Arsenal lost valuable momentum and points at the hands of Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side on Saturday, failing to pick up where they left off prior to the international break.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side appeared sluggish and slightly out of rhythm in the early stages, even if things were beginning to improve.
Of course, William Saliba’s untimely red card – Arsenal’s third of the season, ruined all of that, putting the Gunners on the back foot once again.
Arteta’s team still managed to craft one or two chances, but neither Mikel Merino nor Gabriel Martinelli were able to take their opportunities.
Instead, Bournemouth hurt Arsenal from a set-piece, dishing out a piece of their own medicine.
Leandro Trossard takes the blame for Arsenal’s red card against Bournemouth
That being said, when speaking via Premier League Productions, Emmanuel Petit pointed his blame towards Leandro Trossard.
Although it was Saliba who was sent off, and made a poor split-second decision, the Arsenal icon thought the defender was put in an entirely unnecessary position by his teammate’s bizarre back pass.
READ MORE: £18m Arsenal man is finished under Mikel Arteta after Bournemouth humiliation
Petit said: “Of course, it was fully deserved. He’s the last defender and he stopped a great chance for Bournemouth to score a goal. It’s the rules and a red card, for me. There is no doubt about it.
“I am just wondering why Trossard gave the ball away like that. When you look at the action. Saliba was playing the offside, so he was confident that (with the) team and he (Trossard) gave away the ball easily.
“Then he was not offside anymore, the Bournemouth player. That’s why he was late on this action. He had no chance, only to make contact to stop the run.”
Mikel Arteta also blasted by Arsenal fans for his negative approach
Fortunately, Arsenal quickly have another fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday to get things right.
Arsenal fans also blamed Arteta for his team selection against Bournemouth which ‘lacked bravery’.
Of course, these things are very easy to criticise in hindsight, especially when the Spaniard’s game plan is ruined by a moment of madness.
Alan Shearer thinks red cards have become a problem at Arsenal, a statement that’s now hard to disagree with.
Although all three red cards this season have been controversial, the Gunners need to find a way to avoid these situations moving forward.
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