Arsenal Vs Bournemouth: Recap, Highlights And Analysis

Arsenal hosted Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon as they returned to domestic duties. Here’s a full recap, all the highlights and analysis from the 3-1 win.

Before the match, Arsene Wenger stated in his programme notes that he wanted to see his side recover the fluency and vitality that had served them so well earlier in the season. Thanks to the absence of Santi Cazorla and a seemingly tiring squad, Arsenal have not played with the same energy and intensity over the past few weeks, but against Bournemouth on Sunday, there were signs of improvement.

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The first half started exactly how Wenger would have wanted. The Gunners pressed high up the pitch, dominated the battle of possession and saw chances come their way thanks to the pace and interchangeable movement of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez. The first goal came as result of Arsenal playing high up the pitch, and after a terribly short back pass from Steve Cook is intercepted by Sanchez, who simply shifts the ball to his right and rolls the ball under Adam Federici and into the gaping net. 1-0.

However, after the goal, the hosts let off the gas and Bournemouth gradually grew into the game, looking more and more comfortable in defence and began to push forward for the equaliser. In pushing forward, they did indeed find their precious equaliser, thanks to a rather generous referee.

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After a looped ball over the top fell to Callum Wilson, Nacho Monreal tangled with the Bournemouth striker, brought him down and looked up to see Mike Jones with his hand outstretched, pointing to the spot. Wilson himself stepped up, sent Cech the wrong way and silenced what was, surprisingly,  a raucous crowd.

The remainder of the half, though, was somewhat worrying for the onlooking Wenger. Bournemouth began to press further up the pitch, neither Granit Xhaka nor Mohamed Elneny were comfortable on the ball under pressure and able to play through the hounding Cherries’ midfield and Sanchez, Ozil and the two wide men were starved of any sort of meaningful service.

Bournemouth did have chances, with Cech making a couple of relatively comfortable saves and Adam Smith missing a particularly easy header, unmarked, seven yards from goal. Sanchez, meanwhile, cracked the bar just before half-time from a tight angle but Arsenal created very little after a promising first 15 minutes.

The second half came and Wenger had clearly instilled a greater intensity and energy in his team. Their pressing was reinvigorated, the passing was far crisper, getting both Chamberlain and Walcott on the ball far more frequently and they duly reaped the rewards of their improved performance soon after the break.

With Ozil holding the ball just inside the right-hand channel of the penalty area, Arsenal got players into the box, the ball was chipped in, fell all the way through to the onrushing Monreal at the back post, was played back across goal for Theo Walcott to head home at the far post.

The second half remained a lively game, with both sides looking to keep the ball on the carpet and press at times, but clear-cut chances were few and far between. Sanchez continued to look lively, finding space in wide areas and Walcott and Chamberlain flashed at times, but the Gunners could not put the game away.

Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey came on late in the game and both did provide another dimension to the Arsenal attack. However, the game ultimately fizzled out with Bournemouth failing to threaten all that often bar a strong Petr Cech save from Benik Afobe after he slipped free at the back post from a corner.

Sanchez eventually settled the argument with a late tap-in thanks to some terrific work from both Ozil and Giroud and the Chilean was fully deserving of his second goal, wrapping up the first league victory for his club in November this season.

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There were signs of improvement that Wenger will be pleased with but this was far from the blistering form that served his team so well earlier in the season. The central midfield is still posing problems, lacking the calmness and creativity in possession without Cazorla, but Wenger can look to the positives in the display.

Highlights

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