Former Manchester United star Owen Hargreaves has identified a key weakness in Arsenal’s recent performances, following their latest outing.
The ex-Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder also noted that only Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhães delivered satisfactory displays in Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s side once again failed to impress, producing an uninspiring performance. Bournemouth cancelled out Junior Kroupi’s opener through a penalty from Viktor Gyökeres before Alex Scott struck the winning goal in the 74th minute at the Emirates Stadium.
Despite the setback, Arsenal remain nine points clear at the top of the Premier League. However, Manchester City have two matches in hand and are scheduled to face the Gunners next weekend.
Arteta continues to face scrutiny over Arsenal’s approach, particularly their inability to create enough clear scoring opportunities.
Speaking after the game, Hargreaves questioned the team’s confidence levels.
“They didn’t look assured at all,” he said. “I was at the stadium, and while the fans were lively early on, their mood changed by the final whistle.
“Only Rice and Gabriel really met expectations — the rest were second best throughout.
“Bournemouth deserve credit; their pressing was relentless and highly effective.
“Arsenal couldn’t control possession, often going long, and they played back to the goalkeeper far too often. David Raya ended up being one of their most involved players in terms of passes.
“They invited pressure, and against a side that presses as well as Bournemouth, that’s risky. Ultimately, they were punished for it.
“For me, the bigger concern is that they’ve been second best in three of their last four matches — against City in the Carabao Cup final, Southampton in the FA Cup, and this game.
“They did beat Sporting, but even then, Raya had to make several key saves, which tells you they were under pressure again.
“They’ve worked hard to get into this position, but they need to see it through. Today, they lacked bravery, confidence, and a bit of fight.”
