please log in to view this image Venue: Vitality Stadium Date: Saturday 30th September 2023 KO time: 15:00 GMT Overall Record Wins: 11 Losses: 1 Draws: 2 Last six meetings Arsenal 3-2 AFC Bournemouth AFC Bournemouth 0-3 Arsenal AFC Bournemouth 1-2 Arsenal (FA Cup) AFC Bournemouth 1-1 Arsenal Arsenal 1-0 AFC Bournemouth Arsenal 5-1 AFC Bournemouth please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Hopefully we have Saka, Martinelli, Rice and Trossard back for this game. Or at least a couple of them Jorghino can cover for Rice and Nelson did well against Brentford, but the aforementioned players give us that extra quality that should see us picking up maximum points at Bournemouth.
I think Partey may be back in time for the City game as well, so at least we have quite a few players close to full fitness. If the likes of Rice and Saka can't make it for the Bournemouth game, I hope we have enough to get through this game. Says a lot that I have more trust in us performing away from home than at The Emirates
The Brentford game gave me some confidence that this team can still perform even when we're missing some key players. But against City we will need to be full strength. I'd like to see our best players back on Saturday, but if they aren't fully fit then we need to save them for the City game
We can't overlook the RC Lens game (away) in midweek either. Sandwiched in between Bournemouth and Man City. If we can get maximum points from our opening 2 Champions League fixtures, we're in a great position to be in control of finishing top of our group (which is what I suspect most people think we'll do anyway, but we need to make it a reality).
Well, this is not the news I wanted to read this morning. I am hoping he is bluffing/exaggerating otherwise this is a big problem for us.
Raya White Kiwior Gabriel Zinchenko Jorginho Havertz Smith Rowe Odegaard Vieira Jesus Subs Ramsdale Tomiyasu Cedric Elneny Nwaneri Nelson Nketiah Injured Rice Saka Saliba Partey Trossard Martinelli Timber
1-0! Saka! Great ball from Odegaard into Jesus at the back post, who hits the post and the rebound falls to Saka who heads it home from close range.
2-0! Odegaard from the spot! Good transition and Nketiah does really well to get on the end of that ball (can’t see who played the pass into him), Aarons makes a challenge and brings him down. Doesn’t get the ball. Clear penalty. Odegaard slots it away superbly. In control of the match.
This referee has been shambolic. Giving fouls to Bournemouth when our players are getting shoved in the back and now they’ve got a corner when it should have been a goal kick.
HT. 0-2. Weird game. I think we deserve to be leading as Raya hasn’t really been tested and we’ve created the best chances by far, but I still feel like we’re being a bit sloppy in possession and are losing the ball too easily in the middle. They have some good technical players filled with energy, but even defensively, we keep gifting them the ball in dangerous areas when we clear our lines. Some last ditch tackles and proactive defending in the box has rescued us a few times. Need to sustain control of the game better, but we’re good value for the 2-goal advantage.
I feel like it’s Groundhog Day again, but Havertz…come on man, stop hiding from the ball. He’s done nothing apart from get booked for a silly foul. Just doesn’t seem like he wants the ball or wants to be involved.
Another penalty! Christie makes a rash tackle in the box on Odegaard and it’s a clear penalty. Surprising, Saka gives the ball to Havertz… …and Havertz slots it home confidently. You wouldn’t have thought he was low on confidence based on how he took that pen! 3-0 Arsenal.
