Arsenal Equal Unwanted Record Against Bournemouth – And Their Premier League Struggles Are Growing Harder to Ignore

Gunners’ Latest Collapse Sums Up the Broader Issues That Have Haunted Arteta’s Side All Season

For Arsenal fans, this past Saturday brought yet another frustrating afternoon at the Emirates. What started with promise—Declan Rice opening the scoring in front of a lively home crowd—ended with jeers and heavy sighs as Bournemouth left north London with a 2-1 win. It wasn’t just the result that stung. It was the all-too-familiar way it played out.

That defeat didn’t just dent Arsenal’s title hopes—it also dragged them level with an unwanted club record. Mikel Arteta’s men have now dropped a staggering 21 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, equaling the club’s worst ever return in that category, according to Opta.

This isn’t a one-off. This is a pattern. And it’s one that threatens to overshadow much of the progress Arteta’s project has made.

Defensive Fragility on Set Pieces Becoming a Defining Weakness

Let’s not sugar-coat it: defending set pieces has become a full-blown crisis for Arsenal. Against Bournemouth, both of the visitors’ goals came from dead-ball situations—first a towering header from Dean Huijsen and then a scrappy finish by Evanilson. It’s not the first time, and at this rate, it certainly won’t be the last.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said it plainly after the match: “The key was the set plays in the second half. In the end in these close games, to make the difference with the set plays was the key to take the three points.” His words rang especially loud for Gunners fans, who’ve heard too many opposition managers echo the same sentiment.

This season, Arsenal have conceded 12 goals from set pieces. That figure puts them level with Ipswich Town—who, lest we forget, have already been relegated—and only three Premier League teams have fared worse. More damning still is the percentage of goals Arsenal are shipping from these situations: a massive 38.7%. That’s the highest proportion in the entire league.

It’s a bitter pill for Arteta to swallow. He’s spent years fine-tuning Arsenal into one of the most structurally disciplined teams in open play. Yet when it comes to defending corners and free-kicks, it’s like all that organization evaporates in an instant.

A Familiar Story: Early Leads Turn Into Painful Lessons

Perhaps what makes this slump especially agonizing is that it so often begins with hope. Arsenal continue to start games brightly. They’ve taken the lead in each of their last five league outings. But the final whistle rarely brings smiles these days. Of those five games, only one—against already-doomed Ipswich—ended in a win.

That’s nine points dropped in the last month alone, all from winning positions. Add those to the total for the season, and the figure becomes glaring. Twenty-one points thrown away. That’s the difference between a title challenge and a Champions League qualification scrap.

Earlier in the season, there were mitigating factors. A couple of red cards derailed key matches—Brighton and Manchester City come to mind—but that excuse has long expired. The issues now look psychological as much as tactical. There’s a mental fragility about Arsenal when they go ahead. Instead of pushing for the kill, they seem to retreat, to hesitate. And in this league, hesitation gets punished.

Arteta’s Frustration Is Starting to Boil Over

Dean Huijsen climbed highest to score against Arsenal / Ryan Pierse/GettyImages

Mikel Arteta didn’t hold back after the final whistle on Saturday. “We should have killed the game and we didn’t,” he said, clearly seething. “On top of that if you defend your box in two set pieces in the way we have done you’re in big, big trouble.”

It’s not the first time this season the Spaniard has vented his frustrations in public. And who can blame him? The team he’s built plays some of the most fluid, intense football in the league—at least in spells. But the sharp edge needed to maintain leads and see out games has deserted them at crucial moments.

There’s a risk, too, that this recurring issue could start to eat away at confidence. Players know when they’re vulnerable. Opponents know it too. And once a narrative takes hold—like Arsenal being fragile with a lead—it’s hard to shake.

From Title Contenders to a Team Searching for Consistency

At various points this season, Arsenal have looked like the real deal. They’ve gone toe-to-toe with Europe’s elite, battled their way to a Champions League semi-final, and played football that can be breathtaking in its intensity.

But in the Premier League, consistency is king. You can’t afford to switch off for five minutes, let alone the 45 Arsenal did against Bournemouth.

Too often, the same old story replays itself. Arsenal take a lead. They dominate possession. They look slick and composed. And then, out of nowhere, they collapse—usually from a set piece, often late in the game.

For supporters who’ve endured the highs and lows of the post-Wenger years, this season has offered plenty to get excited about. But it’s also served a stark reminder: Arsenal are still a work in progress.

So What Comes Next?

There’s no doubt that Arteta will already be thinking about solutions. Arsenal have invested heavily in their coaching staff, data analysis, and player recruitment. But some problems run deeper than numbers and formations.

Set-piece defending, for instance, often comes down to focus, positioning, and sheer physicality. Do Arsenal have enough leaders in the box? Are they too reliant on zonal marking? Do they need to rethink how they approach aerial duels altogether?

And then there’s the broader mentality issue. Why can’t this team hold onto a lead? Is it fatigue? Nerves? A lack of killer instinct?

These aren’t easy questions to answer, but they’ll need solving if Arsenal want to go one better than last season’s second-place finish. Because talent alone won’t win you the Premier League. It takes resilience. Grit. And yes, the ability to defend your own box when it matters most.

Final Thoughts: A Season of Progress – and Pain

In many ways, Arsenal have come a long way under Mikel Arteta. They’ve reconnected with their fanbase, played attractive football, and returned to Europe’s top table. But if they want to be champions, these kinds of results simply can’t continue.

Bournemouth didn’t outplay Arsenal for 90 minutes. They didn’t need to. Two moments, two set pieces, two goals. Game over.

The margins in the Premier League are brutal. And right now, Arsenal are on the wrong side of them far too often.