Martin Keown criticised Arsenal players for not passing the ball to Max Dowman enough as they fell to a devastating defeat at home to Bournemouth.
The Gunners had the prospect to maneuver 12 points clear of the summit of the Premier League and tighten their grip on the title in front of their very own fans on Saturday afternoon.
But an insipid display led to their third defeat of their last 4 matches with Bournemouth sealing a 2-1 victory.
Viktor Gyokeres drew his side level after 35 minutes following Junior Kroupi’s early strike nevertheless it did not spark the hosts into life.
Seeing no improvement from his side within the opening nine minutes of the second-half, Arteta decided enough was enough and made three changes with Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard and Dowman replacing Gabriel Martintelli, Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke.
The changes had little effect on the sport with Arsenal still labouring. Arteta’s side were punished again after 74 minutes; coming up short in three second-ball situations before Alex Scott produced a fantastic finish to beat David Raya.
Despite only turning 16 in December, Dowman has checked out home within the first-team squad and was instrumental off the bench in Arsenal’s previous Premier League game, helping arrange one and scored the opposite in dramatic 2-0 win over Everton.
He couldn’t replicate that impact on Saturday with Keown frustrated Arsenal didn’t look for his or her young teammate more often.
‘Arsenal fixed the play and the image never modified,’ Keown told TNT Sports. ‘Arsenal then couldn’t develop the play into their midfield players.
‘Even when Dowman got here on, we were all screaming give him the ball, but they didn’t have enough good control of the ball within the midfield and that’s all right down to Bournemouth and Arsenal not mixing up their game enough.’
Manchester City face a tricky test away to Chelsea on Sunday but in the event that they come through that, they will reduce the gap at the highest to only three points once they play Arsenal on the Emirates next weekend.
City will then have a game in hand on their rivals.
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