For a start, the Gunners need to be better at defending set-pieces.
While they were far from at their best against Bournemouth they were in control of the game, as the visitors did not manage a shot on target for the first hour.
But their first such attempt resulted in an equaliser as Dean Huijsen headed in from Antoine Semenyo’s long throw.
A set-piece was again Arsenal’s undoing for the winner as a corner was flicked on to the far post for Evanilson to bundle in.
Of the goals Arsenal have conceded this season 38.7% have come from set-piece situations – the most in the English top flight.
Arsenal have to score on Wednesday and then somehow keep out a PSG side that has scored a league-high 42 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games at home so far this season.
In their past five Premier League games Arsenal have taken the lead, but in four of those games they failed to hold on to that advantage.
In total they have dropped 21 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, their joint-most in a single campaign (also 21 in 2019-20).
The other concern to arise from Saturday’s defeat was that after Bournemouth took the lead in the 75th minute, the Gunners did not manage a single attempt on or off target.
“At the minute, looking at that you just cannot see it [Arsenal beating PSG],” former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green said on BBC Radio 5 live.
“You take Declan Rice out of the equation of this team and you’ve got a group of players bereft of confidence and ideas on how to score goals and have an incisive edge.
“There’s work to do and so little time to do it.”
Leave a Reply