Mikel Arteta has promised to channel the frustration of Arsenal’s 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth into a focused effort for the upcoming Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. The defeat, in which Arsenal squandered a lead, was a tough blow, especially given the high expectations for the second-leg match in Paris, where Arsenal must overturn a 1-0 deficit.
Despite sending out a strong starting lineup, Arteta watched as his team fell apart in the second half, allowing Bournemouth to stage a comeback. The defeat highlighted Arsenal’s persistent struggles with defending set-pieces, a recurring issue this season. Bournemouth’s equalizer came from a long throw, and the winning goal arrived from a corner. This has been a consistent vulnerability for Arsenal, with 12 of their 31 Premier League goals conceded this season coming from set-pieces.
Following the match, Arteta expressed his disappointment at the result but emphasized his belief that the frustration from the defeat could serve as fuel for Arsenal’s performance in Paris. “What we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy. So, make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final,” Arteta said. The manager noted that while the defeat had undermined their preparations for PSG, it had also created a strong emotional reaction that could be transformed into motivation for the Champions League battle.
Arsenal had taken the lead through Declan Rice but failed to capitalize on their advantage, allowing Bournemouth to find an equalizer and then seize the game with a second goal. Arteta reflected on the team’s inability to kill off the match, particularly lamenting the poor defending on set-pieces. “You defend the box really poorly … the way we’ve done it in the two set pieces that we have conceded again,” he remarked. Arsenal’s defensive frailty has been exposed in numerous games this season, with the lack of defensive composure on set-pieces proving particularly costly.
Arteta’s decision to field his strongest available team against Bournemouth was in stark contrast to PSG’s approach, with manager Luis Enrique making ten changes for his side’s 2-1 defeat against Strasbourg. Arteta explained that Arsenal still had significant league matters to address, with their position in the Premier League far from secured. “We still have a lot to do in the Premier League. Because mathematically we are not qualified. We haven’t had the right to finish second yet so we still have a lot to do,” he explained, pointing to the crucial remaining fixtures against Liverpool, Newcastle, and Southampton.
In terms of personnel, Arteta revealed that Jurrien Timber had been left out due to a minor injury sustained during the first leg against PSG. The manager admitted he wasn’t confident about Timber’s fitness ahead of the second leg in Paris, although he refrained from providing specific details on the injury. “Confident? At the moment, no, because he wasn’t able to play here and we play them in four days,” Arteta said.
The match against Bournemouth was not without controversy, particularly regarding the winning goal scored by Bournemouth’s Evanilson. The goal appeared to have been handled, but after a lengthy VAR review, the goal stood. Arteta commented on the decision, noting that while the images suggested a different outcome, the VAR officials had made their choice. Meanwhile, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, asked about his thoughts on VAR decisions this season, expressed frustration, stating that the team’s position in the standings might have been different without certain VAR calls.
