Arsenal’s five-match winning run and unbeaten start to the season abruptly came to an end against Bournemouth on Saturday evening, losing 2-0.
Mikel Arteta’s side were sluggish from the off, but there were signs that things were beginning to improve for Arsenal as the game went on.
However, all confidence of going on to win went out of the window when William Saliba made a rash decision when attempting to make up for Leandro Trossard’s mistake.
Saliba decided to pull down Evanlison, even though he probably would have beaten him in a football race to the Arsenal goal.
Whether Saliba’s poor international break for France played a role in his split-second decision, who only knows.
Either way, some Arsenal fans felt that Arteta had already hindered his side’s chances of winning from the off.
Mikel Arteta told he made a mistake not starting Ethan Nwaneri
Taking to X, before, during and after the game, Arsenal supporters by and large felt as if Arteta’s starting lineup ‘lacked bravery’.
Many perceived that Arteta had started three defensive midfielders ahead of four centre-backs, not giving his chance the best side of winning.
READ MORE: £18m Arsenal man is finished under Mikel Arteta after Bournemouth humiliation
There was a common theme of lamenting that Ethan Nwaneri didn’t start, a youngster who would have definitely added creativity and flair.
One fan said: “Pretty much everyone has been off it today. [Rubbish] from top to bottom, including Mikel’s line up which was far too conservative. Nowhere near brave enough.”
Another in-the-know Arsenal account said they received the lineup on Friday evening and was very ‘concerned’.
Arteta also decided to leave Gabriel Martinelli on the bench alongside Nwaneri, even if the Brazilian was coming back from a minor injury.
And although it seems like a very knee-jerk reaction, one fan took to X to say that Arsenal will never win a league title with Arteta in charge, a statement we don’t necessarily agree with.
“We’re never winning a title with Mikel Arteta as manager no matter how much the fans deluded themselves.”
Arsenal supporters are wrong to criticise Arteta
Of course, it does feel far too simplistic to say that Arteta just got his line up wrong.
Prior to Saliba’s red card, Arsenal were finding their feet even if they did start slowly.
Red cards have become a problem for Arsenal, Alan Shearer is right in that regard, but prior to that split-second decision there was still every reason to believe that Arteta’s side would win.
It’s also not entirely correct to claim that Merino is a defensive midfielder – he’s changed a lot since he was last in the Premier League with Newcastle United.
Merino impressed as a number 10 for Spain over the break, a role he was seemingly intended to play against Bournemouth.
That being said, Bournemouth’s captain made an interesting claim about Arsenal once they had gone down to 10 men on Saturday.
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