It was one of the loudest comebacks of the season, in one of these matches that defines the champions teams. We can remember Leicester in 2016 and we can compare these situations. Arsenal have a quality, extraordinary team that is destined to be the Champions.
And the Champions win and overpass these difficult situations. It was intense, dramatic and beautiful and fans enjoyed this match in London.
The match started with a chance for Bournemouth and a goal in 9 seconds. Dango puts a ball in the center of the zone and Solanke and Billing profit from it. Billing defeats Ramsdale in the first post to score the first goal of the game.
Bournemouth was the best side in the first minutes
The first goal was a result of the determination and tactical positioning of Bournemouth. They played in their best shape in the first minutes of both halves. Arsenal was a machine of attacking and they pressed Bournemouth the entire game. They risked in the first minutes with Saka and Odegaard and had the desire to win the game.
Arsenal took control of the game and the equalizer but Bournemouth had the chance to make it two in the 20th minute with Ouattara, who was stopped by a wonderful Ramsdale.
Zinchenko had a chance to shoot outside the zone but didn’t score in the 40th minute. Arsenal continued attacking in the last minutes of the second half with Odegaard and Martinelli but the result remained unchanged in the first 45 minutes.
The second half began where the first ended. The gunners had the determination and the initiative, but Bournemouth started to see the zone of Ramsdale again in the 56th minute. They get a corner and Senesy makes it 0-2. It was an amazing result for B’mouth and silence for Arsenal.
Arsenal is back in the game
The game was no longer in their hands and they would need luck to turn it in their favor. But teams are big teams when they perform in difficult situations. Saka sends a direct corner shot to the target Neto and the ball rebounds. Partey profits from the situation and scores. Hope in Emirates with the goal that forced Gary O’Neil to make two substitutions. Zemura was out for Fredericks and Semenyo for Anthony.
This changed the cards and Solanke had immediately a chance. Solanke shoots and forces Ramsdale to make another important save in the 65th.
Ben White profits from a cross from Reis Nelson and scores with the ball that crosses the line and equalizes the game. His first goal for Arsenal came without touching the net and was a mighty important one. It seemed all balanced, but the gunners had more energy in the last 20 minutes.
Arsenal had the ideal chance to win the game four minutes after Martinelli sent the ball outside the target defended by Neto. Nelson was on fire in that left side and provided yet another good ball for Odegaard, the shot of whom was blocked in the zone by Senesi. Maybe a handball? Yes, but the hand is near the body and it is not intentional.
Stoppage Time
Zinchenko pushed in the left side and won a corner after a deflected shot by Smith. Odegaard executes the corner and the ball is deflected by Senesi and goes like an assist for Nelson, who scores the most important goal of his career from outside the box.
A win for history and champions or not this will be remembered by Arsenal fans for a very long time.
Reiss Nelson Reaction
“It felt amazing when the ball came out, I was so excited and was up and happy for the three points. It has been a rough couple of months for me of course, just came back from injury and everyone knows how hard I’ve worked in the background. When it was going in, everyone went crazy and it was a great moment for me.”
“I have been here all my life and it means a lot to me and at the end of the day we want to win games. It’s a teams sports and we are looking forward and I want to be part of it”
Asked if he could strike it any better the winger said that it was a sweet shot. He also commented on Arteta’s directions before coming in the pitch.
“He said to me keep wide and use my strength to go 1v1 against the fullback and that is what I tried to do and I’m happy with the assist and the goal, so happy days for us. I’m delighted with the goal and I hope to be the first of many.”
Mikel Arteta’s Reaction
“Every team tries everything to win the game and we need to respect that. Referees are here to make decisions. I went to Andree and he told me that it was at least six minutes and today thankfully we had enough time to win the game.”
Asked about Smith Row’s substation Arteta replied that Arsenal didn’t plan to throw him in the game so early.
“We knew that obviously, it is difficult to last him 70 minutes on the field after missing five months almost of football, but he had a good impact on the game and I felt we needed something, especially on the left because we’re lacking threats and attracting more players into that side and that we made a decision to bring Nelson.
Arteta said that he had never seen a stadium like that…
“Probably, yes the loudest and the most emotional that we have lived together. The journey that we’ve been on together and how supporters and the team are gliding together adding the important moment that we have today was special”
The Arsenal manager spoke about Leandro Trossard’s injury and the importance of Trossard as an integral part of his tactics.
“It is a worry. He came straight to me and said: Listen, I cannot continue. I felt something when I was striking back after the corner and we have to take him off so we have to assess him and see if he is ok.”
Arteta has some comments about Reiss Nelson and his performance.
“I saw the potential, the talent, and the desire for him to do it but I think he is at a different level right now and I think emotionally the experience he had helped him and football-wise it was my decision in the last two games not to bring him in the squad because we had other options but he’s knocking on the door. He is training well and he is a good lesson for me and the coaches as well that we need him and we can be important in the team.”
The Arsenal manager gave credit to the Bornemouth’s performance and said that they try different teams from the kickoff and have tactics in every single set piece. He also spoke about the injuries as well.
“They were defending and we thought it was the best way to do it and we had alternatives and Emil can play in that position as well. We can move players and we have risks as well and they can give us width and threat in wider areas. We will have to assess every opponent with different. Now we have Sporting Lisbon a tough match, so let’s hope we get one or two back.”
“First enjoy tonight. We have to enjoy it because it is not a lot in football and tomorrow we have to go back to work.”
“Winning four games in a streak, in the Premier League is hard. We have done three in a week which is even harder and we have done it in various ways you know and that should generate more belief that today a lot of things went against the team. Our fault in the first one and then the fact we were in the scoring situation with Leo and in the first set play I had when they scored and the team still found a way to win the game and that’s positive.”
Arsenal will seek to keep the difference of points with Manchester City and will continue to fight in the Europa League, with Sporting being a difficult test on Thursday.