They have been the two big question marks against Arsenal all season. And on Saturday, the Gunners’ open-play football and big-moment mentality were exposed in a defeat to Bournemouth that sparked the Premier League title race.
Arsenal fans vigorously defend their team’s attacking qualities and clearly enjoy the threat of set-pieces at their best.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta is looking to shake off the scars of their previous failed Premier League title bids and even suggested that their Carabao Cup final defeat to Man City at Wembley last month could spur their success.
However, Arsenal’s weaknesses were exposed in a tense and anxious performance against Bournemouth.
Near the end of the game, the nervous home crowd booed.
Arsenal lost in the cup final and were eliminated from the FA Cup against Southampton, but a Champions League win against Sporting in midweek should have been enough for Arsenal. But against Bournemouth, who played with confidence and are currently unbeaten in 12 games, the Premier League leaders were reeling from the first whistle.
“We did a lot of strange things today,” Mikel Arteta said after the match.
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Paul Merson suggested Arsenal’s 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth could dash their title confidence, describing how “sloppy” their performance was.
David Raya twice came close to giving the ball straight to Bournemouth players in the second half, summarizing the confused thinking that has exhausted his title-chasing side. It also reflected Arsenal’s wayward and ineffective build-up.
His total expected goals from open play of 0.19 was the second lowest ever for a Premier League match.
This big problem will be difficult to resolve in the final weeks of this campaign.
Among the playmakers, captain Martin Odegaard was absent due to injury on Saturday. Kai Havertz was anonymous. Eberechi Eze came on just before the hour mark in the second half as part of a triple substitution but had little impact.
Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Crupi scores the first goal of the game (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
The fact that 16-year-old Max Dauman came in as a major substitute was telling.
It reflects the teenager’s huge talent and rapid rise, but it also reflects the lack of resources Arteta needs to get things done in possession, relying on the inexperienced Dauman in moments of crisis.
More urgently, Arsenal must show some individuality in their response.
The advantage over Sporting in the Champions League quarter-finals is slim. A one-goal lead should give them a place in the semi-finals when they return to the Emirates on Wednesday.
After that, a big showdown will take place at the Etihad against Pep Guardiola’s Man City. It’s the toughest test of Arsenal’s attitude they can face.
Arsenal have lost three of their last four games after losing three of their first 49 games this season. They wobble at the wrong time, and wobble badly.
Before the game, Arteta had joked that he would “bring me dinner”, a reference to John Sitton’s iconic heart-pounding half-time rant at Leyton Orient in the mid-90s.
His players need to show the hunger for this big fight that they have now. Or will it all disappear?
