Martin Ødegaard Slams Arsenal’s Second-Half Collapse in Shock Loss to Bournemouth
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard did not hold back in his post-match interview after the Gunners suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth. The Norwegian midfielder expressed his deep frustration, labeling Arsenal’s second-half performance as “not acceptable” following a match that saw them squander a one-goal lead.
The game started on a positive note for Arsenal, with Ødegaard playing a key role in the opening goal. His precise pass set up Declan Rice, who found the back of the net in the first half.
Arsenal appeared to be in control early on, dominating possession and applying consistent pressure on Bournemouth. However, the tide began to turn in the second half.
Despite their promising start, Arsenal failed to maintain their intensity and structure after halftime. Bournemouth capitalized on a rare opportunity in the 67th minute when Dean Huijsen rose highest to head home from a long throw-in delivered by Antoine Semenyo.
The Gunners looked rattled from that point forward, and their defensive frailty was exposed once more when Evanilson managed to wrestle past Ødegaard in the box and bundled the ball in with his midsection for what proved to be the winning goal.
The defeat marked a historic moment for Bournemouth—it was their first-ever victory at Arsenal’s home ground. More importantly for Arsenal, it was a costly setback. It was their first Premier League loss since February and came on the heels of another disappointing result, a 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Ødegaard conveyed his disappointment with his team’s inability to manage the game after taking the lead. “We started really well, got the goal, and controlled most aspects of the match early on,” he said. “But once they scored, we lost our grip. The game turned messy and disorganized, and we never regained our rhythm.”
He further emphasized that the Gunners’ lack of composure and sloppiness in the second half was below the standard expected at the club. “The second half is simply not acceptable,” he said bluntly.
Looking ahead, Ødegaard acknowledged the importance of moving on quickly, especially with the crucial second leg against PSG looming. “We have a massive game coming up on Wednesday. We need to analyze what went wrong today, learn from it, and prepare ourselves to go to Paris and win,” he added.
Despite the disappointment, Ødegaard remains focused on the bigger picture. “This is what we want—to be involved in big games and major competitions. But we have to be better than what we showed today.”
