Mikel Arteta explains the reasons behind Arsenal’s shocking loss to Bournemouth and who is to blame…

Mikel Arteta identifies the responsible parties for Arsenal’s unexpected loss to Bournemouth.

Mikel Arteta addresses accountability for Arsenal’s unexpected loss to Bournemouth

Arsenal suffered a 2-0 defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday, with William Saliba’s red card proving detrimental. Arteta points out key moments that influenced the match.

Following the Gunners’ first loss of the season, manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged that the team must accept responsibility for the defeat, attributing it to several critical errors made during the game.

The match saw goals from Ryan Christie and Evanilson, both of which came after Saliba received a red card for a professional foul in the first half.

This incident was preceded by a misplaced pass from Leandro Trossard, while Arteta also noted a missed chance by Gabriel Martinelli as a significant mistake that contributed to the loss.

“We are clearly very disappointed with the outcome and frustrated because we had to compete in that situation [with ten players],” he stated.

“This instance was even more challenging than the previous two we encountered this season.

“Competing for 65 or 68 minutes with a man down at this level is nearly impossible. It’s a scenario that inevitably leads to dropping points.

I cannot criticize the team for their effort, commitment, or intelligence in executing our game plan.

“There was a crucial moment at 0-0 when we had a clear opportunity, one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

We failed to convert, and then at the other end, we conceded. We must hold ourselves accountable.

“Errors are an inherent part of football. Unfortunately, we made two significant mistakes that cost us the match.”

Arteta chose not to be overly critical of Saliba following his expulsion but confirmed that Arsenal would not contest the decision made by VAR, which overturned the on-field referee’s initial yellow card assessment.

Arteta commented, “It’s a decision that must be made in an instant.

The striker is positioned with his back turned, and he certainly doesn’t anticipate the ball coming towards him. He simply made a choice, and that’s the end of it.

“That choice has been altered, and now we cannot change it again. The decision is final.

“We need to accept it, move forward, and carry the disappointment we are experiencing right now into our match on Tuesday against Shakhtar Donetsk.”