Match Report
AFCB 1 v 2 Arsenal
25 November 2018
Attendance: 10,792
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| The two teams come out on to the pitch. |
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| AFCB and Arsenal get ready to play. |
Eddie Howe made three changes with Ibe dropping out of the squad and Adam Smith unable to play for three months, while Lewis Cook was moved to the bench. In came Josh King, Dan Gosling and Charlie Daniels.
The first half began as might have been expected with Bournemouth using Callum Wilson and Josh King to attack the heart of Arsenal's defence. Jefferson Lerma was quick to block Mkhitarayan's early shot, while Bournemouth's Josh King over hit his first cross.
Simon Francis did well against Kolsinac and enabled Brooks to stretch his legs before Wilson won Bournemouth's first corner on seven minutes. Brooks and King then played a one-two that put Brooks through and while he burst the net, the offside flag went up.
Francis made a poor pass from defence and Lucas Torreira benefited only to see his shot come off the post on nine minutes. Torreira wide from the right side of Bournemouth's box as Arsenal began to get some sighters.
The Cherries were looking good going forward with Fraser finding Wilson, who had a shot blocked. Brooks tried his luck on the left with Daniels, while Lerma was getting strong tackles in on Mkhitarayan in the middle.
With Arsenal coming forward Rob Holding's aimless pass which ran out of play had Bournemouth fans cheering. Kolsinac was getting crosses in and Iwobi made Begovic make a low save on 21 minutes. Kolsinac had another cross pushed over the bar by Begovic, but Aubameyang fired over from the resulting corner.
Papastathopoulos' foul on King received the first yellow card. Brooks took the free kick rather quickly and it had to be retaken with Fraser then pulling a save out of Leno.
Arsenal's next attack with Kolsinac down the left made the break through when Lerma rushing back connected too well with Kolsinac's cross volleying it straight past Begovic for an own goal on 30 minutes.
Bournemouth recovered with Francis sending King up the right and forcing a corner. Arsenal were looking to break again though and Begovic had to make another save from Iwobi.
A free kick on King gave Fraser another chance to deliver a cross in the box saw Aké head just over the top right corner of the goal. Bellerin was testing Bournemouth's left side and his pull back was headed out by Francis before Mkhitarayan shot over. The Arsenal number seven had another low shot saved by Begovic.
A minute of added time played into Bournemouth's hands when Wilson burst up the left and crossed to Brooks who then passed on again to King who fired straight into the top left corner of the goal to make it 1-1.
Second half
Bournemouth attacked from the start with Brooks putting in a cross that Leno caught. Fraser went down in the box but no penalty was awarded.
Nathan Aké picked up a yellow card for fouling Mustafi before Arsenal won a corner. A great cross from Fraser then saw Brooks and Daniels come close to making the final connection but the ball zipped away just too quickly.
Torreira had a shot deflected for a corner as Arsenal regained the initiative. Arsenal started winning corners. Aubameyang could only shoot over from the corner.
Josh King battled well in the corner before Brooks tried to shoot across Leno who saved the shot.
Arsenal then retook the lead when Lerma had made a foul on Mustafi and was carded. The ball went out to the left and a deep cross from Kolsinac found Aubameyang free to stab in at the far post - 1-2.
An Arsenal break left Aubameyang in the clear and putting Torreira in with a chance to shoot but Begovic came out and the Arsenal player missed.
Bournemouth kept plugging away with Fraser having a shot held, before Brooks was subbed fir Stanislas and Lewis Cook replaced Gosling on 73 minutes.
Kolasinac could have increased the lead but could only hit the side netting. Arsenal then subbed Torreira for Guendouzi on 79 minutes.
Stanislas was presented with a great chance to score when a Daniels cross landed at his feet near the penalty spot but the shot was weak and right at Leno.
Arsenal took Iwobi off and brought on Ramsey for the last 10 minutes. Bournemouth weren't finished yet though and a speculative shot from Lerma crashed against the post from 30 yards out.
Another Bournemouth attack followed with Stanislas on the right bearing down on goal, but he could only shoot at Leno with Wilson following in and colliding with Leno.
A corner taken by Fraser then saw Daniels go close with a header that deflected up and Leno just kept out topping it round the corner.
Arsenal brought Nkeitah on in added time fro Aubameyang. Bournemouth's last chance came when Mustafi fouled Wilson on the D. Stanislas took the free kick after Daniels had tried in vain to force himself into the wall. The shot went well over and the final whistle was blown.
Summary
Bournemouth had their chances to get points from this game. Arsenal didn't play all their big hitters and perhaps Bournemouth didn't quite have the belief that they needed to go and play without any fear of defeat. The goal by Josh King at half-time should have fired-up the team for the second half, but it was a rear-guard reaction for the second 45 minutes, even if the Cherries had some chances on the break. It was another what might have been. Had Brooks' first half attempt been ruled onside, it could have been a very different game. Now Bournemouth have to regroup again and find that early-season freedom of play which we see in parts of games but not for the full 90 minutes.
Begovic 6, Francis 5, Aké 6, S Cook 6, Daniels 6, Brooks 7, Gosling 5, Lerma 8, Fraser 6, King 7, Wilson 6
Ref Watch - Craig Pawson: 1/10 Not sure what he was doing half the time. The players and crowd had no confidence in him.
Arsenal
Leno, Mustafi, Papastathopoulos, Holding, Bellerín, Torreira (Guendouzi 79), Xhaka, Kolasinac, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi (Ramsey 80), Aubameyang (Nketiah)
Arsenal Subs
Cech, Elneny, Ramsey, Özil, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Nketiah
The first half began as might have been expected with Bournemouth using Callum Wilson and Josh King to attack the heart of Arsenal's defence. Jefferson Lerma was quick to block Mkhitarayan's early shot, while Bournemouth's Josh King over hit his first cross.
Simon Francis did well against Kolsinac and enabled Brooks to stretch his legs before Wilson won Bournemouth's first corner on seven minutes. Brooks and King then played a one-two that put Brooks through and while he burst the net, the offside flag went up.
Francis made a poor pass from defence and Lucas Torreira benefited only to see his shot come off the post on nine minutes. Torreira wide from the right side of Bournemouth's box as Arsenal began to get some sighters.
The Cherries were looking good going forward with Fraser finding Wilson, who had a shot blocked. Brooks tried his luck on the left with Daniels, while Lerma was getting strong tackles in on Mkhitarayan in the middle.
With Arsenal coming forward Rob Holding's aimless pass which ran out of play had Bournemouth fans cheering. Kolsinac was getting crosses in and Iwobi made Begovic make a low save on 21 minutes. Kolsinac had another cross pushed over the bar by Begovic, but Aubameyang fired over from the resulting corner.
Papastathopoulos' foul on King received the first yellow card. Brooks took the free kick rather quickly and it had to be retaken with Fraser then pulling a save out of Leno.
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Bournemouth recovered with Francis sending King up the right and forcing a corner. Arsenal were looking to break again though and Begovic had to make another save from Iwobi.
A free kick on King gave Fraser another chance to deliver a cross in the box saw Aké head just over the top right corner of the goal. Bellerin was testing Bournemouth's left side and his pull back was headed out by Francis before Mkhitarayan shot over. The Arsenal number seven had another low shot saved by Begovic.
A minute of added time played into Bournemouth's hands when Wilson burst up the left and crossed to Brooks who then passed on again to King who fired straight into the top left corner of the goal to make it 1-1.
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| Half-time. |
Bournemouth attacked from the start with Brooks putting in a cross that Leno caught. Fraser went down in the box but no penalty was awarded.
Nathan Aké picked up a yellow card for fouling Mustafi before Arsenal won a corner. A great cross from Fraser then saw Brooks and Daniels come close to making the final connection but the ball zipped away just too quickly.
Torreira had a shot deflected for a corner as Arsenal regained the initiative. Arsenal started winning corners. Aubameyang could only shoot over from the corner.
Josh King battled well in the corner before Brooks tried to shoot across Leno who saved the shot.
Arsenal then retook the lead when Lerma had made a foul on Mustafi and was carded. The ball went out to the left and a deep cross from Kolsinac found Aubameyang free to stab in at the far post - 1-2.
An Arsenal break left Aubameyang in the clear and putting Torreira in with a chance to shoot but Begovic came out and the Arsenal player missed.
Bournemouth kept plugging away with Fraser having a shot held, before Brooks was subbed fir Stanislas and Lewis Cook replaced Gosling on 73 minutes.
Kolasinac could have increased the lead but could only hit the side netting. Arsenal then subbed Torreira for Guendouzi on 79 minutes.
Stanislas was presented with a great chance to score when a Daniels cross landed at his feet near the penalty spot but the shot was weak and right at Leno.
Arsenal took Iwobi off and brought on Ramsey for the last 10 minutes. Bournemouth weren't finished yet though and a speculative shot from Lerma crashed against the post from 30 yards out.
Another Bournemouth attack followed with Stanislas on the right bearing down on goal, but he could only shoot at Leno with Wilson following in and colliding with Leno.
A corner taken by Fraser then saw Daniels go close with a header that deflected up and Leno just kept out topping it round the corner.
Arsenal brought Nkeitah on in added time fro Aubameyang. Bournemouth's last chance came when Mustafi fouled Wilson on the D. Stanislas took the free kick after Daniels had tried in vain to force himself into the wall. The shot went well over and the final whistle was blown.
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| Another home defeat 1-2. |
Bournemouth had their chances to get points from this game. Arsenal didn't play all their big hitters and perhaps Bournemouth didn't quite have the belief that they needed to go and play without any fear of defeat. The goal by Josh King at half-time should have fired-up the team for the second half, but it was a rear-guard reaction for the second 45 minutes, even if the Cherries had some chances on the break. It was another what might have been. Had Brooks' first half attempt been ruled onside, it could have been a very different game. Now Bournemouth have to regroup again and find that early-season freedom of play which we see in parts of games but not for the full 90 minutes.
AFCB
AFCB subs: Boruc, Mings, Gosling, Stanislas, Surman, Mousset, Defoe.
AFCB Ratings
Begovic 6, Francis 5, Aké 6, S Cook 6, Daniels 6, Brooks 7, Gosling 5, Lerma 8, Fraser 6, King 7, Wilson 6
Ref Watch - Craig Pawson: 1/10 Not sure what he was doing half the time. The players and crowd had no confidence in him.
Arsenal
Leno, Mustafi, Papastathopoulos, Holding, Bellerín, Torreira (Guendouzi 79), Xhaka, Kolasinac, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi (Ramsey 80), Aubameyang (Nketiah)
Arsenal Subs
Cech, Elneny, Ramsey, Özil, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Nketiah
Why did they change formations at half time? I thought when they changed back with Stanisllas they looked a lot more stable, both on offense and defense. Agree about the ref. The linemen were terrible as well. Also how does Ake get yellow and Mustafi not get booked - he probably deserved two bookings to be honest. Finally, I thought this game and the game against ManU the team looked more tired than usual by about 75th minute. Maybe that is just me, but they didn't look as strong at the end of the game as normal.
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