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Premier League: Ill-disciplined Arsenal becoming their own worst enemy in title quest

By News Update

New Delhi: Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title in two decades is off to a challenging start but not entirely for the reasons their fans might have expected. While Mikel Arteta’s side have looked strong on the pitch, a rising concern has emerged that could seriously hinder their campaign—red cards. Just games into the season and the Gunners have three players sent off.  The questions are beginning to mount over Mikel Arteta whether this disciplinary issue could cost Arsenal more than just points.

The latest setback occurred in Arsenal’s recent 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth, where William Saliba saw red for the first time in his career. His dismissal came in the 30th minute, with Arsenal already trailing by one. This was Arsenal’s third red card of the campaign, following earlier dismissals for Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard in key matches. Whenever the Gunners have gone down to 10 men they have dropped points.

When Mikel Arteta was questioned about disciplinary problems after the loss Arteta called it “an accident waiting to happen,” highlighting the impact of playing a man down at the highest level. After all, each of these red cards has coincided with dropped points, and in a title race as competitive as this year’s even small errors can snowball into larger consequences.

The figures speak for themselves as Arsenal have already dropped seven points from matches where they went down to 10 men. Without these red cards, the Gunners might have remained neck-to-neck with current league leaders Liverpool. Arteta is aware of the growing problem and the potential damage it could cost to their ambitions. Following Saliba’s dismissal, he acknowledged the difficulty of playing most of the game a man down, stating, “It’s an impossible task to compete like that for so long.”

As it stands, Saliba will miss Arsenal’s upcoming clash with Liverpool, a fixture that could prove pivotal in the title race. With the Gunners just a point behind the Reds, the match at the Emirates could either see Arsenal close the gap or allow Liverpool to pull away. If Arsenal fail to take three points from that game Manchester City could also capitalize and move clear at the top if they secure wins in their next fixtures.

A long-term concern?

Arsenal’s red card problem isn’t a new phenomenon. Since Arteta took over in 2019, the Gunners have received 18 red cards in the Premier League—five more than any other side. Although Arteta has been vocal about the need for better discipline but the issue still persists. For example, Rice’s dismissal earlier in the season came from delaying a restart while Trossard’s resulted from an avoidable challenge.

The concern is that these lapses in judgment, especially in high-pressure situations, could ultimately prevent Arsenal from building the consistency needed to sustain a title challenge. After all, with the intensity of the Premier League going down to 10 men even once too often could be the difference between lifting the trophy and falling short again.

Midfielder Declan Rice also reflected on the team’s struggles and admitted their mistakes have been costly, saying, “We can’t make silly mistakes. You need all your best players on the pitch at all times.” His comments underline the significance of keeping their full squad available, especially when the title race is this close.

Correlation between red cards and title wins

Teams with poor disciplinary records had rarely won Premier League titles. Manchester City who have dominated the Premier League in recent seasons are a case in point. Over their four consecutive title-winning campaigns, they have never had more than two red cards. The last time they collected four dismissals was back in 2019-20 and at that time Liverpool took advantage and won the title. For Arsenal, the worrying trend is that they have already reached three red cards before the halfway point of the season.

Even when Leicester City won their miraculous title in 2015-16 they only received three red cards across the entire campaign. In comparison, Arsenal’s early struggles suggest that maintaining composure on the pitch might be just as important as tactical prowess right now for them.

Lessons from the past

Interestingly, Arsenal’s history under Arsène Wenger offers a contrasting view. Arsenal during Wenger’s tenure were notorious for collecting red cards but still managed to win three Premier League titles. In the 2001-02 season, they won the title despite being shown six red cards. However, it’s worth noting that the league landscape has changed significantly since Wenger’s time. With the margins between the top teams narrower than ever, any advantage gained or lost from moments of ill-discipline could be crucial.

Arteta will no doubt be looking to address the issue behind closed doors. More red cards could definitely derail their campaign and it’s an issue they can’t afford to ignore.

Arsenal are looking to end their 21-year Premier League title drought this season, but they need to keep their discipline under intense scrutiny. This is the first time since the 2011-12 campaign that three players from the Gunners have been sent off in the opening eight matches. Arsenal has shown they have the talent and resilience to compete at the top, but they must ensure that all 11 players are consistently on the pitch otherwise their title dreams may remain out of reach.

With key games against Liverpool and Manchester City looming, the next few weeks could determine whether this red card issue is just a blip or a decisive factor in defining their journey this season.

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