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Match Report: Arsenal 3 – 0 Bournemouth

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Arsenal (1) 3 AFC Bournemouth (0) 0
Premier League
Emirates Stadium, Drayton Park, London N5 1BU
Saturday, 4th May 2024. Kick-off time:12.30pm

(4-3-3) David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Takehiro Tomiyasu; Martin Ødegaard (c), Thomas Partey, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard.
Substitutes: Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith-Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Jakob Kiwior, (Jorge Luiz Frello Filho) Jorginho, Fábio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Scorers: Bukayo Saka (45 mins, pen), Leandro Trossard (70 mins), Declan Rice (90+8 mins)
Yellow Cards: Thomas Partey, Kai Havertz
Arsenal Possession Percentage: 50%

Referee: David Coote
Assistant Referees: Tim Wood, Mark Scholes
Fourth Official: Darren England
VAR Team at Stockley Park: VAR Peter Bankes; AVAR Stuart Burt
Attendance: 60,348

Matchday Thirty-Six, three matches to go, with today being the penultimate home game, of course. This afternoon’s opponents, AFC Bournemouth, are currently mid-table, but that does not mean that they could be dangerous on their day.

To stop today being “their day”, we have to bring the match to them, and finish them off as soon as possible. No room for complacency now, boys.

Almost immediately after kick off, our Premier League Golden Glove winner David Raya had an early shot to save from Dango Ouattara and he quickly distributed the ball out to Martin Ødegaard who tried to pick out Bukayo Saka but the ball went straight to Cherries’ goalie Mark Travers who easily scooped it up.

Soon afterwards, Ben White scooped the ball into the penalty area for Kai Havertz, who tried to lay the ball off to Bukayo Saka but it was intercepted by a visiting defender who stopped our attack in its tracks.

Our raids on the Bournemouth goal started to become more frequent with Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz all getting close to scoring.

On the fourteenth minute of the match, there was a huge round of applause in the stadium for fourteen year old Gunners fan Daniel Anjorin, who was sadly killed in the sword attack in Hainault last Tuesday, with a huge banner which said “R.I.P. Daniel” printed on it, which was a touching gesture by fellow Arsenal fans. Shortly afterwards, Takehiro Tomiyasu had a shot which was cleared off the goal-line, and our pressure on the visitors’ goal was relentless at this point of the game.

On the half-hour mark, Thomas Partey was nicely teed up on the edge of the penalty area and although he tried to place it into the left hand corner of the net, goalie Mark Travers somehow got across the goal quickly to push the ball behind for a corner.

The match started to calm down and level out for a while, until six minutes before the break, when Bukayo Saka drilled the ball across the face of the goal and it bounced off Kai Havertz to simply dribble harmlessly wide of the post, even though Ben White was adjudged to have been in an offside position.

Declan Rice had a couple of goalscoring chances, both of which, to be fair, were good enough to have been goals. Just before the break, Kai Havertz was played in behind the Cherries’ defence, and he then successfully went around goalkeeper Mark Travers and his trailing leg made contact with him.

After the usual VAR check, we were quite properly awarded a penalty and Bukayo Saka slotted it away with some aplomb to open the scoring this afternoon, which was the score at the half time break.

A couple of minutes after the restart, Ryan Christie curled in a dangerous cross from the right wing but fortunately, there was nobody in our penalty area to connect with it, which was a huge let-off (and a wake-up call) for us.

And wake-up we certainly did, as a few minutes later, Thomas Partey slotted the ball to the feet of Kai Havertz on the edge of the penalty area. He spun around smartly and hit a superb shot towards the right hand corner of the net with Mark Travers stretching to get to it, but he did somehow.

We started to ramp up the pressure and everyone in the stadium thought that Bukayo Saka was certain to score from close range, but incredibly defender Lewis Cook went to ground and merely pushed the ball away from our man, which was a piece of excellent defending, it has to be said.

On the hour mark, Thomas Partey accidentally caught Dango Ouattara a wee bit late and unjustly received a yellow card from referee David Coote for his trouble.

The visitors then attacked our goal, but Ben White did very well to sprint back into his defensive position to close down Justin Kluivert just as he threatened to get in behind our defence, and then Antoine Semenyo received a long pass and started to bear down on our goal, but fortunately William Saliba was on hand to neutralise the Cherries’ goalscoring threat, thankfully.

With twenty minutes left on the clock, we grabbed our second goal of the afternoon when the ball was superbly held up by Bukayo Saka, got it to Declan Rice and he slipped it cleverly to Leandro Trossard on his left, who coolly introduced the ball to the back of the net to give us a comfortable two-goal cushion.

A few minutes later there was drama at our end when Antoine Semenyo managed to get the ball past David Raya, but fortunately VAR cancelled the goal out when it became obvious that Dominic Solanke fouled our goalie in the build-up to the goal, so despite protestations from the Bournemouth players, the goal was rightly cancelled out.

With nine minutes of the match remaining, Leandro Trossard was replaced by Gabriel Martinelli, and the pressure for us to get that elusive third goal of the afternoon continued. Just after Bukayo Saka was replaced by Gabriel Jesus, shortly afterwards, Gabriel hit an absolute screamer that hit the back of the net, but unfortunately Kai Havertz was deemed to have been offside in the build-up to the goal which was a terrible shame.

Literally, in the eighth minute of injury time, Gabriel Jesus held the ball up on the right, waited patiently for Declan Rice, who was running in like an express train, beautifully slipped it to him in the Cherries’ penalty area and he fired it into the far corner of the net. Game set and match to the Arsenal!

A superb win today, with everyone playing their part in front of a capacity crowd, with Mikel Arteta using the same starting eleven as he picked against Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday afternoon.

Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard, Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard and Takehiro Tomiyasu were absolutely fabulous today, and although there were times in the first half where frustration set in, as soon as the penalty was scored by Bukayo Saka just on the cusp of half time, the Cherries’ fate was sealed with a sublime second half team performance.

Today’s victory was our fourth win on the bounce as we kept up the pressure on Manchester City and we just hope that the Champions drop points in the title race against Wolverhampton Wanderers this evening at Molineux. Well done, chaps!

Remember everyone, keep the faith, get behind the team and the manager, as this season is going to be crucial for our future success in all competitions. Stick with the winners. Our next match: Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, 12th May at 4.30pm (Premier League). Be there, if you can. Victoria Concordia Crescit.

Steve

Too Dearly Loved To Be Forgotten: Arsenal v Racing Club de Paris 1930-1962 by Steve Ingless (Rangemore Publications, ISBN 978-1-5272-0135-4) is now available on Amazon

Jorginho, Declan Rice, Arsenal WAGs and More

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Jorginho

I for one am delighted that we are offering Jorginho a new contract.

Jorginho is a leader on and off the pitch in this squad, and it is important we keep these sort of players around.

Where I sit in the Emirates is behind where the subs warm up. Whenever we are chasing the game, Jorginho “warms up” when in truth he is actually coaching close to the opposition box. This is a tactic that has been used by Mikel Arteta a few times, and one which goes relatively unseen.

On the pitch, Jorginho has had accusations that his “legs have gone”, but can your legs go if you never had them to begin with?

He is like a Xabi Alonso or Luka Modric. Never been blessed with pace or physical ability, but blessed with a brilliant footballing brain. The first 5-yards are in your head and all that.

Jorginho offers an alternative option to the hustle and bustle of Thomas Partey and Declan Rice. His calming effect in the ball is a positive from both an attacking and defensive stand point.

I expected one of either Jorginho or Partey to leave this summer, with a new central midfielder to come in. My expectation was that it would be Partey to go, with Jorginho staying on for an another year.

A new 12-month contract with an option for another 12-months. That feels fair for a man who is still only 32. Jorginho could be at Arsenal for some time to come (and I would not be surprised to see him managing or coaching us at some point in his life).

Declan Rice

There is a fabulous interview in The Athletic with Declan Rice. For those without a subscription, just search his name on Twitter and you will get almost every quote.

The interview really highlights how much Rice has grown as a player and man in the short time he has been at Arsenal.

No longer does he look to just play long balls to the wings in the hope a team mate gets on the end of it. He talks about learning that playing a great diagonal ball is pointless if it will leave his team mate isolated. And this is the difference between a good player playing for an average team and a top player in a top team.

A poor player plays the Hollywood ball and then thinks his job is done. A top player realises that the pass might look good on his showreel, but it does not benefit the team.

To highlight further, you often see on Match of the Day a player for a lower team put an aimless cross into the box. Commentators then celebrate the ball in and then criticise the strikers for not getting on the end of it. When you watch a top team, their wingers (such as Bukayo Saka), recognise that an attacker will be unable to get on the end of the cross so look to keep hold of the ball and recycle rather than play it into the box and lose position.

Rice has now realised it is not all about him. That top teams get to the top by recognising what their team mate will be able to do with the ball when they get it.

The interview is a worthwhile read to understand just how much Mikel Arteta’s coaching has influenced his thinking, and just how much he has grown as a player.

Arsenal WAGs

It had not gone unnoticed how Arsenal players wives and girlfriends were socialising together. And not the “falling out of nightclubs” and wanting to be famous themselves socialising of England’s Baden Baden era.

Partners of the players watch games together in eachothers houses, look after eachothers dogs and are often seen dancing in a box at the Emirates together.

Arteta has built a squad of players who are all in and around the same age, which in turn means their partners are. His players are humble and not interested in the celebratory life, and they have wives and girlfriends to match.

A happy wife means a happy life. And if a player’s partner is comfortable in the presence of a teammates partner, then it will naturally lead to less anomoisity on the field and players also getting on better.

Arteta has spoken in the past about how the “Arsenal family” is more than just the players. It is the coaches, the backroom staff, the guys and girls that work in Highbury House, players partners, children and parents.

I have never known an Arsenal squad to be so much as one and with no cliques. Arteta should take credit for that.

Five players to leave Arsenal

Just read a clickbaity article from the Express (sorry, I know I should do better) which talked about 5 players that might never play for Arsenal again.

Four of those 5 players were Mo Elneny, Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavaras and Cedric Soares. Two players with their contracts ending and two players out on loan. It really is not a hard hitting piece of investigative journalism and just highlights that the media now care more for clicks than actual stories.

The fifth player oddly was Fabio Vieira. I would be surprised if the Portuguese midfielder is going anywhere.

The journalist clearly does not realise Vieira has been injured for much of the season (he fails to mention any injury). Vieira is a technically very good player in the same mould as Bernardo Silva. He will grow with more playing time, and if he does not get that playing time it just means other players are performing (Martin Odegaard is an unbreakable force. He never seems to be injured or fatigued. A blog for another day).

Enjoy your Wednesday.

Keenos

MTCH REPORT: Tottenham 2 – 3 Arsenal

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Tottenham Hotpsur (0) 2 Arsenal (3) 3
Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 782 High Road, London N17 0BX
Sunday, 28th April 2024. Kick-off time: 2.00pm

(4-3-3) David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Takehiro Tomiyasu; Martin Ødegaard (c), Thomas Partey, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard.
Substitutes: Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith-Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Jakob Kiwior, (Jorge Luiz Frello Filho) Jorginho, Fábio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko

Scorers: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (o.g. 15 mins), Bukayo Saka (27 mins), Kai Havertz (38 mins)
Yellow Cards: Thomas Partey
Arsenal Possession Percentage: 38%

Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistant Referees: Stuart Burt, Dan Cook
Fourth Official: Andy Madley
VAR Team at Stockley Park: VAR Jarred Gillett; AVAR Darren Cann

Attendance: 61,554

With regards to this North London derby this afternoon, we have to go into the stadium and be focussed, dynamic, single-minded and professional; in other words, score the goals and do the job. Worry about the bragging rights, the hubris, even the rhetoric for another day. Three points are what is needed today, preferably with a clean sheet and no cards handed out by the referee. Let’s go!

In this white-hot North London derby day atmosphere, the home team started things moving, and right from the start, both teams felt the importance of this game today, and every ball was being fought for, every tackle was firm and deliberate. Thomas Partey lost possession and suddenly the home side were on the charge being led by Son Heung-min, but they were far too slow, thankfully, and their effort went nowhere, so we were able to clear the danger.

A superb Kai Havertz cross into the box was headed clear before Thomas Partey won a free-kick just outside the penalty area following a poor foul by James Maddison, but Martin Ødegaard smashed it into the Tottenham Hotspur defensive wall.

After just fifteen minutes, we took the lead when a corner from Bukayo Saka met the head of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who tried to clear it but only managed to send it past Guglielmo Vicario in the Tottemham Hotpsur goal.

In response, a Christian Romero header hit the outside of David Raya’s post, and then, a couple of minutes later, Micky van de Ven blasted the ball past our goalkeeper, but VAR deemed it to be offside, which was a huge let-off.

Everything was focused at the other end, and sure enough, three minutes before the half hour mark, Dejan Kulusevski lost his footing inside our penalty area and we managed to catch the home side on the break. Suddenly, Bukayo Saka found himself in acres of space and simply cut inside before putting the ball away neatly past Guglielmo Vicario for our second goal of the afternoon.

The home side started to capitulate, as we moved forward with growing confidence today. Seven minutes before the half-time break, from yet another Bukayo Saka corner, Kai Havertz scored our third goal from close range in the six-yard box.

Following a Son Heung-min shot that flew right over the crossbar, six minutes injury time was awarded by referee Michael Oliver, and in that period, Bukayo Saka almost grabbed his second goal of the afternoon, but his close range attempt was somehow kept out by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario; and so we went into the break three goals to the good. Are we in dreamland?

Declan Rice kicked off second half proceedings in this incredible North London derby today, and within a minute or so, our captain was fouled, but from the resulting free-kick, a header from Takehiro Tomiyasu (as he was falling), went over the crossbar.

A Christian Romero header went over David Raya’s crossbar, and then the home team were denied a penalty when Dejan Kulusevski went down in our penalty area after a good tackle from Gabriel, but the referee correctly called it out as a dive by the Tottenham Hotspur forward.

Almost immediately, Bukayo Saka was desperately unlucky not to score at the other end, when Guglielmo Vicario saved his shot with his leg. So close.

The home side were putting pressure on David Raya’s goal, but our defenders were holding them out expertly.

Pedro Porro somehow managed to deny Leandro Trossard scoring, and just after the hour mark, Gabriel Martinelli replaced Leandro Trossard, probabaly to get fresh legs into the attack.

Shortly afterwards, David Raya made a terrible error in clearing the ball to Christian Romero who obliged by slotting the ball into the net. Of course, the home fans felt something was in the air and have changed the atmosphere in an instance, thanks to the nature of their goal, scored in such ridiculous circumstances.

The match has woken up now, with both teams putting in a shift, looking and searching for another goal. We looked a wee bit nervous at the back, but we managed to clear the ball well.

Declan Rice and Takehiro Tomiyasu looked like they were going to get booked by referee Michael Oliver, but he decided quite rightly so, that their challenges were not worthy of a yellow card, unlike Dejan Kulusevski who cynically tripped Gabriel Martinelli out on the left wing, as well as Ben Davies, who fouled Bukayo Saka out on the other wing.

The resulting free-kick was nervously punched away by Guglielmo Vicario. However, Thomas Partey received our first yellow card of the afternoon when he tripped Son Heung-min; minutes later, the home side were awarded a penalty when Declan Rice fouled Ben Davies in the penalty area, and Son Heung-min duly scored.

The remaining five minutes or so of the match will be a tough test for us. Jakon Kiwior replaced our captain in the last minute of normal time, and Bukayo Saka took a superb corner, which was cleared for another one by Micky van de Ven.

In the six minutes of injury time, the tension was unbearable, as the action was going from end to end.

As the clock was running down, the home side put us under pressure from a various strikers, and literally at the death, we managed to clear a corner as referee Michael Oliver blew the final whistle.

Phew. A real nail biter, this North London derby was today, especially the last twenty minutes or so!

Although the records will correctly state that Tottenham Hotspur scored two goals this afternoon, in reality the first goal was a silly error by David Raya, and the other goal was an accident that led to a penalty. Under extreme pressure, the boys did well, despite the thirty-eight per cent possession ratio.

At the time of writing, we are still top of the table, and Arsenal remain the team to beat. That Tottenham Hotspur match is now done and dusted. Let us now focus on the AFC Bournemouth match next Saturday afternoon at the Emirates. Well done, chaps!

Remember everyone, keep the faith, get behind the team and the manager, as this season is going to be crucial for our future success in all competitions. Stick with the winners. Our next match: AFC Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday 4th May at 12.30pm (Premier League). Be there, if you can. Victoria Concordia Crescit.

Steve

Too Dearly Loved To Be Forgotten: Arsenal v Racing Club de Paris 1930-1962 by Steve Ingless (Rangemore Publications, ISBN 978-1-5272-0135-4) is now available on Amazon