Martin Ødegaard Criticizes Arsenal’s Collapse in Shocking Loss to Bournemouth
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard voiced strong criticism after his team’s unexpected 2-1 home loss to Bournemouth. The midfielder didn’t hold back in his post-match remarks, calling Arsenal’s second-half showing “unacceptable” after they let a 1-0 lead slip away.
Arsenal had a promising start, with Ødegaard providing a key assist for Declan Rice’s first-half goal. The Gunners controlled the game early, maintaining possession and pressure.
However, things unraveled after the break. Bournemouth equalized in the 67th minute through Dean Huijsen, who headed in from a long throw by Antoine Semenyo. Arsenal’s composure crumbled, and the decisive blow came when Evanilson muscled past Ødegaard in the box and scored with his body.
The result was historic for Bournemouth, marking their first win at Arsenal’s stadium. For Arsenal, it was a major blow—ending an unbeaten league run since February and compounding the frustration following their Champions League semi-final first-leg loss to PSG.
In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Ødegaard expressed his dismay at the team’s failure to control the match. “We started strong and were in control,” he said. “But after their goal, we completely lost our way.”
He criticized the lack of discipline and structure in the second half, stressing it didn’t meet the club’s standards. “It simply wasn’t good enough.”
Looking ahead to the PSG rematch, Ødegaard called for focus and accountability. “We’ve got a huge game on Wednesday. We need to learn from this, regroup, and go to Paris ready to win,” he said.
Despite the setback, Ødegaard emphasized the importance of stepping up in big moments. “This is where we want to be—fighting in major matches. But we must perform better than we did today.”