Bournemouth 2-3 Arsenal
by Layth Yousif 
at Dean Court 

THE winning brace from the Premier League’s standout player of the season so far was enough to beat Andoni Iraola’s lively Cherries, after an absorbing clash on a bitterly cold Saturday evening on the south coast.

Rice’s superb contribution ensured victory for Mikel Arteta’s side, who pulled clear of their main title challengers after posting an important win after falling behind to an early goal. 

When asked after the match if the England international was one of the best players in the world, Arsenal boss Arteta emphatically insisted: “For me yes,” after Rice’s double made it 14 goals in his Arsenal career — the same as his boss managed during his time as a player in red and white. 

“Declan is constantly adding things to his game,” Arteta added, saying: “He’s constantly adding things to his role in the team. I don’t see where he can stop because he can still improve in a lot of areas and he wants to improve. He’s such a pivotal player for us.”

The influential Rice returned to the Gunners starting XI, with Noni Madueke also making the line-up, while Gabi Martinelli was given the nod over Leo Trossard.

Bukayo Saka started on the bench, while Kai Havertz remained at home, although club sources explained it was more a case that the striker’s load was being managed sensibly, rather than any inherent injury setback.

Antoine Semenyo started for Bournemouth in what was his 100th Premier League appearance for the Cherries, ahead of his expected move north to Manchester City next week.

On nine minutes Madueke fired over, after working space on the edge of the box.

In a lively opening, sixty seconds later, Evanilson capitalised on a dreadful error by Gabriel to put Iraola’s side 1-0 ahead.

The normally redoubtable Brazilian defender played a sloppy square ball across the box that was intercepted by the Cherries striker, who slotted into an empty net with David Raya stranded, as the home support erupted in joy, and no little disbelief.

However, as if to underline to vagaries and vicissitudes of our beautiful game, who else but the stricken Gabriel equalised for the Gunners, a mere six minutes after his disastrous error led to the Cherries opener. VAR failing to find any lawful impediment to disallow the leveller, to leave the visiting team and supporters jubilant.

Speaking after the match, Arteta took time to praise the courage and character of his reliable centre-back, saying: “I think what Gabriel has done after making a big mistake to concede the goal, the way he reacted to that, the way he played afterwards, the way he transmitted energy after that, it was remarkable.”

Arteta asked, as much in praise, as contemplation: “What is it individually about the players that shows that resilience to turn around and turn those mistakes into big moments?

“When you concede a goal after that, it’s really tough to do it mentally, especially with what is at stake in every game. So, I’m very, very impressed with what he’s done.”

Yet, despite the visitors’ leveller, it was instructive to note Arteta and assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg deep in discussion on the touchline after Arsenal’s strangely sloppy start that could have seen the home side go ahead once more.

Notably through efforts from Justin Kluivert on 26 minutes, prior to Marcus Tavernier’s shot after the half-hour mark.

No wonder a perplexed Arteta was seen scratching his head, as time after time the north London table-toppers misplaced passes, or were simply in need of recalibration in terms of their positioning, movement and anticipation, as the no doubt equally confused travelling support urged their team on, under it had to be said, an ominous south-coast full moon.

As the clock ticked down towards a much-needed intermission, at least for the visiting side, Semenyo fired over, to remind everyone that Bournemouth, at least on the south coast, are a match for anyone. Quite how they will cope with the loss of their excellent forward remains to be seen. As does the way Pep Guardiola will utilise such an exciting addition, once the coveted 25-year-old signs for the billionaire moneybags.

Seven minutes after the interval Cherries captain David Brooks powered down the flank, before firing a low drive that flew across Raya’s goal.

Undeterred, 120 seconds later, Arsenal swept up the other end in a bid to grab that all important second goal — which came from Rice, for this observer, the Premier League’s player of the season so far. The fit again Rice firing low past former Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic to put the Gunners 2-1 ahead on 54 minutes. The goal coming after a delicious assist from skipper Martin Odegaard, who found his colleague with a superb slide rule pass, which underlined the Norwegian’s rare vision and cool head amid the bustle. 

The strike was much to the delight of the travelling fans, where Rice and his teammates congregated to celebrate joyously, with delirious Gooners singing their familiar refrain: “We got him half price,” a nod to the former West Ham midfielder’s prodigious qualities, that saw many believe his £105m fee was a bargain, in football terms at least.

Shortly afterwards, in a bid to bolster the Gunners lead, Arteta made a triple substitution on 67 minutes. Gabriel Jesus replacing the sadly lacklustre Viktor Gyokeres, who now made it nine games without scoring from open play. While Trossard replaced Martinelli, and Saka came on for Madueke.

The move paid dividends with the fresh legs providing additional impetus to the Gunners, who by now, had stabilised their decidedly shoddy first half display, with a performance more worthy of the league leaders.

So, it was no surprise that the visitors went further ahead, when Rice drilled home with a swagger Saka’s pullback on 71 minutes, to make it 3-1.

It was credit to Iraola’s Cherries that they refused to capitulate, instead, pulling a goal back with 14 minutes remaining through substitute Junior Kroupi, who fired home to reduce the deficit, and make it 3-2 to Arsenal, as the determined visitors held out to post an important triumph. No mean feat when the Cherries had only conceded six goals in their previous nine home league games before kick-off.  

A dejected Iraola reflected after the final whistle: “We were better in the first half, but Arsenal had the better of the second half, adding: “Arsenal found a way to win it and that is costing us a lot.”

The highly rated Basque was correct. Arsenal have been finding a way to win this season. 

If the Gunners want to lift their first league title in 22 years, they will certainly have to continue their knack of achieving maximum points when the pressure is on, as next on the bill are last season’s fading champions Liverpool in north London on Thursday.