Deserved defeat

Much of the analysis of this game will focus around the red card for William Saliba – and we will get to that too. In their heart of hearts though Arsenal will probably know that they could just have easily have lost this game if it had stayed 11vs11.

Their performance prior to the red has got to rank as their worst of the season so far. There was no control in the midfield as the security of Martin Odegaard was missed, no threat on the attack as the absence of Bukayo Saka was felt and crucially no direction to their play.

Arteta too could sense things were off. Within the first three minutes he was bellowing out at Riccardo Calafiori for trying to creep into midfield at the wrong time. Mikel Merino caught his ire soon after, as he flicked a bouncing Thomas Partey pass aimlessly into Bournemouth possession.

In retrospect, Arteta might have reconsidered starting three defensive midfielder in Partey, Declan Rice and Merino. You may argue Merino in particular is much more than that, but there can be little doubting the lack of verticality in Arsenal’s play. The 4-4-2 that had been working so well in recent weeks was abandoned and without Leandro Trossard up alongside him, Kai Havertz looked isolated for long spells even before he became pretty much the only Arsenal player passing in to the Bournemouth half.

Mikel Arteta often talks about his side needing to earn the right to win the game. Arsenal failed to really do that at the Vitality against a Bournemouth side who looked determined to prove a point against top quality opposition.

Last season after an equally below par performance at West Ham, Arsenal followed things up with an even worse display at Fulham. Arteta must ensure his side don’t do the same this time around. Their consistency since that point has been remarkable, but even at this early stage of the season, another similar slip up could be unforgiveable.

 

Do Arsenal have a discipline problem?

There is a strong argument that Arsenal could have 24 points this season – provided of course that they hadn’t had any red cards. Say what you want about the harshness of the dismissals but there can be little doubting that they have cost the Gunners seven points.

Of the differing shades of red Arsenal have received this season, William Saliba’s was probably the strongest. Yes, it was a long way out, and yes, the bar for VAR intervention may have felt low here, but the Frenchman panicked after Leandro Trossard’s ridiculous back pass and undoubtedly hauled Evanilson down in deliberate fashion.

Arsenal have been able to get away with dismissals so far this season, but the context has been different. Against both Brighton and Manchester City they were in front. At 0-0 though, the damage was this time insurmountable.

“To do it with 65 or 68 minutes with 10 men at this level, it’s just an impossible task,” Mikel Arteta said after the game. “It’s an accident waiting to happen not to get the points.”

Arteta’s thoughts were echoed by Declan Rice who was even more direct in his acknowledgement of Arsenal’s issue.

“We’ve kicked ourselves in the foot three times in eight games and we got away with it at home to Brighton and away at Manchester City,” he said. “Bournemouth kept probing and made it 2-0.

“I’m proud of the players for fighting, even with 10 men, but the naivety, we need to stop making mistakes because you want 11 players for 90 minutes and that’s what wins you football matches.

“We can’t make silly mistakes. You need all your best players on the pitch at all times. The belief is so high and we will stick together. This is football, whatever happens the most important thing is that you stick together and stay in the right direction.”

The most obvious cost of Saliba’s indiscipline is that he will miss next weekend’s crucial clash with Liverpool. Across the course of the season though, it’s hard not to wonder how damaging these seven dropped points could be.