How can they improve? Well, discipline is key but there are a couple of areas up for debate.
Why was Saliba sent off?
Arsenal have been on the end of some shocking decisions already this season with Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard sent for early baths for having delayed the restart.
There was a delay this time too, although not to prevent a restart. This time it was on the end of the officials.
Trossard’s hospital pass back towards his own goal caught Saliba out and he felt the right thing to do was to bring down big Brazilian striker Evanilson.
It’s worth noting at this point that the Cherries striker still had some way to go and you sense the referee brought that into consideration when the French defender was initially handed a yellow.
But hold up..what’s this? It’s the rotten VAR once again and the decision was overturned to a red card. In truth, Saliba was the last man, he denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. It certainly made more sense than the Rice and Trossard decisions but Evanilson still had plenty of distance to march towards the goal.
Saliba will keep his place for the Champions League tie with Shakhtar in the week but will be suspended when Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the Emirates next weekend. Gulp.
He’s not the only one who should find themselves out of the team though.
The changes Arteta needs to make against Liverpool
With Bukayo Saka likely to be back in action Raheem Sterling will probably drop to the bench.
He was the unfortunate sacrificial lamb and was withdrawn shortly after Saliba’s red card.
We’re still yet to truly see the best of him in Arsenal colours and as such he will miss out against his former employers.
There should also be a change on the left flank too where Trossard certainly didn’t cover himself in glory at the Vitality Stadium.
His telling contribution came in the 30th minute. With the game fairly even poised in the first half, the Belgian attempted a first-time ball back towards his defence. Who it was intended for is anyone’s guess, but it certainly wasn’t intended to find a Bournemouth body.
That’s exactly what would have happened had Saliba not brought down Evanilson. It went against everything Arteta preaches. Arsenal aren’t a safe side but they do ensure they keep possession as well as they can. After all, the opposition cannot score if they don’t have the ball at their feet.
