It was a day when theArsenalteam news threatened to bethenews, Mikel Arteta sending a message at the outset. There was precious little rotation from the manager before Wednesday night’s Champions League, semi-final second leg away against Paris Saint-Germain, the tie that cast long shadows here. Arteta wanted to keep his starters in the groove, to generate momentum for the Parc des Princes with a win. So much for the theory.
Arteta rested Jurrien Timber, who had picked up a minor knock in the 1-0 first-leg defeat against PSG but that apart, he went with pretty much his strongest available line-up. It was certainly a contrast to the approach of his PSG counterpart, Luis Enrique, who made 10 changes for his team’s Ligue 1 game at Strasbourg. PSG, who have already sewn up the title, lost 2-1.
It was looking good for Arsenal when Declan Rice marked his 100th appearance for Arsenal with the opening goal on 34 minutes. Arteta had recalled Thomas Partey after his European suspension and his presence had a liberating effect on Rice, allowing him to play in his more familiar driving midfield role.
And yet it would all come crashing down for Arsenal as Andoni Iraola oversaw a stunning Bournemouth turnaround from the midway point of the second half – basically from the moment he brought on Antoine Semenyo and Alex Scott. Bournemouth had only ever tasted defeat in away matches against Arsenal. But they would depart with a victory that gave their hopes of a first ever European finish a shot in the arm. It was almost a footnote that it also added up to aPremier Leaguedouble over Arsenal – after their 2-0 home win over them last October.
Semenyo was the provider for the equaliser, his long throw headed home by Dean Huijsen and Scott was behind what proved to be the winner, his corner bundled in by Evanilson.Bournemouthare realistically chasing an eighth-placed finish, which could be enough for a place in next season’s Uefa Conference League. Their belief has soared – in stark contrast to that of Arsenal.
Rice’s desire to surge forward was an impossible-to-miss detail of the game. He had bristled with menace in the early running and if the end product was lacking with his initial efforts, it did not affect him. He kept on coming and his finish for the breakthrough goal was clinical; never in doubt from the moment he fastened on to Martin Ødegaard’s reverse ball and ran around Kepa Arrizabalaga. Ødegaard had found the space on the half turn following a pass from Partey.
It was a sickener for Bournemouth, for whom this was arguably a bigger game given their European aspirations via the league. They played a full part in a lively first half and they created the first big chance. Evanilson could have given the occasion a different complexion had he not headed high from Milos Kerkez’s whipped cross on 26minutes. The striker was all alone in front of goal having given Jakub Kiwior the slip.
Arsenal stirred after the left-off, Gabriel Martinelli dragging a shot past the far post and Leandro Trossard working Arrizabalaga with a close-range header. But Arsenal still needed William Saliba to stretch into a last-man slide tackle on Dango Ouattara before Rice’s goal. There was also the moment in first-half stoppage-time when David Raya erred with a pass out from the back and Evanilson had the chance to measure a chip with the goalkeeper off his line. He overcooked it.
Arsenal pushed after the second-half restart, Ødegaard to the fore. They raised the tempo. Ødegaard drove a break that led to Trossard not being able to unload a shot although, on the second phase, Bukayo Saka almost teed up Rice. Saka curled a right-foot shot just wide after popping up on the inside left on to a Myles Lewis-Skelly pass.
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Iraola was an animated presence in his technical area. He barely stood still and he could bathe in the satisfaction of his substitutions having a dramatic impact. He sent on Semenyo on the right and the winger’s first act was to blaze clear only to show too much of the ball to Saliba, who cleared for a throw-in.
Semenyo’s next act was to hurl said throw-in into the box whereupon Huijsen, drifting back from near the goal to the six-yard line, craned his neck to direct his header home. It was a stunning piece of athleticism and precision.
Bournemouth sensed blood. Marcus Tavernier, whom Iraola had moved from the right to the No 10 position upon Semenyo’s introduction, went close with a shot that deflected over. And from the corner, taken by Scott, Bournemouth forged ahead. It was Tavernier who won the flick-on and Evanilson who got the better of Ødegaard at the far post to force past Raya, who fumbled the ball in. The VAR would check for handball. It was difficult to see which body part Evanilson had used to get the job done. Neither he nor Bournemouth cared.