Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth has sent shockwaves through the fanbase, marking Mikel Arteta’s first loss of the season across all competitions. The game’s turning point came in the first half when Arsenal defender William Saliba received a red card, forcing the team to play with ten men for more than an hour. This red card is the team’s third of the season, following previous dismissals of Declan Rice against Brighton and Leandro Trossard in a controversial incident during the Manchester City match. Arsenal fans have been vocal in their frustration, with many feeling that referees have been unusually harsh in their decisions against the team.
During the Bournemouth match, Declan Rice was overheard expressing his frustration to the referee, saying, “Every week it’s the same,” which many believe was in reference to the series of red cards Arsenal has received. Rice, like many Arsenal supporters, seems to believe that these dismissals, including his own and Trossard’s, have been unfair. However, Rice also acknowledged that Arsenal has been making avoidable mistakes that have hurt their chances in games. He pointed out that this was the third time in eight matches that Arsenal had been reduced to ten men, adding that while they managed to escape with points in the games against Brighton and Manchester City, Bournemouth took full advantage of their numerical superiority. Reflecting on the team’s performance, Rice said, “We’ve shot ourselves in the foot three times in eight games. We were fortunate against Brighton and City, but Bournemouth capitalized.” He praised his teammates for their resilience in the face of adversity but emphasized the need for the team to avoid these errors in the future. Rice highlighted the importance of having a full squad for the entire match, stating, “You need all 11 players for 90 minutes to win matches.”
Former Arsenal player Theo Walcott also shared his thoughts on the Bournemouth match, pointing to a defensive mistake that he believes was more costly to the team than Saliba’s red card. While the red cards given to Rice and Trossard have been hotly debated, Walcott implied that Arsenal’s defensive lapse was the real reason for their defeat against Bournemouth.
Saliba’s red card itself was seen as more justified, as the defender was the last man and pulled down a Bournemouth attacker, leaving the referee with little choice but to issue a red card. However, the fact that Arsenal has now received three red cards in just eight Premier League matches is a concerning trend for Arteta and his coaching staff. In the games where they’ve gone down to ten men, Arsenal has only managed to secure two points out of a possible nine. If Arsenal hopes to challenge for the title alongside teams like Manchester City, they will need to address these disciplinary issues and avoid making costly mistakes.
Adding fuel to the debate, pundit Jamie Carragher suggested there may be a deeper issue involving referee Howard Webb in relation to Saliba’s red card, speculating about a potential conspiracy, which has only heightened the discussions around Arsenal’s recent officiating decisions.