Four Takeaways from Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth as crunch Champions League clash at PSG loom large

Believe and take us to Munich: Here's Scarlet Katz Roberts' reflections from Arsenal's loss to the Cherries as she looks towards Paris 

1 - Believe and take us to Munich

The Ashburton Army’s Clock End banner fought to stay in place in yesterday’s gusty conditions, and without careful attention sometimes splintered into the abstract, words appearing out of sync: BELIEVE…MUNICH.

In an alternate reality not far from this one, the good weather held, N5 was bathed in sunshine, the Arsenal cruise to victory following a composed Declan Rice strike, and are flooded with the confidence of a good win.

As it was, the game turned on its head, the AA’s message blew out of place in the strangely cold wind, and any belief that might have been harvested from a nice day out at the Emirates ebbed away. So where are we now?

2 - Martin Odegaard

For a while it was normal service resumed. The captain, much criticised for his performance against PSG, provided the assist for Declan Rice’s opener with a familiar weighted through ball.

Early on, Odegaard was central to our offensive progression, lurking dangerously in the right half space. But the negativity will surely start right back up again about his performances after he was wrestled to the floor by Evanilson before Bournemouth's winner. He often had the ball in promising positions only to inexplicably hesitate, even falling over it at one point.

Once again, despite his best efforts, fans walk away with more questions than answers about what’s going on with him.

3 - Points dropped from winning positions

Holding leads has become a major weak point for us this season. This defeat took us to 21 points dropped from winning positions and was the first time since January 2022 we’ve lost at home when leading at half time.

When we’re dominant in games, we habitually fail to convert or create sufficient chances to drive home our advantage. Moments of threat abounded after the break against Bournemouth.

Saka went closest, but we didn’t take our chances, meaning we were always vulnerable to an equaliser, duly supplied by Dean Huijsen (just a chill guy who we want to sign this summer).

Perhaps the more worrying theme emerging from these points dropped is our inability to pick ourselves up off the canvas when we concede. The team looked frantic, flustered and uncreative yesterday. This trait was absolutely demonstrable against PSG in the first leg, when their early goal was followed by a period of domination in which we appeared clueless, suckerpunched. 

I’ve got to say, I’m so sick of seeing away fans have their day at the Emirates. We’re normally such mean hosts, but I’ve seen too many limbs in their corner this season. The away contingent get lovely seats, and a lovely day out to remember when they got to sing second again (we should be so lucky) ole ole for ninety minutes. 

4 - What does this mean for PSG

Was this game anything other than a dress rehearsal?

Or was it indicative of fundamental weaknesses that stand to condemn our season to nothing again ole ole. Wednesday holds the answers to that.

We would’ve preferred to win of course, but that and all the other disappointments will quickly be rendered irrelevant if the Arsenal turn it around on Wednesday.

There was a very confident fan outside my window who seemed not to take the Bournemouth result too much to heart, “we’re on our way, we’re on our way…” he sung late into the night.

Is it hope, is it expectation to believe we can offer a much changed performance to the first leg.

I don’t know, but I still believe.