Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed his frustration after his team suffered a 2–1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, despite taking an early lead.
Declan Rice opened the scoring for the Gunners in the first half, but the visitors failed to maintain control as goals from Dean Huijsen and Evanilson turned the game in Bournemouth’s favour.
Reflecting on the loss, Arteta pointed to his side’s lack of clinical finishing and vulnerability from set pieces as key reasons for the result.
“We had so many big spaces and big opportunities to score, but we didn’t,” he told Premier League Productions. “When you concede goals from set pieces, it’s very difficult to earn the three points.”
The Arsenal boss also criticised his team’s inability to close the game out when in control, highlighting lapses in possession and defensive concentration.
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“Because we don’t finish the actions, and you give so many simple balls away,” he said when asked why Bournemouth came out on top. “They run, and in transition, they are really good. When we had them, we didn’t kill them. We gave them hope.”
Arteta acknowledged that the loss followed a familiar pattern, pointing to previous dropped points against Crystal Palace and Fulham due to similar set-piece issues. “It’s something we need to improve,” he added.
The defeat is a setback for Arsenal as they continue to push for a top finish in the Premier League.
