Arsenal punish AFCB in a first half FA Cup masterclass

Match Report

FA Cup Fourth Round

AFCB 1 v 2 Arsenal

Attendance: 10,308

Slow starters - AFCB find it hard to get into the game with Arsenal.

Bournemouth quickly found themselves behind after a fluent run by Willock who coasted inside and found Martenelli and Saka finished smartly into the roof of the net. A second was added by Nkeitah before half an hour, and Bournemouth were struggling just to get a sight of the ball. Bournemouth managed a late rally and the second half was a more even contest. Simon Francis put Sam Surridge in for his first Bournemouth goal on 90+4 minutes, but it was not enough to stop Arsenal progressing.

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Both clubs had the knowledge that they would play Portsmouth away in the next round if they got through the tie. Bournemouth lined up with Mark Travers in goal and Steve Cook and Jack Simpson coming into the back four. Lewis Cook, Dan Gosling and Andrew Surman came into midfield, while on the bench was U18 player Brooklyn Geneseni, who plays at right back.

Match Description The Cherries started with some good early pressing led by Fraser. Arsenal soon had the lion's share of possession.

Willock on the right came in and found Martenlli and Saka smashed a shot in to the roof of the net at Travers near post on five minutes. Arsenal made a good overlap and the finish was hit so hard that Travers had little chance of making a save.

Aké has to put the ball out for an Arsenal corner. Adam Smith come s away with the ball. Saka under hits a back pass but Soalnke can't get on to it in time. Solanke does well but over hits the pass to Fraser.

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Solanke and  Guendouzi gets hit in the face and goes down in the box.  Guendouzi fouls Gosling. Belllerin clears. Adam Smith crosses but Mustafi clears ahead of Solanke.

Steve Cook has to get a defensive header in and  Guendouzi fouls Fraser. Surman does ell to break up an Arsenal move.

Bournemouth are finding it hard to win the battles. Willock does well to go past Gosling and Aké but Travers makes a save at his near post on 19 minutes.

Martenelli blazes over from range. Arsenal are dominating possession. Most of the play is just inside the Bournemouth half.

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Saka makes a run down the left and a cross low along the floor reaches  its a tap in for Nketiah who runs off Simpson to make it 0-2 on 26 minutes. VAR check still results in a goal.

Pepe gets on a run and puts a shot into the side netting. Martenelli gets in down the left and Aké puts it out for a corner. Bellerin puts in a good cross. The ball just keeps coming back to an Arsenal layer.

Arsenal can take their time. Fraser puts a good cross in from the left but Harry Wilson's shot s saved by Leno. It was a strong volley, but Leno got down well at his near post.

Harry Wilson puts in a cross and Gosling heads over, perhaps off his shoulder. Simpson and Fraser combine up the left. The Cherries have started to pick up their play as half0-time approaches. Simpson pulls the ball back but Xhaka intercepts the ball to Lewis Cook.

It's the width that Arsenal have been playing with that has caused the problems for Bournemouth.

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Fraser picks up a loose ball and links with Solanke, but then shoots well wide.

Sokratis puts the ball out for a corner ahead of Gosling. Two minutes are added. Harry Wilson s carded fro a fouled on Nketiah.

AFCB Possession 37 per cent, three shots, one shot on target, one corner and three fouls
Arsenal possession 63 per cent, six shots, three on target, two corners and four fouls.

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Second Half
Arsenal win an early corner but Willock hits his shot over. The referee stops the game for Martinelli. Lewis Cook wins a free kick. Gosling and Guendouzi are getting in a tangle.

The cross comes in and Simpson goes down, but is out to Harry Wilson and he puts it back in but it's cleared. No penalty for a VAR check on Simpson going down.

Lewis Cook is chopped by  Guendouzi,. Solanke gets in between the keeper and Mustafi and a Fraser header goes over. Mustafi is stretchered off for Rob Holding on 62 minutes.

Fraser puts in a big tackle on Bellerin. Adam Smith wins a corner, which is cleared and Pepe against Smith is a close run thing, but Adam Smith wins it. Simpson drives a cross in and gets a corner. Simpson with the header and it's just wide!

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Bournemouth are much more at it this half. Pepe is subbed on 69 minutes for Ceballos. Willock wins a corner. Bournemouth can't get more than two of three passes  going. Callum Wilson and Simon Francis are looking to get on.

The ball is going out. Arsenal keep rotating possession. Finally the ball is put out. Bellerin has hurt his rib going for a ball with Simpson. harry Wilson is off for Callum Wilson and Jack Simpson is off for Simon Francis on 76 minutes.

Steve Cook's back pass goes past the near post with Travers stumbling. Arsenal corner. Solanke almost gets in, but Xhaka keeps him out. Gosling shapes for a shot but it's over the bar off a defender. Sokratis and Steve Cook go down.

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Aké has to get across to stop Saka on an Arsenal break. Saka now gets a corner. Sam Surridge is coming on for Solanke on 89 minutes.

Eight minutes of added time go up. Arsenal sub Willock for Maitland-Niles on 90+2 minutes. Guendouzi has a rising shot. Francis puts a ball in the box and Sam Surridge has put t in the net 1-2.  Nicely finished off his left and on to his right foot. He showed great strength. VAR check, it's a goal.

Four minutes of added time to go. Surridge is booked for a foul on Guendouzi. Fraser puts the ball in the keeper punches with Adam Smith in there, and Lewis Cook spoons his shot over.

Summary
A hard fought game. Bournemouth just couldn't get enough possession to do much harm. The match might have been a good work out in terms of defending and being without the ball. The Cherries will need to create more though against teams in the Premier League. There was a marked improvement second half, but the damage had been done. The cup is perhaps a distraction this season though for Bournemouth. Sam Surrdige will remember the game for ever and his first Bournemouth goal will be something he'll always treasure.

AFCB Ratings
Travers 6, A Smith 5, S Cook 6, Aké 6, Simpson 7, H Wilson 5, Surman 5, Gosling 6, L Cook 5, Fraser 6, Solanke 6

AFCB line up - Surridge was also carded.

AFCB Subs: 12 Ramsdale, 2 Francis, 60 Genesini,
29 Billing, 44 Surridge, 54 Dobre, 13 C Wilson . 

Cherry Chimes' MoM: Jack Simpson

Referee Watch: Martin Atkinson: 4/10 - some unusual stoppages of play

Arsenal
26 Martínez, 2 Bellerín, 20 Mustafi (Holding 62), 5 Sokratis, 77 Saka, 29 Guendouzi,
34 Xhaka, 19 Pépé (Ceballos 69), 28 Willock (Maitland-Niles 90+2), 35 Martinelli, 30 Nketiah

Arsenal Subs
1 Leno, 8 Ceballos, 9 Lacazette, 10 Özil, 11 Torreira, 15 Maitland-Niles, 16 Holding