For the past few years, Arsenal fans have bounced up and down in excitement after having a relatively good start to the Premier League. Then, as the league keeps on progressing, Arsenal FC starts showing its true colours. And by the end of the season, “We’re coming for the Prem Title” turns into “Trust the Process”. And this season has been no different for the Gunners.
Being undefeated until the most recent Premier League matchday, Arsenal were in the title conversations with 8 prem matches behind us. But with the 2-0 defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday, Arsenal find themselves out of that Title debate for this season. Arsenal’s history of bottling continues.
For a few games now, Arsenal have got Red Cards which have cost them the match. First, it was Declan Rice against Brighton and now against Bournemouth, it was William Saliba their star defender. For about 2 years, Saliba has been one of the if not the best defenders on the planet. But with the Bournemouth striker Evanilson breathing down his neck, even he succumbed to a grave mistake early in the match.
With the Brazilian striker making a run behind Saliba’s back, and with a ball over the top very close to finding him, Saliba made the mistake of pulling him down. What was a yellow card challenge at best, was adjudged a red card offence due to the place where the foul was made. When Saliba made contact with Evanilson, the Frenchman was the last defender for Arsenal FC. This made it a straight red card offence since Evanilson otherwise had the goal in his sight and would have scored the one-on-one if not for the foul.
With their defeat to Bournemouth and their rivals, Manchester City breezing past their opponents, and Liverpool getting the better of Chelsea on Sunday, Arsenal are firmly out of the title race. Can they make a comeback in the coming matches? Or is it yet another, “Trust the Process” season for Arsenal?
