Arsenal produced an emphatic response to their humiliating defeat to Liverpool before the international break with a three-goal fiesta against strugglers Brounemouth at the Emirates.
Danny Welbeck bagged a double either side of the break while Alexandre Lacazette’s first-half strike completed the classic result.
If the distinct sound of sharpening of knifes could be heard before the game for Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal board, one of relieved chatter and uplifting music surely reigned after it.
Two weeks ago, critics jumped on the manager because of his team selection choices against Liverpool. Today, defiant Wenger challenged them with more of the same.
The main culprits for the loss at Anfield, Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka were given a second chance in the centre of the park while summer renegade Shkodran Mustafi found himself rooted in the centre of defence ahead of last season’s revelation Rob Holding.
Lacazette made his return at the spear of attack, partnered by Welbeck and Mesut Ozil on either side.
This time it worked.
Wenger didn’t have to wait for long to get his vote of confidence in Welbeck repaid when, in the sixth minute, the England international met a cross from Sead Kolasinac to open Arsenal’s tally.
Twenty minutes later, a Ramsey long ball released the front two resulting in a one-two and a well-aimed Lacazette shot from 14 yards out for 2-0.
At the half-time whistle, the Gunners seemed to be fully in control of the game – in contrast to impotent and down-in-spirits Bournemouth.
Eddie Howe must have verbally dented a few heads during the half-time break because in the 47th minute Jermain Defoe gave Bournemouth a spark of hope – his header coming off Peter Cech’s left-hand post.
But the problems for Bournemouth lay in their mistake-ridden midfield. Minutes after Defoe’s chance, Ramsey capitalised on one such mistake in the centre of the park and slid the ball to Welbeck inside the box whose low drive from 10 yards found the sweet spot between diving Begovic and the post, 3-0.
The heaviness around Wenger now seemed to have dissipated. His players must have felt the same because they moved with increasing freedom on the pitch.
By the time club star Alexis Sanchez came on to clock in his first minutes of the season, the Gunners had established total control over the game.
Ten minutes from time, substitution Olivier Giroud released Sanchez with the Chilean returning the favour only for Giroud to see his chance for goal No.100 in an Arsenal shirt denied by Begovic.
Bournemouth received one more chance to score in the dying stages when King almost capitalised on a post-cross panic in the Arsenal defence, but Cech bounced the ball into corner.
With the final whistle, a clear sense of relief could be felt around the embattled Emirates. The result will inject the Gunners with a welcome dose of positivity following one of their worst Premier League starts in recent history.
Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth
‘6 Welbeck
27’ Lacazette
50’ Welbeck