Alan Shearer has blasted Arsenal and suggested Bournemouth wanted the win more on Saturday, despite the Gunners’ ongoing fight for the Premier League title.
Arsenal fans were left bitterly disappointed after Saturday’s game at home to Bournemouth, with the Gunners losing 2-1 to blow a huge opportunity in the Premier League title race.
With Arsenal playing before Manchester City on the weekend, the Gunners could have opened up a 12-point gap over their title rivals, putting huge pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side for Sunday’s trip away to Stamford Bridge to face Champions League hopefuls Chelsea.
Instead, Arsenal lost, the gap is nine points, and City have received a massive boost ahead of one of their toughest remaining fixtures.
Arsenal fans will be concerned about the way their team meekly slipped to defeat, and Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer has suggested they’re right to be.
“You would be really worried having looked at that today because of what’s gone on in the last three or four weeks with Arsenal,” Shearer said. “There was no energy, Bournemouth wanted it more than Arsenal, and that’s not a good sign going forward.
“No excuses today. The best team won, there’s no doubt about it, they wanted it more than Arsenal, and that would be the worrying thing.”
Shearer is clearly making reference to Arsenal’s other recent setbacks, including the League Cup final defeat to Manchester City and FA Cup final exit to Southampton.
The Gunners are in control of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Sporting, having won 1-0 in the away leg. But even then, there are no guarantees of progression if Arsenal repeat Saturday’s performance next Wednesday.
One by one, Arsenal’s trophy hopes are fading away, and the team need to stop the rot fast.