UK Edition
Arsenal's dismal loss at Bournemouth gives terrifying glimpse into a post-Alexis Sanchez world
With Alexis Sanchez not in Arsene Wenger's squad for the trip to Bournemouth and seemingly on his way out of the club, the travelling Arsenal supporters were in desperate need of a pick me up. Something to reassure them that maybe life without their best player wouldn't be quite as miserable as they are fearing.
What they got instead was a chilling reminder of how blunt and short of ideas they look without Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, who is also expected to leave either this month or in the summer. For Arsenal fans, this was a terrifying glimpse into the future.
Arsenal's abject defending against Bournemouth will be covered elsewhere, but going forward they were similarly woeful in what was a hugely demoralising 2-1 defeat.
Sanchez's expected departure was always going to leave a gaping hole in the Arsenal squad, but given the form of Arsene Wenger's other forwards it couldn't have come at a worse time.
The £52m summer signing Alexandre Lacazette has now gone nine goals without a game and appears to be suffering from a crisis of confidence. Against Bournemouth he played like a man who was almost scared to get a chance in case he damaged his reputation further with another miss.
A couple of times in the first half Arsenal's wing-backs got into dangerous positions but looked up to see their striker nowhere the six-yard box and with seemingly no interest in getting on the end of a cross. Given he arrived with a reputation as a penalty-box poacher, it must be alarming for Wenger to see how withdrawn Lacazette has been in Arsenal's previous few matches.
The situation has not been helped by injuries to Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil, which has robbed Lacazette of a replacement to lighten his load and a creator to pick out his runs.
At the Vitality Stadium on Sunday there was also an absence of any impetus from the two forwards flanking Lacazette - Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi.
Welbeck has never been a natural goalscorer, and it was little surprise to see him scuff a good chance straight into Asmir Begovic's midriff in the first half. It is now just two goals in his last 17 matches for Welbeck, who was also embarrassed by a clumsy attempt to control the ball by the corner flag that ended with man and ball both off the pitch.
Iwobi was stationed on the right and did at least claim an assist with a well-weighted pass that picked out Hector Bellerin's run. Generally though, he was predictable in his attempts to try and jink past the Bournemouth defenders, and most of his runs ended with a sideways pass or occasionally an under-hit shot.
Iwobi was eventually replaced by Theo Walcott, who didn't have long to make an impact and looked understandably rusty.
What was painfully obvious was that there was no-one in their ranks who could lift the team and get them back into the game once they were behind. The only Arsenal players capable of doing that appear to be on their way out of the Emirates.
The noises from Arsenal over the last two transfer windows have been that they will not sell Sanchez unless they have a replacement lined up, and on this evidence it would be madness to think they can remain competitive with their current stable of forwards.
It would also be folly to think that Sanchez can be adequately replaced - certainly in the short term - by Bordeaux's Malcom, who although supremely talented is only 20 and would arrive at Arsenal with no Premier League experience.
With a top four finish increasingly looking like a pipe dream, it could be a long few months for Arsenal.
The verdict
Moment that changed the match
Callum Wilson's equaliser was such a sucker punch that Arsenal were still rocking when they conceded a second four minutes later.
Most influential player
Not many outstanding candidates, but Wilson gets the nod given how his goal transformed the game.
Crowd rating
5 -The atmosphere was funereal until Bournemouth's equaliser.
Referee rating
Kevin Friend - 6. Failed to spot Iwobi's first-half handball that should have resulted in a penalty, but was otherwise in control.
Match rating
7 - An uneventful first half gave way to a much more exciting spectacle after the interval.