Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, has raised concerns about his team’s red card issues. He recently said it was “an accident waiting to happen.” With just eight games played in the Premier League this season, Arsenal has already received three red cards. This situation could hurt their chances of winning the title.
William Saliba was the latest player sent off, getting his first career red card during a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth. This defeat ended Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the season. Earlier, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were also shown red cards. Each time Arsenal lost a player, they dropped points.
After the match against Bournemouth, former England striker Alan Shearer commented on Arsenal’s disciplinary issues. He said, “It has to change.” Shearer emphasized that the team won’t gather enough points if their red card situation continues.
Saliba’s dismissal came in the 30th minute, leaving Arsenal with a tough task ahead. Arteta noted that it was an “impossible task” to earn points after going down to ten men. He expressed worry that these red cards could jeopardize their title aspirations.
In the immediate future, Saliba’s absence will be felt in the upcoming match against Premier League leaders Liverpool on October 27. Currently, Arsenal trails Liverpool by just one point. If Liverpool beats Chelsea and then Arsenal, they would widen the gap to seven points.
Manchester City, another strong contender, could also pull ahead. They face Wolves and Southampton, both still searching for their first wins this season.
Arteta highlighted the difficulty of playing with ten men, saying, “It’s an accident waiting to happen not to get the points.” He acknowledged that the team needs to address these disciplinary issues. He stated, “We need to play with 11 if we want to be in the position we want to be.”
Saliba’s sending-off was avoidable, similar to Trossard’s and Rice’s earlier red cards. Trossard’s poor pass led to Saliba’s situation, making it hard for him to recover. Rice expressed pride in his teammates but lamented the “naivety” that led to their dismissals. He noted, “We’ve kicked ourselves in the foot three times in eight games.”
Historically, teams with many red cards struggle to win titles. For example, Manchester City has won the league for the last four seasons but never received more than two red cards in those campaigns. The last time a team had more red cards than Arsenal currently does was in the 2019-20 season, when Liverpool won the title.
The only time a team won the Premier League with as many red cards as Arsenal has now was back in the 2015-16 season. That year, Leicester City had three red cards, but they were spread across the entire season.
So far, Arsenal has lost seven points due to their red cards, which is significant. Without these setbacks, they might have enjoyed a perfect start, seeking their first league title in over 20 years. It is the first time since the 2011-12 season that Arsenal has had three players sent off in the first eight matches.
Disciplinary issues have been a problem for Arsenal under Arteta. Since he took charge in December 2019, Arsenal has received 18 red cards, more than any other team in the league. Arteta has discussed these issues before. After three red cards in four games in January 2022, he said, “When you do that it’s difficult to win matches.”
Despite their current struggles, poor discipline did not always hinder Arsenal under former manager Arsène Wenger. Wenger’s teams won the Premier League three times, each time receiving at least three red cards. In the 2001-02 season, Arsenal even won the title with six dismissals.
Overall, Arsenal’s current red card situation raises serious questions about their title hopes. They need to find a way to maintain discipline on the pitch. If they fail to do so, their chances of securing the league title will continue to diminish. As the season progresses, they must address this problem to remain competitive.
