Arsenal v Bournemouth: another bit of preview from afar.

Posted on by Tony Attwood

By Bulldog Drummond

OK I want to make this clear that this lack of preview at the proper time and all the blame being put on technical issues and people being in the wrong country is not my fault.  Well, to be more correct part of it is my fault but I am not going to admit it.

Anyway,  Walter had Alexis on the wing in his pre-match report, but there is also talk of giving Alexis a break after all that rushing around with Chile and the talk of an injury, so although Walter normally is correct in such things there is the chance of the Ox, Ozil and Walcott playing behind Giroud.   Also interestingly WhoScored suggests a midfield of Coquelin and Elneny.

Bournemouth’s Artur Boruc and Andrew Surman are slight doubts with respective back and hamstring problems, but the doubts are, as I just said, slight.  I am not sure why I said that again in fact.

Bournemouth have just won their first away game and had their first away game without conceding.  But of course that was done with Jack, who isn’t there today.  Indeed Bournemouth have admitted they will miss him as their manager said…

“When I look back at the last game against Stoke, he was excellent for us and was the key link between midfield and attack.   Also his defensive displays for me have been superb and are undervalued, how good he is without the ball, how clever he is with the positions he takes up to protect our midfield.”

That win against Stoke was their first away win since April and only once before have they won back-to-back away games in the Premier League – against Chelsea and West Brom in December 2015.  Mind you they have only been in the PL for a few weeks – well, a season and a bit.

Speaking of the PSG game Mr Wenger said, “I believe we have to find our game back. We didn’t lose but if you do not create, that will not last.    It’s important that we find our simplicity, speed and pacy combinations back.

“We missed that fluency, and that security in our decision-making that made us dangerous in the final third a little bit. That is what is at stake for us.”

Last season we won both games 2-0 with Ozil scoring in both games.  Before that the only games were a friendly in Bournemouth back in the 1960s and a league cup match, both of which we also won.

So we have one defeat in 22 Premier League games but we are in total crisis disaster mode, and not too many other teams could actually manage that.   To see just how close disaster and victory are in this game, consider Tottenham.  They were within minutes of losing at home to State Aid United but managed to turn it around.  Had they lost that game and then lost to Chelsea they’d be in full blown crisis mode too.   But the aren’t.  Funny ol game, journalism.

Here’s an interesting fact though.  Arsenal are one of only two PL teams sides this season yet to concede in the opening 15 minutes this season, (along with WBA).  We are also the only team in the League who have never been behind at half time so far this season.

And as if that were not enough Olivier Giroud has scored seven goals from eight shots on target in his last eight Premier League games.

But if you are craving bad news, try this: since the start of the 2014-15 season, Arsenal have won just 13 out of 33 PL games when Santi Cazorla has not begun.

One more: Arsene Wenger and Eddie Howe are the Premier League’s longest-serving current managers at their current clubs.  Our Arsene has done 20 years of course while young Eddie has had four years by the sea.

 

Home Away
W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts
1 Chelsea 6 0 1 20 4 4 1 1 9 6 +19 31
2 Liverpool 5 1 0 19 4 4 2 1 13 10 +18 30
3 Manchester City 3 3 0 12 5 6 0 1 17 7 +17 30
4 Arsenal   3 2 1 12 8   4 2 0 13 4   +13 25
5 Tottenham Hotspur 4 2 0 9 4 2 4 1 10 6 +9 24
6 Manchester United 2 3 1 9 5 3 1 2 8 9 +3 19
7 Everton 3 3 0 9 4 2 1 3 7 10 +2 19
8 Watford 3 1 2 10 9 2 2 2 7 11 -3 18
9 West Bromwich Albion 2 2 2 10 9 2 3 2 7 7 +1 17
10 Bournemouth   3 1 2 10 6   1 2 3 4 10   -2 15

Bournemouth actually have quite a poor away record, with one win, two draws and three defeats, scoring just four goals and conceding 10.

Arsenal on the other hand have three wins, two draws and one defeat, with 12 scored, 8 conceded, half of those conceded goals coming in the opening match.  Interestingly it continues to be the away form that is above the home form, which is exactly how it was during the time around the to Wenger double seasons.  I find that an interesting parallel – get the away form right in terms of counter attacking and then sort out the home form.   Indeed there are parallels with the way Herbert Chapman developed the time prior to the first league championship – more in the Arsenal in the 30s story on the Arsenal History Society site.

After six consecutive league wins (and let’s just focus on the league at the moment) Arsenal then went into decline:

Date Opposition Venue Result Pos Pts
22.10.2016 Middlesbrough home D 0-0 1 20
29.10.2016 Sunderland away W 4-1 2 23
06.11.2016 Tottenham Hotspur home D 1-1 4 24
19.11.2016 Manchester United away D 1-1 4 25

Looking at Bournemouth…

Date Opposition Venue Result Pos Pts
22.10.2016 Tottenham Hotspur home D 0-0 10 12
29.10.2016 Middlesbrough away L 0-2 10 12
05.11.2016 Sunderland home L 1-2 12 12
19.11.2016 Stoke City away W 1-0 10 15

Looked at this way, the Bournemouth situation prior to a visit to Arsenal is not the best possible even though they have climbed into the top ten.

So there we are, we finally managed to keep Untold going with everyone being in different countries and a load of technology that doesn’t work.  What fun, but we got there.  All Arsenal have to do now is win the match, and of course for Walter to have a successful trip to and from the game.

One final thought.  Just remember that when people say “normal service will be resumed as soon as possible” just remember, there is no such thing as normal service.   (Or put another way, the light at the end of the tunnel is the express train coming straight at you).

Tales from Untold 

Wenger ponders whether Yaya Sanogo will ever really be good enough for Arsenal. 

Arsenal-Bournemouth, before a ball is kicked

The parents of a 17 year old African player sue Fifa over the transfer rules for minors

Arsenal v Bournemouth Sunday 27 November 2016 – The Match Officials

Every advantage has a disadvantage, Arsenal Belgium on the road

A look back at the first ten games

The sexual exploitation of young footballers shows we have really deep and serious problems throughout England

According to “M”, Man Utd are the most unlucky team in the PL. Let’s see if that’s right.

While others mature with age Mourinho gets more idiotic.

 

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63 Replies to “Arsenal v Bournemouth: another bit of preview from afar.”

  1. El Teams (as they say in foreign parts)

    Cech
    Debuchy Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
    Elneny Xhaka
    Walcott Ozil The Ox
    Alexis

    So as usual, we got it wrong

  2. I can’t think of the last time I had actually been for a walk on the beach before announcing those on the beach.

    But leaving all the people on the beach just in front of my hotel, we also seem to have

    Oooooooooooooospina
    Gibbs Gabriel Coquelin
    Ramsey, Iwobi, Giroud

    Remember the days when the beach was filled with youngsters who had never had a game? No longer.

    Anyway, I’ve found the game is on TV in the outdoor bar of my hotel. It has started to rain, but I have the pint and the peanuts so it almost feels like being in England. An overcast dull day in this part of Spain.

  3. Given that Jenkinson is not even beached I wonder if he is injured. Hope nothing serious after such a long lay off. Or maybe he is being kept fresh for the game against Southampton.

    Meanwhile four very large pigeons are circling my peanuts. The crowd by the swimming pool watching the TV currently showing Watford vs the thugs now numbers five.

  4. Telegraph being very forthright this afternoon. Their preview begins

    Good afternoon and welcome to Arsenal 5 (Walcott 12, 32, Koscielny 15, Sanchez 60, Ramsey 88) Bournemouth 0.

    We shall see.

  5. It is quite awful to see the utterly disgraceful Richard Keys and Andy Grey presenting TV programmes on football as if they had never disgraced themselves.

  7. But Le Prof has no RB cover on his bench. Anyway I hope it won’t come to that. But I think he better have one there, Niles? Because Debuchy is just coming back into tougher action than the Under 23 lesser action he recently had.

    Have we had Elneny/Xhaka at the base this season? I can’t remember if the pair have been started in a PL game. Let see what they are made of. They could turnout to be a good combination.

    How about Walcott at RW which is normal? But the Ox does better at RW that at LW? I hope to see the 2 interchange positions during the game. And is Olivier Giroud effectively reduced to a super sub. Yes, he does better when he comes on than when he starts these days. But during play when he hasn’t come on, who takes the pen for us as Giroud is increasingly becoming a reliable penalty converted for Arsenal.

  8. But Le Prof has no RB cover on his bench. Anyway I hope it won’t come to that. But I think he better have one there, Niles? Because Debuchy is just coming back into tougher action than the Under 23 lesser action he recently had.

    Have we had Elneny/Xhaka at the base this season? I can’t remember if the pair have been started in a PL game. Let see what they are made of. They could turnout to be a good combination.

    How about Walcott at RW which is normal? But the Ox does better at RW than at LW? I hope to see the 2 interchange positions during the game. And is Olivier Giroud effectively reduced to a super sub. Yes, he does better when he comes on than when he starts these days. But during play when he hasn’t come on, who takes the pen for us as Giroud is increasingly becoming a reliable penalty converted for Arsenal.

  17. Is this ref on a mission? Seem to remember him getting a very low score in one of our matches last season. If Alexis wasn’t a penalty then ffs be consistent and don’t give it at the other end. Even commentators saying Bournemouth are getting the ‘rub of the green’, whatever that’s supposed to mean!

  19. Why are all these PL refs like this? He just keeps talking to the Bournemouth players for bad tackles, how many warnings do they need??? But just wait till one Arsenal player makes a mistake, card is out in a flash.

  21. Ref rightly booed at half time. And what a cracker that was from Sanchez!! No keeper is saving that!

  23. Anyway, Arsenal are letting Bournemouth look a little too good, time to step up and control the game, especially at home.

  24. Arter should have seen yellow.

    What the penalty looked like to me, is that the Bournemouth player tried to shield the ball (by giving a hip check) when the ball was no within playing distance.

    But, Bournemouth are certainly pushing (not giving space) Arsenal all over the park.

    COYG!

  26. Jesus, it’s almost as if after the ref gave those first 2 yellow cards, someone gave him a little reminder through his ear-piece. It’s just so infuriating to watch and to make it even worse we have to listen to that complete twat Neil Quinn commentate.

  27. Arsenal weathered the shift in the backfour, weathered the penalty – if a trifle is soft then what softness is that penalty? – now starting to come back. They are more and more fluid.

    COYG!!

  28. After seeing the half time hi lites it looked like we were double fucked on the two major penalty calls.

  29. How was that a penalty against Arsenal? Both players bumped each other and Bournmouth player over exaggerate. They seriously need to implement IQ tests when hiring refs.

  30. Alexis was stood on outside the box. Monreal was shoulder to shoulder but the 6.0 dive won the penalty. Pigmob are just not fit for purpose. The amazing booking of Mustafi for dissent while physical nastiness gets away. Well done the Arsenal for coming back to 2 -1.

    Theooooooooooo!

  37. The Ox foul was the same as the pen. Shoulder to shoulder & the PIGMOB give the faller the foul?????

  38. Arsenal might like they’re yielding to Bournemouth buts that’s only because the ref is letting Bournemouth off with heavy tackles.

  40. Alexis gets booked for tackling Arter, but Arter never got booked for being a hazard to life and limb?

    It is surprising, how often players and staff talk into their shirt, jacket or mouth, to keep people from lipreading. Sure, the staff may have radios, but other people can have radios (SDR anyone?) too.

    COYG!

  43. LOL!

    Ball bounces up in the air. Where the heck is the ball? Ball drops down, and hits him on the head.

    COYG!

  45. Ozil gets brought down, no foul, Elneny brings down a Bournemouth player seconds later in similar fashion, and Bournemouth get a free kick!

    With probably the exception of Michael Oliver, the rest of these refs cheat blatantly.

  49. Really nice work and passing, and Alexis finishes with the nice easy pass into the goal! Good work Giroud!

    Gabriel seems to be having a good game at fullback.

    COYG!

  50. Nice.

    But this game was poorly refereed I’m still seething with anger inside. Are these Fifa refs???

  52. job well done boys, credit to all the gunners on duty today for all the 3 points. roll on to EFL match this midweek. com’on Arsenal

  53. El Neny seemed to have a good game. Alexis and Ozil were everywhere again. I hope Giroud is okay after that last head clash, or whatever happened right at the end.

  54. Thanks to Walter and Arsenal Belgium, for making the trip to Wenger Stadium and ensuring the win! I hope the road back has many brats!

  55. A really good performance. Well done the lads, thank you.

    Congratulations to Theo and his good lady becoming parents.

  56. Thierry arguing Bournemouth should have had a second penalty, never mind that the first one was never a penalty. How come we never hear the likes of Owen, Caragher, or Neville arguing that Liverpool or Utd deserved to be punished, even when they actually deserved it and escaped somehow? Disgusting.

  58. All part of his gazillion pound Sky bunce contract. Same with Alan Smith et al. Must be part of the training course at Sky.

  60. We should have had 2 penalties in first half, – the foul on Sanchez, handball from a Theo cross. In second half, a defender had shoved Giroud in the back and pushed a hand into his face, in the incident when he headed over from the near post.

    Their “penalty” should have been a free-kick to us for the shove on Monreal.

    Well done the Arsenal – beating Bournemouth plus the referee.

  61. Another 3-1 win , thanks to the never say die attitude of the team. And Walter and the Belgium Arsenal .
    WOO HOO , HOO !
    Up the Gunners !

  62. Well done to the team. A very tough game midweek, today, up against a team with a game plan….or kick our boughs a bit, get a dodgy pen, waste a bit of time, and play some nice stuff.
    It seems all teams now know they will get some degree of help from the ref when they play us, and with that penalty, Mr Jones did not disappoint. You very rarely see such penalties given at OT, Anfield, Stamford Bridge, WHL because of they were, the media would give the refs who gave them hell
    In fairness to the ref, he did book them , and early , in contrast to the ref in the Spurs, and many other games.
    But, after a difficult first half, the team passed their test with flying colours…..Alexis was immense, Cech invaluable, elneny a bundle of energy, Xhaka grew nicely into the game. And a great few days for theo.
    The downer….a real shame about Debuchy.

  63. People that understand Arsenal underhand how much Santi means to put game, but that stat of only 13 wins in 33 (now 14 in 34) wins without him is massive! But Xhaka looked good today, and when Jack comes back for and eating to go next season, i am confident that the long term future without him is sorted.

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