THE SPANKERS
Arteta’s hot Gunners on the rampage to pick off Cherries
WHAT a difference a year can make – as well as a couple of world-class signings.
This time 12 months ago, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were rooted to the Premier League floor after commencing the season with three straight defeats.
And everyone was “killing” their manager, Mikel Arteta, as he labelled the hysteria surrounding his position at the time in the ‘All or Nothing’ documentary.
That was then, though. Now the Gunners are sitting pretty at the summit, with a 100 percent nine points from nine.
Yesterday, it was the turn of Bournemouth to feel the force rising on the red side of north London.
Just like Crystal Palace and Leicester before them, Scott Parker’s Cherries were unable to withstand an Arsenal team chockablock with confidence.
Once against it was summer recruit Gabriel Jesus, ably supported by another new face from Manchester City, Oleksandr Zinchenko, who ensured their perfect opening continued.
Yes, skipper Martin Odegaard scored the first two goals before French defender William Saliba grabbed his first for the club, but impressible Brazil ace Jesus was the true star of the show. This is the Gunners’ best start to a campaign since 2004-05.
And with home games against Fulham and Aston Villa to follow, they could well match the five on the bounce secured that year by the Invincibles.
So far so good, then. But last term Arteta’s men were out of the race for the top four, then nailed on to finish inside it, only to choke at the death.
It’s early, but new arrivals Jesus and Zinchenko have made a huge difference. Class on the pitch and class off it, they give the team a more solid, experienced look. Plus a serious amount of skill and threat, especially Jesus.
He had been good at Palace, brilliant against Leicester – and started here in equally sizzling fashion.
It took just minutes for him to demonstrate why he is such an asset as he controlled Ben White’s dropping-from-the-sky miscue with extraordinary delicate touch.
Then he spun, left three defenders in his waltz-like wake and slipped in Gabriel Martinelli,
whose fierce drive was blocked by Mark Travers straight to Odegaard to fire in.
Seven minutes later, the Gunners were two up and all but out of sight after right-back White escaped the offside flag.
His cross fell to Jesus, and he appeared favourite to shoot. But Odegaard beat him to it to thrash in his second.
Wales’ 6ft 4in striker Kieffer
Moore was one of the hosts’ possible dangers – at least he would have been in the visitors’ more fragile past.
Yet Arteta’s troops were never in trouble before the break.
Indeed, England keeper Aaron Ramsdale spent most of if it touching up his tan.
Bournemouth did flicker into life after a doubtful half-time substitution. But only briefly.
Instead, ruthless Arsenal struck again on 54 minutes to kill the contest.
Martinelli’s in-swinging setpiece fell to Bukayo Saka, who teed up Saliba to curl a left-foot peach into the roof of the net.
The only thing missing was a Jesus strike, which remained the case when VAR ruled out his cheeky chip over Travers for offside.