After the intense North London Derby on Sunday, Arsenal now have just three matches left in their season. SportsLens takes a look at why Bournemouth could pose a difficult challenge for the Gunners on Saturday.
The final stretch hasn’t been smooth sailing for Arsenal. With a packed April fixture list and a fierce three-way title race involving Liverpool and Manchester City, the Gunners faced significant challenges. However, they showed resilience, emerging with just one stumble in Premier League action.
Following a month packed with matches, with barely three days of rest on average between them, the players and Mikel Arteta will surely appreciate the extra days of rest. However, any joy from Sunday’s North London Derby win must be short-lived because the job is far from finished.
As the season approaches its climax, Arsenal are gearing up for a pivotal home encounter against 10th-placed AFC Bournemouth at the Emirates this Saturday.
Meanwhile, Manchester City, relentless as ever and holding a game in hand, continue to lurk closely behind the Gunners, maintaining a fierce challenge.
Why Bournemouth Could Pose A Difficult Challenge For Arsenal?
AFC Bournemouth have been an interesting side to follow this campaign. They began the campaign in dismal form, failing to secure a victory in their first nine matches and finding themselves in 19th place.
It seemed like a tough start for new Cherries manager Andoni Iraola, who succeeded Gary O’Neil in the summer. However, there was a turning point as Bournemouth managed to secure seven victories in their next nine matches, enabling them to escape the relegation zone before the Christmas break.
However, Bournemouth’s fortunes have been inconsistent, swinging back and forth between success and disappointment. After a streak of seven winless matches, they rebounded with four wins and a draw in their next five games. This inconsistency has left them firmly in mid-table, currently occupying 10th place with 48 points.
Nonetheless, a team’s position in the table can sometimes be deceptive. Since November, Bournemouth has amassed the fifth-highest number of points in the league, collecting 42 points since their initial slump. This tally is just three points behind Aston Villa during the same period, who are currently 4th.
With one of the league’s most potent counterattacks and strikers in excellent form, Arsenal’s defence will face a significant challenge if they aren’t vigilant.
Dominic Solanke is on fire right now, having a phenomenal season with 18 league goals and three assists. He’s proven to be a handful for defenders, boasting the highest conversion rate among the number nines of the ‘big six’ teams at 25%.
"He's improved him immeasurably" 📈
Jamie Redknapp and Izzy Christiansen say Andoni Iraola is getting the best out of Dominic Solanke 👏 pic.twitter.com/Jbg9sAW8BQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 13, 2024
Aside from Solanke, Bournemouth excels at capitalising on turnovers and transitions. They possess quick ball carriers, with Justin Kluivert emerging as their standout player in the absence of the injured Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier.
Kluivert has found the net four times in his recent nine outings, and his pace could present a significant danger for Arsenal on Saturday.
The Cherries are adept at creating numerous goal-scoring opportunities from their breakaways. They currently lead the Premier League in shots from fast breaks, serving as a cautionary note for Arsenal, who must ensure they don’t leave themselves vulnerable defensively.
What Happened Last time out?
When the two teams clashed on matchweek 7, Arsenal breezed past Bournemouth with a commanding 4-0 win at the Vitality Stadium.
Saka and Odegaard found the net before halftime, while Kai Havertz scored his first goal with a penalty in the second half. Ben White then added one in stoppage time to seal the victory.
Yet, the game that stands out when thinking about Bournemouth is last season’s clash at the Emirates. From conceding a goal within the opening 10 seconds to another early goal in the second half, to mounting a comeback and equalising in added time before Reiss Nelson sealed the win in the 97th minute.
This game perfectly epitomised the high-energy yet somewhat inexperienced nature of last season’s Arsenal side.
It serves as a clear reminder of the potential danger posed by the Cherries if Arsenal fail to remain focused and ready right from the beginning.
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