Arsenal discipline becoming a BIG problem?

It seems strange that Arsenal under Arsene Wenger, with the focus on passing, creating chances, going forwards and scoring goals, have often been painted with the brush of being undisciplined on the pitch. On the 18th anniversary of his managerial reign, during the Galatasaray game, the commentator mentioned the incredible amount of red cards we have received, so is there a problem?

Well so far this season, it certainly looks like it. Wojciech Szczesny’s red card was the third of our Champions League campaign so far in just four games. That is a problem, even though I felt that Ramsey and Debuchy were very unlucky, especially when you consider what Melo got away with on Alexis. But it seems to be a pattern for us.

Calum Chambers is already one yellow away from a Premier League suspension and there is no way he is a dirty player. He also has one in Europe, though, so maybe he needs to be smarter and learn what he can and cannot get away with. It is not just him, of course, as Wilshere also has five in all competitions, Flamini has four and most of the other Arsenal players have at least one. The total is a stunning 27 yellow cards so far this season.

Man City are the only BPL club to have seen more yellows. Add that to our injury problems and you have a big problem, so can we do anything about it or will it just even up over the season?

Tags Chambers Szczesny Wenger

23 Comments

  1. To be fair its not only us, the bpl has become so competitive that aggressiveness is part of the norm with the league!

  2. Discipline? Noted bad boys in the league stoke city! They play like they are in the rugby league, st helens and london irish have nothing on them!

  3. we used to have heaps of bad boys in the team….and we won…!!!! the glory days……

    its the doom days now

  4. I do not think there’s a problem. We’ve just been unlucky in that regard although about 80% of Vieira’s red cards were probably justified. How could these journalists on the one hand comment we are easy push overs or easily bullied off the ball and yet paint us with the brush of aggression? Doesn’t make sense to me as most of the time under Wenger, we’ve never had nasty players.

  5. Cards happen.
    It’s football not tai chi.
    Up front Sanchez Cazorla
    Chamberlain Wellbeck and Ozil
    are injecting pace and verve.
    Its all go now for the gunners energy plus.
    Loving it 🙂

      1. @davidnz:

        It could well be the SADAM hit squad- Santi,Alexis,Danny,Alex,Messut. Blow Chelsea out of their strides with some serious nerve gas! Kazzum, kaboom!!!

  6. Would like to see Rosicky play against Chelsea. Really liked what he did in his cameo against Gala. We need his high energy and pressing for that game…

  7. The thing is this. Defensively, our team need to act as a unit. That means covering gaps, blocking access for through balls and generally pressing opposition when they have the ball. It is hard work, but ultimately it will decrease the amount of cards we get because we won’t be put in a position to have to commit those types of fouls that get us booked. Again, it all boils down to the manager and the type of mentality he sets for his players. Already having a player like Sanchez has made a huge difference, because besides being a beast going forward, he tracks back and helps defend. If all our players worked this hard, we would eliminate most threats and therefore the need to play dirty. I love Ozil, but the guy needs to start getting stuck in more defensively. When Cazorla joined us, he too was very lax in defending. Nowdays, regardless of his small stature, he presses opposition and defends when he can, its really great to see.

  8. Indiscipline is now part of the game cos with all our flair players, we still need players dat r nasty. Mr Blinder (Flamini) is d baddest of all and I think Wilshere also. Without these two players, our opponents do see us as feather weights who can’t play with aggressiveness. We will need there services this wkend against Mauureen’s thugs. COYG!

      1. . For Szczesny its becoming a norm. He has this inexplicable sudden rush of adrenalin. Watched him see red in the Euro(for his national team), CL and premier. For Flamini, I expect a yellow or a red at each and every game he plays. So we have got two genuine bad boys in our team. The rest its purely a failure to select the kind of tackle or assimilation that warrants a card. Obi Mikel, Arteta, Skertel, Sergio Ramos and many others gets away with so many tackles that warrants a card. Being smart is the name of the game. Over-ally we are the most, if not the best disciplined team in the premier

  9. Actually, I really do fear for Chambers. He often loses it once an opposition player gets past him. As for Flamini, he should just be given a yellow card before every game because he’s surely earn it.

    Well, cards aside, we need to be strong and tough. I remember that Galatasaray defender hitting the Ox but falling himself, and the dumb ref blew against the Ox.

    In the midfield on Sunday, I really don know what our team would look like but I’d like to have Wilshere in the mix, preferably in place of Ozil.

  10. A little toughness wont do no harm to our team!!!

    Teams aim to frustrate our play by always trying to bully our short midfielders on the pitch and this will be the case on Sunday aswell knowing Mourine’s behavior. Am not encouraging silly bookings though, Flamini been the ring leader of getting cards should be advised not to have a hot head each time, I was really frustrated in the last game were he got booked trying to retrieve the ball which he lost in the D area while we were like 2 or 3 nill up, not necessary at all as he had team mates around him too to help him.

    Cards are part of the game but lets keep it down boys, there is a way we can bully teams and be mien aswell and that’s by playing a fast and pressing style (Sanchez or Welbeck style). Barca, Dortmund and even Athletico are not the biggest in the middle of the park but there high energy games ensure teams don’t push them around and they actually make them look silly at times.

  11. Just park the bus, and flood the midfield, thats what chelski will do, its not rocket science, counter attack is the name of the game, Costa will crucify Mertsacker if we leave him exposed!

  12. I’m not going to be thrilled if Chambers gets suspended. We are already light defensively because Wenger didn’t sign enough defenders (btw if Wenger fails to get a defender in January, he has officially become potty)

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