Mikel Arteta can have no complaints as Arsenal run is stopped by Andoni Iraola's genius

Arsenal fell to a astonishment 2-0 decision distant astatine Bournemouth aft being reduced to 10 men, but Cherries caput manager Andoni Iraola deserves acold much recognition than helium volition get

Dusk connected the Dorset Riviera whitethorn person reminded erstwhile team-mates Mikel Arteta and Andoni Iraola of idyllic twilights backmost home.

But for Arteta and Arsenal, it turned into a fiery sunset, and his archetypal decision successful 17 games volition person perchance damaging consequences successful the rubric race. And portion Bournemouth’s objective take-down of the Gunners’ 10 men was compulsive viewing, it was besides a connection that Iraola belongs successful the highest bracket of coaches.

In the week Little Englanders lamented a German taking complaint of the nationalist team, present successful bucket-and-spade state was compelling grounds that the Spanish are taking implicit the Premier League done the Basque door.

Barely a goal-kick from La Concha beach, connected the fringes of San Sebastián, Arsenal messiah Arteta and Cherries manager Iraola erstwhile played successful the inferior ranks astatine a tiny nine called Antiguoko.

Xabi Alonso, who turned Bayer Leverkusen into the Fatherland’s Invincibles past season, besides laced his archetypal boots successful the Basque country’s Gipuzkoa state which has go a footballing golden mine.

Antiguoko are truthful arrogant of the subordinate Arteta became that his aged Arsenal No.8 garment has pridefulness of spot successful the clubhouse. And Iraola’s enslaved with the nine was besides truthful beardown that helium went backmost to enactment with the Under-18s arsenic portion of his UEFA Pro Licence course. “I not lone started my playing vocation there, but besides my coaching career,” helium said. “It is simply a really, truly tiny nine but, among academies, they are a large nine doing astonishing things.”

There are presently 5 Spanish coaches operating successful the Premier League - Arteta, Iraola, Unai Emery, Pep Guaradiola and Julen Lopetegui - and lone 3 Englishmen (Eddie Howe, Sean Dyche and Gary O’Neil).

One man’s paella is different man’s chickenhearted risotto, but connected this grounds Iraola is up determination with the champion of them.

Travelling missionaries from northbound London resorted to blaming referee Robert Jones for their side’s shortcomings, but it was a just cop. Bournemouth we tin woody with successful abbreviated measure. They deserved to win, and if the shot gods had been kinder, they would person fractional a twelve much points connected the committee this season.

They were robbed by a puerile VAR determination against Newcastle, played Chelsea disconnected the parkland and managed to permission Leicester empty-handed aft a glut of missed chances.

But Arsenal’s unexpected setback astatine a crushed wherever they had won 3-0 and 4-0 connected their 2 erstwhile visits deserves much forensic analysis.

Three reddish cards successful 8 games is nary ground for winning the title, and they tin person nary complaints astir William Saliba’s reddish paper aft fractional an hour. Saliba, who had conceded a clumsy punishment during France’s 2-1 triumph against Belgium during the planetary break, wiping retired Lois Openda two-footed aft slipping, was sold down the stream by Leandro Trossard’s suicidal pass.

Once referee Robert Jones had been sent to the show by VAR Jarred Gillett, the French centre-back was ever doomed to instrumentality the agelong locomotion aft denying Evanilson a wide tally astatine goal. In beforehand of referees’ main Howard Webb, who was crowing successful midweek that his VAR officials had made lone TWO mistakes truthful acold this season, it was the lone logical verdict.

Myopic Gunners fans similar TV’s Piers Morgan howled connected societal media that Ben White would person sprinted 40 yards to chopped disconnected Evanilson’s beforehand (good one, Piers) and others spouted conspiracy theories astir Webb refereeing the crippled from the stands.

Relax, radical - helium was lone listening successful to the lucifer officials’ audio provender - the aforesaid wavelength disposable to broadcast rights holders. Form is impermanent but people is permanent, and Arsenal indispensable presume Saliba’s hard week volition not alteration a revelation into a liability.

The Gunners had looked sluggish earlier Saliba’s expulsion, and their depleted contingent should person gone up erstwhile sub Gabriel Martinelli failed to capitalise connected Kepa Arrizabalaga’s sloppy clearance.

But erstwhile Ryan Christie’s slick decorativeness from Iraola’s acceptable portion playbook had enactment the Cherries ahead, and Justin Kluivert’s punishment extended the location side’s lead, determination was nary mode backmost for Arteta.

The way to the Premier League acme volition look adjacent steeper if Pep Guardiola’s mob triumph astatine the Vitality Stadium successful a fortnight.

Manchester City should not expect an casual ride.

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