3 standout players from comeback win over Bournemouth

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Reiss Nelson of Arsenal celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 3-2 with Gabriel Magalhaes during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and AFC Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on March 4, 2023 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Reiss Nelson of Arsenal celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 3-2 with Gabriel Magalhaes during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and AFC Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on March 4, 2023 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images) /
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Another week and the wins keep coming. The first thing to note about the game against Bournemouth was the players picked by Mikel Arteta. Several changes were made from the midweek win against Everton. Takehiro Tomiyasu came in for Ben White, Fabio Vieira came in for Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey returned from injury with Jorginho starting on the bench.

Arsenal conceded in the first minute, making the pre-match nerves all the more palpable. Their response, however, was nothing short of valiant. After letting in a quick goal, the game began to pan out how we would expect, with Arsenal attacking relentlessly.

Although Bournemouth would score again in the second half, with their players wheeling away in celebration, they would be left in tears. Arsenal scored three goals after their successful corner, with the winner coming in the 97th minute.

This match, like every other when going for the title, was crucial. Winning or even drawing against an abysmal team at home would have added pressure to a young team. In the end, Arsenal were able to secure three points and maintain their advantage over Manchester City, with several monstrous individual performances.

3 standout players from comeback win over Bournemouth

Here are three standout players from the comeback win over Bournemouth.

1. Aaron Ramsdale

Aaron Ramsdale made big saves at crucial moments on Saturday. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Aaron Ramsdale made big saves at crucial moments on Saturday. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Much of Arsenal’s impressive play has come at the top end of the field. With more and more control being asserted against other teams, the onus is often on the attackers to break through tightly packed lines and score. The defence, however, has also been exceptional. They have done well to secure clean sheets and contribute in attack. Yet Aaron Ramsdale has rarely been in the limelight.

For large parts of the season, Ramsdale has had little to do other than take the occasional goal kick, make standard saves and sweep up long balls. More recently, he has reminded everyone how impressive his shot-stopping is. Against both Everton and Bournemouth, he made key saves at key times.

These saves add a psychological boost. Players take comfort in the defence behind them and believe that they are destined to win. With the back door firmly shut, they can focus their efforts on bombarding the opposing goal. The Arsenal players certainly did that against Bournemouth, with their efforts eventually resulting in three goals and a win. While Ramsdale may not be called upon often, he deserves credit for always answering when needed.

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