Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth: Player Rating as Nelson hits dramatic winner as Gunners complete comeback

reiss-nelson

Reiss Nelson’s 97th-minute strike completed a remarkable comeback for Arsenal in a 3-2 win against Bournemouth.

Phillip Billing scored the second-fastest goal in Premier League history to hand the Cherries a shock lead, with Marcos Senesi doubling the advantage in the second half.

Thomas Partey and Ben White struck in quick succession to bring Arsenal level, though it seemed the Gunners would remain on course to drop crucial points in the title race.

Substitute Nelson had other ideas though, firing in from outside the box in the dying moments to restore a five-point advantage over Manchester City.

Arsenal player ratings (4-3-3)

GK: Aaron Ramsdale – 7/10 – The former Bournemouth man had the first touch of the game for any Arsenal player, picking the ball out of the net. Kept his current employers in the contest with a great smothering stop.

RB: Takehiro Tomiyasu – 3/10 – Hooked at half-time after a display devoid of the requisite delicate touches.

CB: William Saliba – 5/10 – Still mentally in the dressing room for the opening goal but swiftly recovered his composure to dominate a little too late.

CB: Gabriel – 6/10 – Either the Brazilian or Saliba mopped up the majority of Bournemouth’s breakaways before they reached the box.

LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko – 5/10 – Arsenal had so much possession Zinchenko spent the vast majority of his time trying to pick a lock from central midfield.

CM: Martin Odegaard – 5/10 – Floating around desperate to find what little space existed between the visiting black shirts.

CM: Thomas Partey – 5/10 – Endured and enjoyed a mixed display where every glaring error was countered by a crucial contribution.

CM: Fabio Vieira – 3/10 – On his first Premier League start since September, Vieira flitted in and mainly out of the contest.

RW: Bukayo Saka – 6/10 – So often the first option as Arsenal built an attack but was invariably faced with a gaggle of defenders.

ST: Leandro Trossard – N/A – Forced off injured within a frantic opening quarter of the contest.

LW: Gabriel Martinelli – 4/10 – Shifted centrally following Trossard’s premature departure, Martinelli got lost in the scrum of bodies.


Substitutes

Emile Smith Rowe (22′ for Trossard) – 4/10 – Skirted around the fringes of proceedings as he still looks some way short of full fitness.

Ben White (46′ for Tomiyasu) – 8/10 – Emphatically provided the impact Arteta was hoping for.

Reiss Nelson (69′ for Smith Rowe) – 8/10 – Added the drive that Arsenal had been lacking.

Granti Xhaka (84′ for Vieira) – N/A


Manager

Mikel Arteta – 5/10 – The law of probability suggests that at least one of Arsenal’s long-range efforts would eventually pay off but Arteta can rely on this approach going forward.

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