabriel Jesus in earlier to support the offensive pressing not kiwor.Even at nine against eleven, Arsenal should be playing to win. Pep can never make that kind of substitution when he knows his team needs creators and Nwaneri and Jesus are available. Even Zechenko would have been a better substitute than kiwor because of his creative ability.
If Arsenal fail to win a major trophy this season, Arteta must leave for a better manager to come in. The squad they have is capable of winning the premier league this season. If they fail, Arteta is to blame not the team.
Arsenal failing to win the league has nothing to do with their ability rather more to do with corrupt officiating. Just go back last season look at all matches and see how many games we’re lost to the referees, you will see that our points tally could have been far more than the two points they lost the league with.
The Bournemouth match was always going to have a red card for Arsenal, look at the game before big match with Manchester City, Rice got a red card to weaken the team, since we are locking horns with Liverpool, the team must be weakened. If you had watched the match were Saliba was red carded, you will agree with me that the attacker was slightly touched by the defender and he hit the floor….at the centre line, how does it become a goal scoring apportunity. Was it a clear and obvious error on the Refs party for VAR to intervene?
The Agenda was to weaken the team before Liverpool match.
Just wait for more drama during that match at the weekend. So in short, the biggest obstacle for Arsenal to win the premiership….are the Refs.
As I’ve stated before. Arteta lacks the tactical nous to take us to the next level. He also lacks the man management skills required to marshal the team through adverse situations. It seems, that after 5 years, he’s still trying to figure it out. Just saying…
Realisticaly we can’t but use PepG as a reference point considering he was the only one that stopped Arteta and Arsenal twice from winning Epl. I maintained Arteta isn’t lacking in tactical abilities but any good coach can be better. As the saying goes you don’t know what you have untill you lose it. I have been following Arsenal for about 30 years Arteta isn’t the best in Epl but he will effectively compete with most Epl coaches. Last season Rteta beat every top Epl coaches apart from Unai Emery. Beat PepG, TenHag, Pochenttino, Klopp, Spuds coach, Eddie Howe, etc .He isn’t perfect perfect and makes wrong decisions at times. But let’s show him some respect, we don’t even have the most skillful squad of players
Surprising selections and what one would expect from that lineup.
For example, we had a midfield too full of DM type players, and not a single one of the 3 had any creativity. It was no surprise we could not break their press or build up from the back with that midfield selection.
Why drop Sterling, the only attacker with any pace and who was trying to make things happen on the RW. How Trossard stayed on as long as he did is a mystery; simply atrocious game for him on the wing. The number of turnovers, I think he averaged 1 turnover or loss of possession every 2.4 touches or something like that.
Jesus continues to fire duds, but that is not Arteta’s fault. Raya was not crowning himself in glory either. Just a sub par game all around, we need to ge better.