New Delhi: Arsenal’s hopes of ending the Premier League season strongly took another hit on Saturday, as they suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium. What should have been a routine afternoon turned into yet another disappointing chapter in a faltering run of form, leaving manager Mikel Arteta and his players visibly frustrated ahead of their crunch Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gunners started well as they took the lead against the Cherries, only to drop the points for the fourth time in their previous Premier League fixtures. But things quickly unravelled as their vulnerability from set-pieces once again came back to haunt them. Dean Huijsen, a player Arsenal are reportedly keen to sign in the summer, found the equaliser with a powerful header, before Evanilson put Bournemouth ahead in the 75th minute with a scrappy finish following another set-play.
It was a worrying repeat of recent performances where Arsenal have let games slip through their fingers. Saturday’s loss marked the fourth time in five league games that they have failed to secure all three points—an alarming trend at this crucial stage of the season.
Arteta admits emotional toll
Speaking after the match, Mikel Arteta didn’t hide his emotions. The Arsenal boss admitted that the defeat “created a lot of anger, frustration, rage, disappointment.” A raw cocktail of feelings that reflected just how much pressure his side is under. Still, the Spaniard was quick to shift focus toward the upcoming clash in Paris, urging his team to use the pain of this loss as fuel for their European ambitions.
Arteta still boosted his team’s morale ahead of the clash against PSG, saying, “Let’s use all of that on Wednesday.” With Arsenal trailing 1-0 from the first leg at home, they will need every ounce of focus, aggression, and energy if they are to turn the tie around against a strong PSG side.
🎥 Mikel Arteta swatting a fly before his post-match press conference yesterday… 😅🪰
— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) May 4, 2025
Odegaard highlights second-half collapse
Martin Odegaard also echoed his manager’s disappointment, but his tone carried a sharper edge. “Massive disappointment,” he said when asked about the result. “We started the game pretty well. We got the goal and felt like we controlled pretty much everything, but they scored and we lost control of the game.”
Odegaard pointed to the lack of rhythm and composure after conceding, calling the second-half performance “too chaotic and too sloppy.” With a massive European night around the corner, the Norwegian insisted the team must learn from this latest letdown quickly.
No excuses from full-strength Arsenal
Unlike earlier in the season when injuries forced Arteta’s hand, this wasn’t a case of a weakened side. The manager fielded what was close to his best available XI, making only two changes from the team that faced PSG earlier in the week. The lack of sharpness and organisation, particularly in the latter stages, will no doubt be a concern.
Arteta may now be tempted to make changes for the trip to Paris, hoping to inject fresh energy and focus into a side that looks emotionally drained. With a place in the Champions League final still up for grabs, there’s no room for another misstep. For Arsenal, it’s now or never.
Arsenal suffer a 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth, extending their poor Premier League run. Mikel Arteta aims to turn frustration into fuel ahead of a crucial Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
