After such a resounding defeat prior to the international break, where Arsenal went to Liverpool only to be humbled in the most disappointing fashion, a match-winning display was required. The Gunners did not let supporters down either as they brushed Bournemouth aside with consummate ease. Arsenal didn’t just take a bite of the cherry - they wolfed down the whole thing. Indeed, the hosts restricted Bournemouth to just seven shots on goal, two of which were on target, as Arsenal were back to their buccaneering best following an indifferent start to the season.
They stuck with the three-man defence, but Arsene Wenger this time opted to play Sead Kolasinac in his preferred position at left wing-back. The decision paid off in the opening exchanges as it was the Bosnian who powered down the left to put in the cross for Danny Welbeck to inadvertently shoulder the ball from close range past Asmir Begovic in the Bournemouth net.
A rampant Arsenal doubled their advantage midway through the first half as Welbeck turned provider this time. Nathan Ake stepped forward to block Mesut Ozil’s pass forward. The Dutchman mistimed the challenge and the ball fell to Welbeck’s feet. He quickly shifted to Alexandre Lacazette, who rifled past Begovic at his near post.
Jermain Defoe came close to halving the deficit minutes after the interval as he headed Jordon Ibe’s cross against the near post, but Welbeck put the game out of Bournemouth’s reach moments later. Dan Gosling was caught in possession by Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman drove forward before laying off for Welbeck to slide an effort past Begovic at the far post.
Arsenal finished the game wth 10-men as Francis Coquelin hobbled off with a hamstring problem, but in all honesty, the 3-0 scoreline flattered Bournemouth. Right from the off, they were second best to their London counterparts as the defence failed to keep tabs on Arsenal’s fluid forward line, even with Howe deploying a five-man defence that was seen in the narrow 2-1 defeat to Manchester City last time out. Lacazette’s return to the XI meant the creative personnel had a ruthless attacking outlet, and one that was constantly on the move, and his name on the team sheet undoubtedly settled some nerves ahead of a potential banana-skin welcome of Bournemouth.
However, it was the choice to name Kolasinac from the off in his preferred position that at long last brought out the best in Arsenal this term. The summer arrival has been forced to play on the left of a three-man defence, yet even Laurent Koscielny’s return from suspension and Shkodran Mustafi’s availability saw Kolasinac played out of position. With Wenger opting to crowbar Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain into the XI at wing-back, Arsenal didn’t see the best of the 24-year-old until he started on the left in the victory over Bournemouth. For a player who registered the joint-most assists (5) in the Bundesliga last season from wing-back, it made perfect sense for Wenger to at long last deploy the former Schalke man on the left flank in his three-man defence, especially in the wake of Oxlade-Chamberlain's deadline day move to Liverpool.
The improvement was immediate as Kolasinac earned a WhoScored rating of 8.07; only Welbeck (9.01) and Lacazette (8.17) earned higher at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon. His move to his favoured position offered Arsenal greater balance all across the pitch and this resonated in a much-improved performance from the Gunners. Even with Alexis Sanchez dropped to the bench, Arsenal were in cruise-control from start to finish and the Chilean’s absence had little effect on the final result. It’s crucial now, though, that Arsenal don’t rest on their laurels. Bournemouth may have been the perfect opponent for the north London side striving to return to winning ways - Arsenal have never lost a Premier League match to the south coast side - but the Cherries were woeful to say the least.
Begovic (6.84) was their highest rated player on the day, and that speaks volumes. Bournemouth are one of three teams to lose every Premier League match so far this season and the manner with which they failed to impose themselves on the game must be a concern for Howe. They only really begun to pose a threat on the Arsenal goal once the home side went down to 10-men after Coquelin was forced off, and even then Arsenal were comfortable in denying the Cherries.
All in all, it was the ideal match for Arsenal, though. After a testing few weeks, the responded perfectly and put a crucial three points on the board. The win gives the Gunners the perfect foundation to build upon ahead of the return of European action and it’s an opportunity they must now maximise.
