Given all the anguish and angst of the past four weeks, it is perhaps worth beginning with the restatement of one simple fact. When it comes to the pursuit of the trophy that really matters for Arsenal this season, nothing has changed since that remarkable evening that Max Dowman’s brilliance collided with an off night for Manchester City and the Gunners burst further ahead in the title race.
The unlikely quadruple might now have become an impossibility, but the prize that every supporter so deeply covets is only growing closer. Beat Bournemouth on Saturday, and with six matches left to play, the lead will be at least nine points when they travel to the Etihad Stadium, albeit with one more game played than City. Get things right in the next two games, and a 22-year wait to be champions of England would surely be approaching its imminent end.
Not that Mikel Arteta is letting his mind wander as far ahead as that trip to City. For starters, there’s the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal to consider, but the Arsenal manager is focused on the here and now. Channelling his inner John Sitton, Arteta delivered a customary rallying cry to supporters. “Tomorrow is a big day for us,” he said. “The players know it, our supporters know it, it’s an early kick-off, so get up early, have an early breakfast, bring your lunch, bring your dinner, and let’s go all together for it because it has to be a big day.
“We know the meaning of every match here and the opportunity that we have, especially when we play at home. We need to maximise every result. It’s about each individual and how we turn up there. It’s actually impacting the game, the atmosphere and energy in the stadium. Whoever comes tomorrow, I ask them to be with that mindset, energy and commitment, because the team is going to respond beautifully to that.”
Who exactly makes up that team is, as ever, a puzzle. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber, Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori all missed open training on Thursday. “There have been changes since yesterday,” was all Arteta would offer in that regard. You suspect that if Eberechi Eze hadn’t been pictured in that session, then his manager would be casting doubt as to his availability. Instead, the No.10 is available for selection somewhat ahead of schedule following the thigh injury that caused him to miss the EFL Cup Final, FA Cup and Champions League quarterfinals.
“The recovery, the will that he’s shown from day one to get back as quickly as possible, how he’s pushed the medical staff and himself to be there tomorrow, it’s just great to watch,” said Arteta. Arsenal could do with the best version of Eze, that player who springs into life when the calendar hits March every year, at a time when their attack is a little more up and down than ideal.
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Eze is still a little inconsistent, the sort of player who can make no meaningful impact on the first leg of a Champions League tie then swing its second with one brilliant goal, but when he takes shots he tends to do so at volume. That is something Arsenal have often needed, and it is easy to see the England international slotting in across multiple problem positions. If Odegaard is fit, Eze could add thrust to the left in place of the misfiring Leandro Trossard. If the captain is unavailable, then Eze can dovetail just as effectively with Viktor Gyokeres and perhaps Kai Havertz.
Arsenal will need that attacking thrust. Bournemouth are unbeaten in the league since the Gunners won at Dean Court on January 3, and Andoni Iraola’s side are showing signs of plugging up a previously leaky backline. Since that last league loss, the Cherries are almost at league average in terms of non-penalty expected goals (npxG) allowed per game, no bad thing when their attack averages more npxG per game than Arsenal.
That speaks to the challenge ahead of Arsenal. There’s a case to be made that, the trip to City very obviously aside, it might be the trickiest left on their domestic fixture list. No wonder Arteta is so laser-focused on the here and now then.
Arsenal vs. Bournemouth viewing information
- Date: Saturday, April 11 | Time: 7:30 a.m. ET
- Location: Emirates Stadium — London
- TV: USA
- Odds: Arsenal -225; Draw +340; Bournemouth +600
