The Emirates' greatest ever day?
They say you don't know what you've got until it's gone, but there are rare occasions in life where you become conscious of the fact that you're living through a moment in history. Saturday certainly felt like one of those.
In it's 17-year history the Emirates Stadium hasn't had as many moments of magic as Arsenal may have hoped. Arsene Wenger once describe Highbury as his soul and the Emirates as his suffering, and although the Gunners' new home has had brief flirtations with the kind of nights its illustrious predecessor hosted regularly, it's easy to see why he would say this.
There have been great occasions of course. Barcelona in 2011 of course is a standout, while the 2015 victory over Bayern Munich is another European highlight. Danny Welbeck's last minute winner against Leicester is a high point within the domestic setting, while the back-to-back 5-2 victories over Tottenham cannot be ignored either.
All of these were certainly bigger games than a midseason clash with Bournemouth. When judging what makes a moment truly great though, it's not necessarily the size of the opponent that matters, but rather the emotional connection you have to it. It is for that reason that many will now class Saturday's 3-2 victory as the best moment in the Emirates' Stadium's history.
Mikel Arteta certainly seemed to fall into that category as he raced down the touchline, before noticing a child had wondered from the stands into the technical area amid all the euphoria after Reiss Nelson's last gasp strike, and quickly looking to return him back to his parents. "You lose sight of where you are," he said of his emotions in that moment during his post-match press conference. "I didn’t know where I was running to. But just looking at the faces of everybody, our staff, the players, all the supporters. The smiles and all that joy in their eyes, it’s just great to live.
"It was an extraordinary day and a beautiful experience at the end. Dramatic but worth living it because there was the greatest end to it.
"It’s probably the loudest and the most emotional moment that we have lived together. The journey that we’ve been on together and how the supporters and the players are gliding together. Adding into that moment, it’s really special."
Hollywood-themselves could not have written a greater script for an afternoon that we may look back on as the one that guaranteed the Premier League title was returning to north London for the first time in 19 years. It should have been so simple. Bournemouth were 19th in the table and had won just once since the World Cup. Arsenal meanwhile were on a three game winning streak having put a four-match winless wobble firmly behind them. As the Cherries notched the second fastest goal in Premier League history though, it became instantly clear that this afternoon was going to be anything but routine. Things then got stranger still when Marco Senesi, nodded home a second for Gary O'Neil's side from their only corner of the match.
It was at this point though that Arsenal began to wake up. The greatest teams need an almost reflexive aversion to succumbing to adversity, and the Gunners have more than shown theirs recently, coming back from behind to claim victory three times since Premier League football resumed on Boxing Day alone. As Thomas Partey prodded home the rebound from Emile Smith Rowe's header, it seemed as though a fourth was well and truly on. On a day where the unordinary became ordinary, Ben White of all people then popped up with his first goal for Arsenal to draw the scores level.
As the Gunners earned their 17th corner of the afternoon though it was hard to see how the madness of the afternoon wouldn't end there. This crazy game still had one sting left in the tail though, and as Reiss Nelson volleyed home the winner with final kick of the game, an unforgettable afternoon was complete. Carlsberg don't make days out at the Emirates, but if they did, they certainly would have looked like this one.
Arsenal host Wolves on the final day of the season, and May 28th may be a day to put in the calendar as a contender for the greatest day the Emirates as ever seen for obvious reasons. Until then though, this unexpectedly momentous afternoon has surely muscled it's way into the top spot.
Nelson answers fate's call
After the game Mikel Arteta was asked if he believed in fate. His response was "yes I do." Having seen Reiss Nelson fire home the winning goal just minutes earlier, how could he have said anything else.
So much had to happen before Nelson even arrived at the moment to fulfil his destiny. If Eddie Nketiah had not succumbed to ankle problem towards the end of Wednesday's win with Everton, then it's highly likely that Nelson wouldn't even have been in the squad at all on Saturday. Then Leandro Trossard had to suffer a groin injury after being forced to chase back a Bournemouth counter attack. Even after that, Nelson would have to wait for Emile Smith Rowe to have a turn at being the hero before stepping up himself.
His impact off the bench was instant as he did what his predecessor had failed to do, and beat Adam Smith one-vs-one, before whipping in a cross on his weaker left foot that Ben White was able to half volley home within seconds of his introduction. From that point on, most of Arsenal's attack flowed through Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko down the left hand side, and sensing his opportunity, the Hale Ender was desperate not to let it pass him by.
Nelson has been vocal about the fact that he would like to extend his stay at his boyhood club beyond the end of the season when his contract expires. As things stand no offer has been forthcoming, and the arrival of Leandro Trossard had made it seem as though he may be on his way out.
As he came on to the pitch though, played like a man liberated by the fact that this might be his last shot of making it at Arsenal. Perhaps if he felt he would have more chances to prove himself in the future then Nelson would not have even attempted such an audacious late effort with his weaker foot. But as fate came calling, the Hale Ender was more than willing to answer.
Having first coached him as a 14-year-old, Mikel Arteta has always had a soft spot for Nelson. After the game he seemed genuinely delighted that the winger had taken his chance.
"I always saw the potential, the talent and the desire for him to do it, but he’s at a different level right now," Arteta said of Nelson. "I think emotionally, the experiences that he had helped him. Football-wise, it was my decision in the last two games not to play him because we had other options. But he was knocking on the door, he’s been training really good and it’s a good lesson for me and for the coaches that we need him and that he can be really important for the team."
The scenes at full time as Nelson races towards Aaron Ramsdale for a huge embrace in front of the Clock End before being mobbed by White, Granit Xhaka and several coaches show just how much people at the club want him to succeed. With moments like this, the 23-year-old may be able to surprise everybody all over again.
Trossard trouble
Mikel Arteta prescribed his players a stiff dose of enjoyment in order to ensure that they were ready to go again for Thursday's trip to Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League round of 16. As the adrenaline finally wares off though, the Spaniard will have to deal with the hard reality of his striking situation.
Although the Gunners are hopeful of having Gabriel Jesus back in the squad before the international break, he is unlikely to be back in time for the journey to Portugal, and with Eddie Nketiah potentially facing some time on the sidelines with an ankle problem, Leandro Trossard is probably the one player Arteta wouldn't have wanted to get injured on Saturday. The Belgian has done a fantastic job since being introduced as a false nine and has also helped reinvigorate teammates around him like Gabriel Martinelli. However, the early prognosis of his groin injury sustained on Saturday did appear to be concerning.
"It is a worry," Arteta said of his January signing's fitness. "He came to me and said 'I cannot continue I felt something when I was tracking back after the corner.' We had to take him off and we have to assess him and see how he is."
With Nketiah and Jesus also out, Arsenal's only real striking option now is Gabriel Martinelli. Arteta has previously stated Emile Smith Rowe could play there, but it still seems that the England international needs to deal with some of the rustiness that comes from not having played regularly for almost five months. By the Spaniard's own admission though the centre forward position is likely to be decided on a game-by-game basis as the Gunners look to make do and mend.
"We have alternatives," he said. "Emile can play in that position. We can move players, we have Reiss as well who can give us width and threat in wider areas. We have to assess every opponent. Now we have Lisbon, a really tough match. Let’s hope we get one or two players back."
It will be fascinating to see what he does in Portugal ahead of a crucial match with Fulham that will be no means be a walk in the park. The Gunners are slightly short of numbers in the forward positions right now, but they'll be all too aware that they can't allow that to cause them to drop points in the title race.
