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Date: 3 May 2025
This match, being my only ‘away’ game all season, was therefore always going to be significant and memorable for me – whatever the result.
Having been relatively immobile since last August (“shin splints”, apparently) I was going to attempt, today, the 20 minute walk from Highbury & Islington station to the stadium (currently more like 30 minutes!), and the same in return – not to mention 90 minutes standing watching the game itself. Managing that without discomfort, as I did, was always going to make the day a success in my eyes. But seeing Bournemouth win, and coming from behind to do so, not to mention regaining eighth place in the league (and hence a possible European qualification) – well, these were the cherries on the cake!
In the concourse I picked up the news that Araujo was, unusually, starting the match – and both Semenyo and Scott had dropped to the bench, though I had no doubt they were intended to come on later as impact subs.
A bigger surprise came when emerging from the concourse to find that the temperature (still in the twenties when I’d left home) had now plummeted, and a bitter wind was blowing around the stand. This made getting through the first half difficult, especially as most of the action took place at the opposite end of the pitch from us, in other words around Arsenal’s goal. The plus side of that, though, was that it meant the Cherries were dominating the match. Sitters were missed at both ends – from Rice, Evanilson and Martinelli – before Kepa saved an on-target shot from Trossard. But on 34 minutes Kepa was off his line allowing Rice to score from a tight angle. So the score up to halftime was 1-0 to Arsenal, against the run of play.
At halftime everyone retreated to the concourse, even if they didn’t require snacks or loos, simply to escape the cold! From the hour mark the away fans were all chanting “Semenyo – yo", but probably unnecessarily as Iraola had surely been intending to introduce him into the game anyway? Sure enough, he came on, initially playing on the right; and almost immediately he went on a speedy run with the ball, down the right flank, failing to score but winning a throw-in. His perfect, lengthy, throw-in found Huijsen rising above all the other players, whose header made it 1-1.
Eight minutes later, just after Brooks had come on (for a below-par Ouattara), a Tavernier shot was deflected for a corner, and Tavernier was immediately involved again, heading the corner kick on to Evanilson at the back post. And Evanilson scored; it was untidy but they all count. Following celebrations, we were suddenly informed that VAR were checking for an offside. The message than changed to checking for handball! Cherries’ fans started to sing “This is embarrassing”, and to fear the worst, but it was eventually announced that the goal stood. All three goals in the match had been at our end. Arsenal made a triple substitution; and we brought on Jebbison (cries of “If Jebbison scores, we’re on the pitch”); but Iraola had no more tricks up his sleeve because our bench now comprised just one goalie (Dennis) and four defenders (Hill, Smith, Senesi and Soler). (More attack-minded players such as Christie, Sinisterra and Unal are all currently injured.) Arsenal hammered our goal and it was a nervy end to the match, but eventually the final whistle blew. 2-1 to us! Wild celebrations!
The team lined up as follows at the start of the game:
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