Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side has begun the season with lofty ambitions of securing their first Premier League title in over two decades. However, a concerning trend is emerging: a red card record that could derail their chances. With three dismissals in the opening eight matches, the Gunners are battling more than just their opponents – they’re fighting against a lack of discipline that’s already cost them vital points.
Arsenal’s tendency to see red is no new issue under Arteta. The manager himself labelled it “an accident waiting to happen,” and his concerns have proven justified. William Saliba’s dismissal in their 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth marked his first-ever red card and added to the growing list of Arsenal players sent off this season. Prior to that, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard had both seen red, with each incident contributing to a decline in Arsenal’s performances.
Former England striker Alan Shearer weighed in, stating on Match of the Day: “It has to change. Quite clearly they’re not going to get enough points if it doesn’t – you’ve seen the games it’s happened already this season, with the two draws and this defeat.”
Arsenal’s red card problem is not only damaging their results on the pitch but also their morale. Each time they have been reduced to 10 men, they’ve dropped points, leaving them one step behind in their title race.
The 2024-25 season is still young, but Arsenal have already dropped seven points in matches where they’ve gone down to 10 men. Saliba’s red card against Bournemouth came after just 30 minutes, and the team couldn’t cope with being a man down. They may have fought valiantly, but the “impossible task” Arteta referred to post-match speaks volumes about their inability to sustain competitive performances with fewer players on the pitch.
Declan Rice, reflecting on the team’s current situation, said: “We’ve kicked ourselves in the foot three times in eight games. We can’t make silly mistakes. You need all your best players on the pitch at all times.”
It’s a harsh reality for Arsenal. Despite showing promise, their own mistakes are holding them back from achieving the perfect start to the season, and they’ll need to clean up their act if they’re to remain in contention for the title.
Looking back at previous title-winning campaigns, discipline often sets champions apart from contenders. Since 2015-16, the majority of Premier League champions have managed to keep their red card count to a minimum. Manchester City, dominant in recent seasons, have only recorded two red cards per season at most during their title-winning runs.
By contrast, Arsenal’s three red cards in just eight games is an ominous sign. Leicester City’s remarkable 2015-16 triumph remains the only recent example of a Premier League-winning side accumulating as many red cards across an entire season as Arsenal have so far.
