Arsenal 1 Bournemouth 2: Set-piece weakness exposed again in limp defeat

If Arsenal hoped to take some momentum into the defining week of their season, they have been disappointed.

A limp 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, the first time they had ever been beaten at home by the south-coast club, means they go into Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg at Paris Saint-Germain with much to ponder — and plenty to improve.

Mikel Arteta’s side trail from the first leg by a single goal and will need a significantly improved performance in France if they are to reach just their second final in the competition.

Here, we dissect the main talking points from today’s game.

More set-piece struggles

Arsenal’s threat at attacking set pieces is often celebrated, but this season there has been a worrying vulnerability with defensive dead-balls.

Arteta’s team conceded from a long throw and a corner against Bournemouth. Those were the 11th and 12th occasions Arsenal have conceded from a set piece in the 2024-25 Premier League campaign. Only four teams — Wolves, Southampton, Manchester United and Ipswich, all in the bottom eight of the table — have a worse record this season excluding penalties.

As Arsenal’s Premier League campaign has petered out, some uncharacteristically sloppy errors have crept into their game. Against Bournemouth, there were a couple of unusually shaky moments for goalkeeper David Raya, whose passing seems to have become a little more erratic of late.

Arsenal go to Paris with a 1-0 deficit, and know that any defensive mistake could leave the tie beyond them. PSG arguably carry more threat in open play than at dead balls, but their analysts will doubtless be paying close attention to Arsenal’s emerging issue.

Rice’s milestone moment

Declan Rice marked his 100th game for Arsenal with a goal. In the 34th minute, he popped up in the centre-forward position, running in behind the Bournemouth defence to take the ball round the goalkeeper and finish.

Rice now has 34 goal contributions in 100 Arsenal games (15 goals, 19 assists). It’s a far better tally than Arsenal could reasonably have hoped for when they paid £105million to make Rice their record signing in the summer of 2023.

But Rice has evolved into a different player. While he was bought with a view to fielding him as a No 6, this game saw the England international return to the No 8 role that has become his primary position. The goal demonstrated why: his running power from midfield is difficult to contend with.

With Thomas Partey now available again following his Champions League suspension, Rice is set to continue in his box-to-box role against PSG on Wednesday. Having been a difference maker in the two-legged tie against Real Madrid, Arsenal will be hoping he can deliver again in Paris.

Huijsen’s heads-up

This match provided Arsenal fans with an opportunity to have a closer look at 20-year-old centre-half Dean Huijsen.

They certainly will have noticed him: Bournemouth’s centre-half climbed highest in a crowded penalty area to head home their 67th-minute equaliser.

Dean Huijsen heads in Bournemouth’s equaliser (Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)

Arsenal are among the suitors courting Huijsen ahead of the summer transfer window and regard him as a potential replacement should Jakub Kiwior leave the club this summer.

There’s a debate to be had there, though. After finally getting a run in his preferred position as a left-sided centre-back, Kiwior looks a much more accomplished Premier League performer. Huijsen’s release clause is set at £50million ($66.4m) — with other needs in the squad, would swapping Kiwior for the Spanish international represent a worthwhile upgrade?

Much may depend on whether there is a market for Kiwior — and, crucially, what the Pole wants to do at this point in his career. At 25, he may feel he needs regular football, and as long as William Saliba and Gabriel are at Arsenal, that’s going to be difficult to come by.

What next for Arsenal?

Wednesday, May 7: PSG (Away), Champions League semi-final second leg, 8pm UK, 3pm ET

(Top photo: Declan Rice; Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)

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