Welbeck double helps sink Eddie's down-trodden side 3-0

Match Report

Arsenal 3 v 0 AFC Bournemouth

9 September 2017

Attendance: 56,262

Things started off sunny and full of optimism
but things soon turned out wet and flat for AFCB.

If this is the best kind of performance that Eddie Howe can get his side to make against an Arsenal side that were lacking in confidence themselves, then problems run very deep for AFCB this season. While Danny Welbeck made the most of an early cross to get the Gunners off to a great start, there were distraught faces among Bournemouth fans when a simple long ball from Ozil unlocked the Cherries' defence for a second time before half time. Lacazette finished with a superb predator's determination, which was sadly lacking in AFCB's zero shots registered in the first half. Defoe might have got Bournemouth fans singing, had he directed his shot inside the post, in the first few minutes of the second half, but when Welbeck made it three, Eddie Howe was left in a place that very people would want to be right now.

AFCB in their away kit.

After the international break AFCB decided to make a change with Ryan Fraser replacing Andrew Surman in the starting 11. But if Bournemouth fans thought that Andrew Surman was the root cause of all the side's ills they were about to see that it was the whole side that isn't functioning well.

There are more pictures on Match Day Gallery.

Arsenal line up for the game.

Bournemouth played in their resplendent turquoise-blue away kit and while it would not be long before the rain dampened the afternoon, there was more than the rain to be worried about. Arsenal started with a real vengeance as Sead Kolasinac sprinting down the left to tease a fine cross out that was met by a backward stooping Danny Welbeck who gave the Gunners the lead with barely five minutes gone. It was not the start Eddie Howe needed.

Any game plan suddenly disappeared as Asmir Begovic started kicking long. The ball kept coming back even quicker with Graint Xhaka going close with a long range effort that Begovic had to get down to keep out. A free kick taken by Mezut Ozil went closer still with Begovic again showing his diving prowess as he leapt high to his right to stop the German extending the lead.

We hadn't even passed 20 minutes, but Bournemouth were simply not in the game. Ryan Fraser took a heavy knock and tried to carry on as best he could. Arter was getting frustrated and complained at the lack of movement up front. AFCB's favourite pass was back to Begovic.

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Begovic could do little though when a long pass through the middle landed at Lacazette's feet. Aké over-stepped the ball and Lacazette was free to play a one-two with Welbeck and smash a second goal past Begovic on 27 minutes. Things started to really unravel then when Tyrone Mings fed Begovic a back pass that the keeper took an age to get rid of and Welbeck stole in to challenge him before Lacazette forced a point blank save from Begovic. that saw the ball crumble into a punctured relic. The keeper began his rant at Mings, but in truth he should have been able to deal with the back pass.

Playing out from the back was now becoming less of an option as Begovic started kicking everything.The luckless Ryan Fraser came off on 37 minutes to be replaced by Jordan Ibe. 

Arsenal were still forcing the pace with Sead Kolsinac smashing a shot against the top of the post, but the half time score remained 2-0. The rain was pouring down, and AFCB fans were getting soaked at the front. This was not turning out to be much fun.

More misery was expected in the second half for AFCB.

Second half
Simon Francis came on for Tyrone Mings as the second half started. Perhaps having the captain present on the field would galvanise AFCB? Well, it almost work as he got going on the right with Jordan Ibe putting in a cross that Defoe so nearly scored from, but his header came off the post and the rebound he put wide of the left post. 

It was the closest AFCB fans were to get to a goal. Danny Welbeck was only too pleased to show how it should be done, stretching AFCB's back line and peeling off to the left to fire a shot back across Begovic and making it 3-0 on 50 minutes. Gosling had lost the ball on half way to Ramsey and was punished for his mistake, but then no Bournemouth player could be proud of their performance.

The game was effectively over. Simon Francis was now on constant watch for Arsenal breakaways and Welbeck almost added to the score line with a delicate chip that went just wide of the left post with Begovic beaten.

Ramsey was thankfully subbed on 67 minutes and Francis Coquelin one his 100th Arsenal cap by coming on. Ibe had a chance to make Petr Cech do some work from a free kick he won but even that was poorly taken.

Bournemouth brought on Lys Mousset to replace Jermaine Defoe on 70 minutes. Arsenal took Lacazette off and sent on Olivier Giroud, while there were a few boos as Alexis Sanchez replaced Danny Welbeck on 75 minutes.

Ibe and Mousset were AFCB's most active players in the last third as the game drew old. Mousset was fighting hard and forced Cech to make a low save that got AFCB fans singing again. Ibe later put in a good deep cross from the right that Josh King headed on goal but Cech managed to tip it over. Even though Coquellin had to go off to reduce Arsenal to 10 men in the final minutes, it made little difference.

Daniels kept the crosses coming with Mousset finding them just out of his reach despite some gallant efforts to get on the end of them. Bournemouth though had come up short all game and 3-0 was the least that Arsenal probably deserved on the day.

Summary
Another pitiful performance by Eddie Howe's men. They inwardly degenerated when Arsenal got their first goal and found little momentum or sharpness in their play. If AFCB want to set out being hard to beat they have to do better at challenging players in their own box, and they can't allow a striker to receive a ball over 30 yards and be able able to turn and run at goal with no clear challenge going in. Bournemouth made their own problems and the lack of positivity in being able to build attacks form the back is becoming a big concern. The players themselves knew when they came over to the fans at the end of the game that this was an embarrassing defeat, because they had not shown enough about themselves. Defeat came too easily. They'll be made to earn their money in the next week, because the manner of this performance just wasn't good enough.

AFCB's players face up to the fans' disappointment.

Jordan Ibe stayed behind longest to give the crowd
an indication that it did matter to the players.

AFCB
Begovic, S Cook, Aké, Mings (Francis 46), A Smith, Daniels, Arter, Gosling, Fraser (Ibe 37), King (Mousset 70), Defoe

AFCB Subs
Boruc, Francis, L Cook, Ibe, Surman, Pugh, Mousset

AFCB Ratings
Begovic 3, S Cook 5, Aké 3, Mings 3 (Francis 4), A Smith 4, Daniels 5, Arter 4, Gosling 4, Fraser 4 (Ibe 4), King 3 (Mousset 4), Defoe 3

Referee watch: Anthony Taylor - an easy game for the ref who had no problem in keeping the game flowing 8/10

Arsenal
Cech, Koscielny, Monreal, Mustafi, Bellerin, Xhaka, Ramsey (Coquelin 67), Ozil, Kolasinac, Welbeck (Sanchez 75), Lacazette (Giroud 75)

Arsenal Subs
Aspin, Mertesacker, Coquelin, Giroud, Walcott, Iwobi