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3 standout players from Arsenal’s comfortable win at Bournemouth
By Krish Ajmani
Arsenal’s good run of form continued with a sparkling performance against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. There are no easy games in the Premier League (as Liverpool and Man United are already well aware) but the players did well to ensure that the title charge – yes, that’s right, title charge – maintains its momentum.
Opening the scoring would have been difficult given Bournemouth’s defensive setup but a moment of individual brilliance from Gabriel Jesus pushed open the door to a comfortable win.
With top four and title rivals dropping points this weekend, the victory against Bournemouth seems even greater and it was made possible due to several key performances.
3 standout players from Arsenal’s comfortable win at Bournemouth
Here are three players that stood out in the win against the Cherries.
3. Oleksandr Zinchenko
When Kyle Walker claimed Oleksandr Zinchenko was one of the top three most technical players at Manchester City, he was not kidding. While fans knew he was coming in to provide reinforcements on the left-hand side of the defence, few would’ve foreshadowed the transformational effect he’d have.
Zinchenko has completely changed the way Arsenal play down the left. Mikel Arteta has given him the freedom to swap with not just Granit Xhaka but with Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus as well. His excellent close control lets him receive the ball in tight areas while his impressive dribbling gives him the ability to glide away from opponents who dare to press him.
Arsenal’s control of possession against Bournemouth allowed the Ukrainian to thrive. Frequently getting on the ball, Zinchenko moved the ball quickly and efficiently, not letting Scott Parker’s defenders time to settle and bunker in.
Initially thought of as a backup to Kieran Tierney and perhaps even a rotation option for Xhaka, Zinchenko’s recent performances mean that the Scottish international faces a tough challenge to get back into the starting XI. This competition is crucial to a team looking to compete with the best in the league. Long may it continue.
Continued on the next slide…