Martin Odegaard slams Arsenal teammates after ‘unacceptable’ defeat to Bournemouth
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Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has issued a rallying cry to his teammates following a damaging 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth, branding the second-half performance “not acceptable” as the Gunners let another lead slip in a crucial moment of their season.
Despite taking the lead through a Declan Rice goal in the first half, Arsenal were overrun after the break, with Bournemouth fighting back to claim all three points—leaving Mikel Arteta’s side with a lot to ponder ahead of a defining week.
The loss not only hampers Arsenal’s Premier League ambitions with Liverpool and Newcastle still to come, but also casts a shadow over their Champions League hopes ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final second leg away to Paris Saint-Germain, where they trail 1-0 on aggregate.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal players to take three key lessons from Bournemouth defeat into PSG clash
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Ødegaard—who assisted the opener—did not hold back in his assessment.
“Massive disappointment,” the Norwegian admitted. “I think we started the game pretty well – we got the goal and felt like we controlled pretty much everything, but they score and we lose control of the game.
Martin Ødegaard has eight assists in his last 12 appearances for club and country.
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“We never find the rhythm after that. It’s too chaotic and too sloppy from us. The second half is not acceptable.
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“We have to move on as we have a massive game coming up. We have to get ready for that and analyse this game as well.
“This is what we want – to compete in every competition. We wanted to come here, play a good game, and win, but that wasn’t the case. It’s a massive game on Wednesday and we have to use today to be ready and beat PSG,” Ødegaard said.
Arteta echoed his captain’s frustration, lamenting his side’s failure to capitalise on their dominance and poor defending from set-pieces. The Spaniard also added that the frustration must now be channeled into a response against PSG.
With their season on a knife’s edge, Arsenal now face the daunting task of delivering in Paris and salvaging their European dreams.
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