Following Arsenal’s humiliating 4-0 defeat to Southampton on Boxing Day, they will be looking to instantly bounce back, and their opponents, merely two days later, are Bournemouth. Eddie Howe’s side have been unfortunate that their two summer big-money transfers Tyrone Mings and Max Gradel suffered long-term injuries – along with star striker Callum Wilson. Despite this, the Cherries have clawed their way away from the relegation zone and up to 14th in the Barclays Premier League table. Howe’s side are unbeaten in their last six games and will pose a serious threat to the Gunners, should they turn out like they did against the Saints.
One of Bournemouth’s most potent attacking outlets is Scotsman Matt Ritchie. The 26-year-old has been in fine form for the Cherries this season and is undoubtedly one of the first names on Eddie Howe’s teamsheet. His performances have even earned him links to Manchester United. His main asset is his pace, meaning that he will need to be kept wide so that he can’t run at the heart of the defence. Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin were arguably the two more solid defenders in the Gunners loss to Southampton and so will both be crucial in preventing Ritchie from getting anything going in the match. Per Mertesacker was caught out a couple of times for his lack of pace and for this reason, Gabriel may be the more suitable replacement for the towering German, so that Ritchie isn’t given complete freedom in his movement.
However, based on the last game, it is attacking that the Gunners need to improve in this game. On Boxing Day, Wenger’s men looked tired and at times uninterested in venturing too close to the Southampton box and despite the likelihood that several key players will be rested for this game, the Arsenal players must show a bit more spirit and passion. When they work well, there is no team on the planet that can stop them, but when they get their attacking wrong, they really get it wrong.
The main advantage that the Gunners have is that Bournemouth are having a bit of a crisis in terms of their ‘keepers this season. Neither of their senior two shot-stoppers have stood out and have debatably cost them several points this season. If the Gunners can work enough chances that they are constantly shooting at goal, it is very likely that they will score. Players like Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez – the latter is injured – would be perfect for this game; run rings around the defenders to tire them out and then finish off a chance once they have skipped into an opening.
The overall verdict, however, is that the north London side really should be beating Bournemouth. As potential title contenders, they must be capitalising on these easier fixtures, especially so that they can make up for the defeat to Southampton. If results go Arsenal’s way, they could still see themselves go top after this fixture and this alone should be enough motivation for the team to produce a performance worthy of being champions.
