Arsenal somehow managed to rescue a point at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday night against Bournemouth, despite being 3-0 down with just twenty minutes to go.
Right-back Hector Bellerin was at fault for the first goal when Charlie Daniels picked up the ball just inside the box. The Bournemouth man Bellerin with ease before finishing under the body of Petr Cech to fire the hosts into the lead.
Eddie Howe’s side were two goals to the good just a few minutes later. Ryan Fraser surged into the Arsenal box before Granot Xhaka carelessly bundled the midfielder over. Michael Oliver pointed straight to the spot. It was Callum Wilson who stepped up to give the home side a two goal lead.
The Cherries were in dreamland on the other side of half-time. Ryan Fraser beat Hector Bellerin to the ball, although there were suspicions of a foul, Fraser burst into the box and finished under Cech to put Bournemouth three up.
Things couldn’t have got much worse for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger as they looked to be heading for their third straight away league defeat. However, they were given a lifeline with twenty minutes to go. Olivier Giroud flicked the ball on for Alexis Sanchez to nod in at the back pots. It was game on again at the Vitality.
Just five minutes later, Lucas Perez scored a stunner to close the deficit to one. Giroud was the creator again, laying the ball off to the striker, who powered an excellent shot into the corner from a difficult angle past Artur Boruc.
Bournemouth looked as if they were going to see the game out, but it was Man of the Match Giroud that rescued Arsenal a point. The ball was hoisted into the box and the Frenchman rose the highest, turning his header into the back of the net to give the Gunners the unlikeliest of points.
Hector Bellerin had a terrible game, one of his worst in an Arsenal shirt. He was at fault for the first, and arguably the third too. There have been suggestions that the right-back is still struggling with a previous ankle injury, but that takes nothing away from how awful his display at Bournemouth was.
Despite crossing the ball three times, Bellerin won 0% of his tackles, 0% of his aerial duels and didn’t complete a single take on. Here is how Arsenal fans reacted on Twitter to Bellerin’s terrible display.
The fans have suggested that Hector must have been drunk, but Wenger has since confirmed that the Spaniard was one of a number of players to be playing the game with slight knocks.
Worst game I’ve ever seen played is today, by: HECTOR BELLERIN. #arsenal
He must be drunk
— Joe Orf (@JoeOrf305) 3 January 2017
Looking at the goals and Bellerin has probably had his worst 90mins in an Arsenal shirt against Bournemouth. He needs to learn from this
— Jimbob Magoo🇬🇾🇱🇨 (@OriginalJimbob) 3 January 2017
Whatever happened to Bellerin today though, he was terrible!
— Mazi Olisaemeka ™ (@OlisaOsega) 3 January 2017
So frustrating that three separate incidents of terrible individual defending cost us the win. Bellerin twice, Xhaka once. So, so stupid.
— ffsLucas #20believe (@ffsArsenaI) 3 January 2017
Bellerin should be fined for that performance, awful defender but that doesn’t matter because hes fast
— Marco (@MDD96) 3 January 2017
Bellerin is just a pace merchant. Awful defensively
— ㅤㅤㅤㅤ (@Hazardified) 3 January 2017