Arsenal 3 - Bournemouth 0: Danny Welbeck double seals comfortable win for Gunners

WHAT do you do with a problem called Sanchez? Arsene Wenger will let you know on Thursday.

Danny WelbeckGETTY

Danny Welbeck was the star of the show for Arsenal

That’s when the Arsenal boss has to decide whether to pick the unsettled Chilean or yesterday’s man of the match Danny Welbeck for the Europa League clash with Cologne.

Like the rest of us, German scouts who watched the impressive two-goal Welbeck bury Bournemouth went home none the wiser.

Wenger admitted afterwards that he now has a selection problem but he gave nothing away, saying: “Danny was out for a long time but now he is getting stronger and stronger. But I have many top-class strikers and I can’t select them all.”

On the booing that greeted the arrival of Sanchez for Welbeck late on, the manager delivered a thinly-veiled warning. Wenger said: “We have to accept what happened and the best way for him to respond is on the pitch.”

Once Welbeck had scrambled Arsenal in front after just six minutes, it looked as if saving Sanchez for the Cologne game might not be such a gamble after all.

The way Bournemouth defended that goal after the marauding Sead Kolasinac floated over an unimpeded cross left a lot to be desired.

Alexandre LacazetteGETTY

Alexandre Lacazette grabbed Arsenal's second after the restart

Arsenal's Danny Welbeck beats Jenkinson in arm wrestle

And if Asmir Begovic hadn’t produced a spectacular save to deny Mesut Ozil soon afterwards, the visitors would have been as good as consigned to a fourth straight defeat there and then.

They didn’t have long to wait to have their fate sealed, though.

On 27 minutes Alexandre Lacazette grabbed a superb second goal for Arsenal with a thunderous drive that keeper Begovic didn’t have a hope in hell of stopping.

Arsenal had promised before the match to put on a show that would help to make amends for the two previous defeats that so infuriated their fans – and they were as good as their word. Although it has to be said they didn’t really have to bust a gut yesterday.

Bournemouth’s first-half performance was probably as pitiful as any they have produced since being promoted.

As manager Eddie Howe said afterwards: “It was a poor performance from start to finish. We were disappointing in so many respects. It wasn’t like us at all.”To be fair, they very nearly pulled one back immediately after the break.Jermain Defoe, a lonely figure up front for 45 minutes, was desperately unlucky to see his header hit a post, with Petr Cech beaten.Any great expectations lasted just a couple of minutes, however, as more sloppy defending allowed Welbeck the time and space to stroke home his second goal – set up by an imperious AaronRamsey enjoying oceans of space in midfield.Hardly any wonder that the Welshman was saved for a sterner test later this week and substituted to enable Francis Coquelin to make his 100th appearance for the Gunners.The big entrance, though, followed 15 minutes from time, when Sanchez came on for Welbeck – to the sort of reception that suggests the Arsenal faithful have not forgotten or forgiven those summer transfer shenanigans.Mind you, how Bournemouth would love to have a problem like Sanchez.After four straight defeats and this sorry show, the Cherries are beginning to look in dire straits.

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