Declan Rice raced over to the Arsenal followers tucked away into the nook, grabbed the tv digicam in each palms, and planted a smacker proper on the lens. It was not simply the broadcaster’s tools he’d hauled into his clutches however Arsenal’s march to the Premier League title too.
For these are the large moments seized by the perfect gamers. When his Arsenal aspect have been huffing and puffing, nervous and edgy, after Gabriel had handed Bournemouth an early lead with surprising backpass that proved even probably the most degree heads wobble typically, Rice stepped up with the primary brace of his Arsenal profession.
With two waves of his proper foot, two easy passes into the underside nook after late runs in direction of the penalty space, Arsenal have been in entrance after which two in entrance with sufficient respiration room to climate a late storm after Junior Kroupi had pulled one again for Bournemouth.
For even after Arsenal dispatched Aston Villa with out him final outing, if is to be Arsenal’s 12 months, Rice made certain he was the person to begin it off on the proper foot even when it regarded as if it may go horribly improper.
A visit to Bournemouth is not the easy process it would as soon as have been. The Cherries did the double over the Gunners final season and it was Andoni Iraola’s aspect, in spite of everything, who have been Arsenal’s closest challengers again in October however since then had didn’t win any of their final 10 video games and title winners, particularly ones being chased by Manchester Metropolis, need to dispatch such groups.
After Metropolis’s slip at Sunderland, this was an opportunity to open up an eight-point hole on Pep Guardiola’s aspect earlier than their go to of managerless Chelsea on Sunday and 7 on second-placed Aston Villa. One which regarded as if it would slip by their fingers and one, due to Rice, it was one they ultimately took.
Declan Rice raced over to the Arsenal followers tucked away into the nook, grabbed the tv digicam in each palms, and planted a smacker proper on the lens
Antoine Semenyo began regardless of his looming transfer to Arsenal’s title rivals Manchester Metropolis
Gabriel gifted Bournemouth the lead with a scarcely-believable error when he handed the ball straight to Evanilson for a faucet in – however redeemed himself with an equaliser six minutes later
For Arsenal have lengthy had an issue with main. The final 4 instances they’ve topped the desk on the midway level of the season, the title has slipped by their grasp. To Manchester United in 2003, Manchester Metropolis in 2014 and two years in the past, and even Leicester in 2016.
For lengthy durations on the south coast till Rice’s heroics they performed like a aspect that is aware of it too. Gone was the belligerent Arsenal that regarded to have shrugged off any nerves from latest slim wins by bulldozing Aston Villa. Arsenal regarded jittery and edgy. Arteta was much more animated on the touchline than ordinary as his aspect gave the ball away and their ordinary imperious midfield was performed by at will by a fervent Bournemouth aspect buoyed by the data that this was, maybe, the final time they might see certainly one of their stars.
Earlier than kick-off, the stadium announcer on the Vitality Stadium ran by the checklist of match mascots and their favorite participant. A minimum of half of the youngsters named Antoine Semenyo as their man. They’ll quickly have to alter that.
Semenyo is so near a transfer to Manchester Metropolis that many questioned whether or not he would function. However why wouldn’t he? Damage threat apart, what higher method for Pep Guardiola to get probably the most out of his impending new signing than watching him hurt his foremost title rivals earlier than he’s even pulled on a shirt.
It didn’t take lengthy to see the affect he could make too, as he wriggled into the field inside the primary minute and nearly received in behind the Arsenal defence. He launched a harmful lengthy throw into the field, then turned Noni Madueke and dinked in a harmful cross. He bulldozed Piero Hincapie to the bottom with a shoulder barge. You think about Guardiola was watching on with a glint in his eye.
How that might have sparkled once more when he watched Gabriel present Bournemouth the lead with a scarcely-believable error when he handed the ball straight to Evanilson for a faucet in. Who is aware of what he was considering. He didn’t even look.
It was his centre-back accomplice William Saliba whose error value Arsenal right here final season, proven a purple card for dragging down Evanilson on the midway line when the Bournemouth striker was by on aim. This time it was Gabriel, so usually the rock on which Arteta’s aspect is constructed and one they have been so happy to see return from damage in opposition to Villa.
He scored in that sport and he made up for his error right here, too, firing residence an equaliser after Gabriel Martinelli’s shot was rebounded into his path after nice work by Noni Madueke on the proper flank.
Arsenal are actually a membership that has the luxurious of with the ability to relaxation and rotate even within the warmth of a title race. Arteta can provide Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, the highest scorer within the league in 2025, a breather, figuring out he has Martinelli and Madueke to fit in and figuring out they will affect video games in the best way they did for the equaliser.
And he is aware of that when he can name on contemporary legs, they will change video games too. Whereas it was Martin Odegaard, again to his finest once more after damage, who laid on Rice’s first aim, it was Saka who danced into the field for the third to sq. it for the second.
It’s the type of interchangeable riches Guardiola has lengthy been capable of boast whereas lots of Arsenal’s title challenges previously have come crumbling down as soon as damage struck a few of their finest stars. Not any extra.
