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Date: 4 May 2024
This was a match for which we (i.e. Iraola) employed the best available eleven players; and they all played as well as they’re capable of; but we were outclassed by a team that’s effectively in another league.
We have demonstrated (e.g. by thrashing Brighton last week) that we’re a good mid-Premier League table team; but we’re nowhere near the level of top-placed Arsenal – who totally dominated the first half of today’s match. A combination of misplaced final shots and great Bournemouth defending (Mark Travers making some great saves and probably being our ‘man of the match’ despite the final score; and our outfield players blocking countless shots) ensured a half-time lead of only 1-0 to the Arsenal, but the statistics on the screen showed Arsenal had up to that point had sixteen shots in contrast to just one from Bournemouth. And the statistics don’t lie.
Arsenal’s first goal, right on 45 minutes, was a penalty, well taken by Saka after Travers was adjudged to have brought down Havertz. Of course we claimed Havertz had dived, but VAR agreed with the referee that this was a penalty. We played a little better in the second half, enjoying a purple patch early on, but Trossard made it 2-0 on 70 minutes. There were subsequently two disallowed goals – one per side – which I guess cancelled each other out! (Ours was disallowed for a foul, Arsenal’s for an off-side.)
We made several substitutions towards the end of the second half, but they made little difference as the match was effectively already lost. There was 90 minutes on the clock before we were awarded our first (and only) corner kick of the game – whereas I lost count of Arsenal’s, which is another clue to Arsenal’s superiority. Declan Rice’s goal during the eight minutes’ added time at the end made the final score 3-0, which I’d say was fair on the day.
We’ll whinge about the referee, VAR, or other injustices, but I think the score was fair.
Meanwhile, putting everything else in perspective, a touching moment had come on 14 minutes when all fans (home and away) had applauded for a full minute in memory of fourteen year old Daniel Anjorin, the Arsenal fan murdered on his way to school earlier in the week.
The team lined up as follows at the start of the game:
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Travers;
Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Ouattara;
Cook, Christie;
Semenyo, Scott, Kluivert;
Solanke
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