They have been the two major question marks over Arsenal all season – and on Saturday, the Gunners’ open-play football and big-moment mentality were exposed in a defeat to Bournemouth which has blown the Premier League title race open.
Arsenal fans have vigorously defended the attacking attributes of their side, revelling in an admittedly supreme set-piece threat.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has tried to shake off the scars of previously unsuccessful Premier League title-race challenges, even suggesting the Carabao Cup final defeat to Man City at Wembley last month would spur them on to success.
But in a nervous, anxious performance against Bournemouth, Arsenal’s weaknesses were exposed.
There were boos at full-time from a home crowd that had been on edge.
The midweek Champions League win at Sporting was supposed to have settled Arsenal after their cup final defeat and FA Cup exit at Southampton. But facing a Bournemouth side playing with confidence and now unbeaten in 12, the Premier League leaders were shaky from the first whistle.
“We did a lot of strange things today,” said Mikel Arteta afterwards.
Paul Merson suggests Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth could shatter their confidence in the title and expressed how ‘sloppy’ their performance was.
David Raya almost gave the ball straight to Bournemouth players twice in the second half to sum up the muddled thinking that had consumed the title-chasers. It also reflected Arsenal’s wayward and ineffective build-up.
Their total of 0.19 Expected Goals from open play was their second lowest on record for a Premier League match.
That major problem is going to be difficult to resolve in the final weeks of this campaign.
Of their playmakers, captain Martin Odegaard was missing with injury on Saturday. Kai Havertz was anonymous. Eberechi Eze came on in the second half as part of a triple change before the hour mark but had little impact.
Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi scored the first goal of the game (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
The fact that 16-year-old Max Dowman was part of that sweeping substitution was telling.
It reflects the huge talent and rapid rise of the teenager, but also the lack of resources Arteta has to make things happen in possession that he is turning to the inexperienced Dowman in the crunch moments.
More immediately, Arsenal must show character in their response.
Their Champions League quarter-final advantage over Sporting is narrow; a one-goal lead must turn into progress to a semi-final place when they are back at the Emirates on Wednesday.
Then it is to the Etihad for a huge showdown with Pep Guardiola’s Man City. The stiffest examination of Arsenal’s attitude they could face.
Arsenal have lost three of their last four after losing three in their first 49 this season. They are wobbling at the wrong time – and wobbling badly.
“Bring your dinner,” Arteta had joked before this match, in a reference to an iconic chest-thumping half-time rant from John Sitton at Leyton Orient in the mid-90s.
His players need to show the hunger for this huge fight they have on their hands now. Or it will all slip away…
