Arsenal return to Premier League action as they host Bournemouth on Saturday morning in their first match at the Emirates in over three weeks, looking to build on a crucial midweek victory over Sporting in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Tuesday’s result proved to be a much-needed antidote to the lackluster cup performances from the Gunners in their previous two matches. With their confidence being questioned, Arsenal went away to a Sporting side that hadn’t lost in 17 matches, nor at home since
August, and gritted out a last-gasp win to put one foot in the CL semifinal. It wasn’t pretty, but much like the rest of the season, the Gunners found a way.
And now, Mikel Arteta’s side head into the PL run-in with everything to play for. Seven matches separate Arsenal from their first title in 22 years, and the pressure will only increase with every passing match. In past seasons, that pressure has frustratingly gotten the better of them. The roster is deeper and more experienced than ever under Mikel Arteta. But the question remains: can they actually do it?
Besides a win, Saturday is all about building momentum. Arsenal have, at most, 11 matches left in the season, with 7 in the PL and up to 4 in the CL. Finding their feet and reestablishing a rhythm is a top, top priority, especially with City finding form just ahead of Arsenal’s trip to the Etihad next weekend.
Bournemouth don’t go down without a fight, and they will come to the Emirates hungry for a result to make a late push for a European spot. After getting back to winning ways on Tuesday, can the Gunners carry that into the league and kick the run-in off with a bang in front of their home support?
Here are three talking points ahead of Saturday’s match:
Know the Enemy
Bournemouth enter Saturday’s match in 13th place in the Premier League table with 42 points from a record of 9W/15D/7L.
It’s been a frustrating season for the Cherries. After finishing 9th last season, manager Adoni Iraola’s side have been on the cusp of being in contention for a European spot but have been stuck in the middle of the table thanks to a league-leading 15 draws, just three off the PL record. A third of their draws have occurred in the last two months as they are currently on 5 consecutive draws entering Saturday’s tilt.
They are unbeaten in the league since they last faced the Gunners at home back in early January, and their 7 league losses are behind only Arsenal, Man City, and Manchester United so far. However, they have only won 4 times in their 11 matches since their loss to the Gunners, as they have struggled to turn draws into wins with inconsistency in front of goal. Three chances falling the right way would have them as high as 5th currently. Unfortunately, as last season’s Arsenal knows all too well, that’s just how it falls sometimes.
It would be foolish to not attribute some of that to the loss of Antoine Semenyo, who left to join Manchester City in the winter transfer window. Even after having left the club three months ago, he still is their leading scorer with 10 goals scored.
No one has stepped up consistently to fill that void so far. They are surely talented, with players like Evanilson, Junior Kroupi, and Marcus Tavernier capable of punishing teams in transition and from distance. However, the Cherries have failed to find the net in three of their last five matches. Two of those scoreless performances came away to relegation candidates Burnley and West Ham before they notched a 2-2 draw against Manchester United at home. In total, they have only scored three goals across their last five matches, which is a big drop-off considering they are the joint 6th highest scoring side in the league this season.
While their attack has largely been good, the defense has been what has kept them from breaking out of the mid-table this season, having allowed the 6th most goals in the PL with 48 conceded. They are in the bottom five of several defending stats and have not been able to cope with the loss of key defenders over the summer.
Then there’s the issue of the layoff. Without any European football or domestic cups, it will have been over three weeks without a competitive match for the visitors. Outside of the injuries to Justin Kluivert and Julio Soler, they are in decent health. Players will have gotten necessary rest, but will that come at the detriment of the rhythm that teams build throughout the season?
Injuries & Suspensions
Unfortunately, it appears that Martin Ødegaard suffered a slight setback with an impact injury on Tuesday and missed training on Thursday. The severity is unknown, but when you consider his recent history, it’s not promising.
On the inverse, Eberchi Eze returned to training Thursday after an extended absence with a calf injury. He is expected to be fit for this weekend’s match.
Bukayo Saka, Piero Hincapie, and Jurrien Timber remain out with no appreciable updates from the gaffer. With any luck, all three should be returning sooner rather than later (he said, optimistically).
OUT: Mikel Merino (foot), Bukayo Saka (knock), Jurrien Timber (knock), Piero Hincapie (thigh)
DOUBT: Martin Ødegaard (knee)
Predicted Lineup
Attack: Trossard, Gyökeres, Madueke
With so much to play for in the final stretch, it’s not a leap to assume Arteta rolls with similar lineups here on out.
The attack was much improved against Sporting. Although it took a stoppage time goal to break the deadlock, Leandro Trossard and Noni Madueke were up for the challenge on the wings, especially Noni, who forced his defender into a series of fouls. Gabriel Martinelli put in an excellent shift as a “finisher” playing on the left with the assist for the match winner, and I think that he continues to be a nuisance off the bench, when he tends to shine.
Viktor Gyökeres got a warm ovation from the Sporting fans, but that was the extent of his highlights. He was largely quiet throughout the match, but he is still the main man going forward while Kai Havertz continues his return to form.
Midfield: Rice, Zubimendi, Eze
After just one match with the preferred midfield three starting, we are already back to reshuffling.
Thankfully, Eberechi Eze’s return gives the Gunners some attacking teeth in the middle of the park. He was hitting fine form before his injury, and the hope is he picks up where he left off. If he isn’t given a start, I expect Kai Havertz to fill back in at the 10.
The three weeks of rest clearly did wonders for Declan Rice. He was an absolute menace in the middle of the park and helped Arsenal keep control of the match while disrupting Sporting’s flow. Likewise, Martin Zubimendi looked sharper than his recent matches thanks to some rest. He put the ball in the net in the 2nd half, though his strike was brought back for offsides in the build up. Still, seeing him taking shots and pushing forward is a good sign.
Defense: Calafiori, Gabriel, Saliba, Mosquera
Arsenal’s defense was tested all match against Sporting and were up to the task. The center back pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba kept in-form striker Luis Suarez from being a factor and kept things quiet. Those two in front of Raya is just an elite combo of solidity and ability.
Out wide, the fullbacks were tested but held their own. Ben White recovered from a poor match against Southampton with an improved display. He was caught out a few times on Tuesday, but responded well and didn’t make any major errors. That being said, I think we likely see Cristhian Mosquera, if only to prevent running White into the ground.
Riccardo Calafiori is the uncontested starter at left back for the time being, with Piero Hincapie out and Myles Lewis-Skelly in the midst of a sophomore slump.
Keeper: Raya
David Raya’s return to the side was as perfect as you could have asked for, deservedly earning the Man of the Match honors following a superb display between the sticks with an outstanding clean sheet performance. He made a series of vital saves and has probably taken the lead in the Arsenal Player of the Season race.
Saturday is important for a myriad of fairly obvious reasons. A win temporarily extends the Gunners’ lead at the top to 12 points over Manchester City, who have to travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday to face a Chelsea side fighting for a CL spot. A win also helps put the previous poor results farther in the rear-view mirror. A victory also means that the magic number shrinks from 5 to 4, which is the number of wins that Arsenal would need to potentially seal the Premier League title on goal difference. It’s all in their hands. Now, they just need to grasp the opportunity and embrace their role as front runners.
WHO: Arsenal vs Bournemouth
WHAT: Premier League match day 32
WHEN: Saturday, April 11th, 7:30am EST/4:30am PST/12:30pm GMT
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
HOW TO WATCH: Broadcast live on the USA Network
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