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| Outside the Emirates. |
Arsenal 1 v 0 AFCB
6 October 2019
Attendance: 60,326
Bournemouth had a bad record at Emirates and they did not help themselves going 1-0 down in nine minutes with a headed goal from David Luiz and Arsenal's third corner. The first half sped by with Arsenal bullying Bournemouth in every challenge. Apart from a headed chance for Solanke, there was nothing of much to not in Bournemouth's first half. The second half was a different matter with Bournemouth finding their game and chasing lost causes. Rico's crossing was exceptionally good, but there was no finish for the likes of Callum Wilson or Josh King.
Bournemouth kept an unchanged team at Arsenal. However, Lloyd Kelly returned to the bench. It was the second team in a row that AFCB had named an unchanged team.
Bournemouth got straight into possession before Steve Cook had to make a clearance. Rico also makes a strong header up field.
Solanke and Callum Wilson were pressing early. Pepe and Guendouzi get into the box but Aké wins a goal kick. Saka is blocked by Stacey for a corner to Arsenal on four minutes. Aubameyang wins a second corner off Aké and Billing wins the header to clear.
The ball goes out wide to Aubameyang who cuts inside and shoots from 25 yards just wide of Ramsdale's left post on five minutes. Chambers wins another corner off Aké's sliced clearance. David Luiz has headed the ball at the near post into Bournemouth's goal inside the far post on nine minutes, Callum Wilson lost his man. It's 1-0 to Arsenal.
Bournemouth try to play out from the back but Ramsdale has to clear the ball with Aubameyang chasing him down. A yellow card is handed out for Billing for a late tackle on Guendouzi.
Good ball form Lerma into Solanke and Rico has the corner off Guendouzi on 14 minutes. Josh King heads too strongly at the far post.
Callum Wilson wins a free kick form Ceballos. Not a lot of attacking play from Bournemouth yet, but this is a chance. Rico crosses it and Solanke heads wide from eight yards. A great ball from Rico.
Pepe wins another corner off of Rico. Bournemouth clear this time. Guendouzi is almost caught by Billing. Pepe curls a shot just over the left side of Bournemouth's goal on 19 minutes. Billing has put another cross out from Kolasinac for a corner. Lerma clears with a header and Rico puts it out again for another Arsenal corner. A shot from Aubameyang is cleared by Billing in front of Ramsdale.
Rico makes a challenge on Pepe is it a penalty? VAR is being employed. Rico kicks the ball at Pepe no penalty. A corner is given and Lerma puts it out at eh back for another corner. It's relentless Arsenal pressure. Lerma and Luiz are arguing. Bournemouth manage to get he ball away.
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Bournemouth just can't get going. Ramsdale takes a cross from Chambers calmly. King makes a foul on Ceballos. Harry Wilson is now fouled by Xhaka. Lerma had played a great ball out of defence to find Harry Wilson.
Stacey is now carded for pulling down Kolasinac. Why wasn't Xhaka carded? Ramsdale is injured going for a high ball. It's his right knee. Aubameyang and Steve Cook were right underneath him. But Ramsdale has recovered.
Xhaka fouls again but no card. Billing makes a mistake and gives the ball away. Guendouzi has as hot and Steve Cook blocks and Kolasinac fouls Lerma. Callum Wilson goes down and Saka is now free down the left, but Ramsdale saves at the near post on 35 minutes.
Chambers gets a foot to a high cross but it's well wide of the goal. Bournemouth are just being bullied off the ball all over the pitch. Solanke and Callum Wilson just don't keep possession outside the box when King could have been released.
King on the left central to Lerma, but he's got right underneath it and it's well over from 25 yards. Bournemouth showing signs that they are starting to play on 39 minutes. They are checking a collision with Pepe and Rico but VAR is not giving a penalty.
Callum is fouled by Xhaka again, still no card for the Arsenal captain. It's 1-0 at half-time.
BBC stats at half-time
AFCB possession 41 %, shots 3, no shot on target, 1 corner two fouls
Arsenal possession 59%, shots 8, 2 shots on target, 8 corners, 7 fouls
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| AFCB were simply not at it first half. |
King in the box pulls back to Solanke but he's taken too long over it and lost the ball. Callum is away and looks for Solanke but it's blocked. Aubamenyang on the break and Stacey tackles him.
Solanke and Callum bursts through. Wilson goes round Leono and just doesn't have the angle to make it 1-1. Chambers just beats King to the ball and clears. Unbelievable. Rico crosses and Callum Wilson can't quite get to it at the far post. Bournemouth on top here.
Guendouzi wins a corner, and a other corner on 54 minutes. Bournemouth have turned up this half. We have a game on. Callum Wilson wins the ball and harry Wilson to Stacey and the ball is just pushed over the bar. Corner to AFCB. There is an Arsenal fan on the pitch.
Rico takes the corner but it is a throw now. Billing does well. Solanke and Billing tries a shot but wide. An hour gone. Maitland-Niles is getting ready to come on. Wee-man is also ready for AFCB.
Billing stops an Arsenal attack. Martinelli replaces Pepé and Fraser come son for Solanke on 62 minutes. Chambers volley's over.
King moves to the forward position and Fraser goes over to the left wing. King puts a ball in with Fraser coming in it's over for a corner. Ceballos wins a free kick.
Fraser is stopped on the edge of the box. Bournemouth have a corner. A high cross again to the far post where Leno grabs it. David Luiz is down, hurt by one of his team-mates.
Aké gets back to head out for a corner. Goal kick now. Arsenal have been playing the time-wasting card. Still 20 minutes to go. harry Wilson is fouled and Martinelli is booked on 71 minutes.
Wilson and Fraser link and Wilson is bundled over but no foul. Bournemouth are just not getting the decisions. Willock replaces Ceballos on 74 minutes.
Steve Cook slips and his back pass goes out for a corner. Akee wins the header. Lerma steadies himself for a big hit but its's well over. Rico plays King up the line but Harry Wilson loses control in the box.
Danjuma replaces Harry Wilson on 78 minutes and Simon Francis replaces Jack Stacey. Fraser is late on Kolasinac, no card this time. Bournemouth can't get the ball away. Francis is doing some sterling defending.
Martinelli has a go but shoots over. Saka is replaced by Torreira on 82 minutes. A Bournemouth break. King and Danjuma - what was he doing? King didn't keep running.
Wilson and King to Fraser, Danjuma and the clearance is high. Back in and Danjuma goes for a volley but it's wide. Arsenal have a corner with two minutes left. Danjuma gets down the line and King is there but Guendouzi gets a foot in. Steve Cook got up but headed over.
Five minutes of added time. Fraser yo Wilson and the keeper falls on the cross. Bournemouth have to defend and concede a corner. An attack form Arsenal to Chambers, Aubameyang and Ramsdale saves perhaps it hit the post as well.
Callum Wilson in the box turns and it's right at Leno. Lerma and Fraser crosses, but Arsenal escape. Steve Cook stops Aubameyang. That's it 1-0.
Summary
What happened first half? Bournemouth just didn't get going and they slipped behind to a corner kick header. It was frustrating as the side showed in the second half that they could more than compete. The gamesmanship got Arsenal home, but Bournemouth just didn't get enough possession in and around Arsenal's box and Leno had few saves to make. A draw might have been a fairer result but it was not to be. I hope to see Fraser start next game and Harry Wilson put back to the bench.
AFCB's line up
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| AFCB Subs: Boruc, Francis, Surman, Danjuma, L Cook, Fraser, Kelly |
Cherry Chimes MoM: Diego Rico
Referee Watch: Martin Atkinson 0/10 Two fouls by Bournemouth layers first half and two yellow cards. Arsenal seven fouls first half no cards! That about sums it up - favouring the big teams.
Arsenal
1 Leno, 21 Chambers, 5 Papastathopoulos, 23 David Luiz, 31 Kolasinac,
8 Ceballos (Willock 74), 34 Xhaka, 29 Guendouzi, 19 Pépé (Maitland-Niles 62), 14 Aubameyang, 77 Saka (Torreira 82)
Arsenal Substitutes
35 Martinelli. 3 Tierney, 11 Torreira, 15 Maitland-Niles, 16 Holding, 26 Martínez, 28 Willock,
Prior to this match arsenal had received a booking every 3.2 fouls. They are the most booked in the league Vs fouls commited followed by Bournemouth at 4.4 . Liverpool commit 10 fouls per booking and Leicester commit a mighty 14 fouls in between each booking. You have written a good impartial review of the game. Don't spoil it by accusing another bunch of professionals of gamesmanship without checking the facts. You guys played very well in the second half.W if you want to blame someone for the dropped points blame Wilson for missing a sitter.
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