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Is Arsenal Struggling With Discipline Issues This Season?

Arsenal has had trouble with discipline this season, and the team has already received three red cards, all three from different players. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will surely be furious to see this and will have spoken to the team at length about this issue. In fact, Arteta is so strict even off the field that he had reportedly hired pickpockets to teach players to always be aware. If this is something to base our opinion on, we can be sure that the players who picked up the red cards would surely have gotten a ferocious talking-to by the gaffer.

Is Arsenal Struggling With Discipline This Season?

Declan Rice’s Red Card Against Brighton

Referee Chris Kavanagh 'didn't like' showing Declan Rice a red card for kicking the ball away during Arsenal's draw vs. Brighton 👀 pic.twitter.com/GDhrSXyYwF

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 18, 2024

One of the most notable disciplinary incidents occurred during a match against Brighton, where Declan Rice received a red card. This incident marked a significant point in the season, as it led to people asking questions as to whether Arsenal looked overly unsettled this season. Despite already being on a yellow card, Rice kicked the ball away, an extremely dumb thing to do. This led to the referee brandishing a second yellow card, which led to Rice’s early departure.

For a squad that prides itself on its tactical discipline and strategic minds, this incident raised questions about mental fortitude and the need for greater emotional control in high-pressure situations. While it was a small kick and a harsh decision that saw the referee brandish a second yellow, it was a stupid thing to do, and Declan Rice made the referee decide whether to book him and reinforce the law.

Leandro Trossard Red Card Against Manchester City

Credit: The Independent

Shortly after Rice’s dismissal, Leandro Trossard got sent off for doing something almost identical to what Rice did. One would assume that after Rice’s red card, the manager, Mikel Arteta, would have spoken to the squad and told them to avoid doing anything stupid. However, if such a talk was indeed conducted, it must have fallen on deaf ears, and Leandro Trossard went and repeated the exact same mistake. He booted the ball away while being on a yellow card, prompting the referee to take action and produce a second yellow, sending Trossard off.

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This red card really brought this new issue at Arsenal football club into the open. Making a mistake once is understandable, but losing your cool and doing it again in such a short period of time is when people start to ask questions. Is Arsenal unsettled this year? Has the lack of silverware made them nervous yet irritable? There could be a hundred answers to these questions, but only time will tell if Arsenal is really struggling with discipline issues.

William Saliba Red Card Against Bournemouth

BREAKING: Arsenal will not appeal William Saliba’s red card against Bournemouth 🚨 pic.twitter.com/p7PXlMi5WZ

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 22, 2024

William Saliba is the most recent player to pick up a red card for Arsenal. His red card, however, was different from the other two. The defender did not receive a second yellow but a direct red card, and instead of wasting time, Saliba got it for strategically stopping what would have been a clear and obvious goal by bringing the opposition player down. This red card came against Bournemouth, a game in which Arsenal ended up losing 2-0, a very surprising result that was quite likely affected by the red card.

While this red card seems to be better than getting one for wasting time, it still speaks to the discipline issue. Many other defenders would choose not to do that tackle and would try to catch up with the player and make the tackle rather than getting sent off and making their teams play the rest of the game with 10 men. The referee had originally given a yellow card for the cynical challenge, but after VAR advised him to have a look, he changed it to a red card.

Aside from the red cards, Arsenal has also lacked discipline throughout the season. Arsenal has already picked up 19 yellow cards this season and is 7th in the league when it comes to being disposed of, with it happening 85 times already. Both of these speak to a lack of discipline and awareness, and Mikel Arteta will need to make sure such mentality stops creeping into the Arsenal dressing room; otherwise, competing for the title this season will simply end up being impossible.

For more news and updates on Arsenal, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram.

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