Former Arsenal man Ray Parlour has slammed Thomas Partey for his dismissal against Liverpool after their 2-0 loss in the fixture.
Partey has been an important player for the Gunners and had just returned from the AFCON in Cameroon.
Mikel Arteta started him on the bench and brought him on later in the fixture as the Gunners chased it.
The Ghanaian earned two quick yellow cards, and he was sent off just minutes after coming on.
He is the latest Arsenal player to be shown a red card in a game this season and their bad disciplinary record doesn’t impress Parlour.
He tells TalkSport: “There is a problem there.
“I think he needs to sit down with the team and say, ‘Look, silly mistakes, you’re making so many mistakes!’
“Suddenly, he’s out for the weekend. They were light in midfield anyway and he would’ve been a big player back after being at AFCON, suddenly he’s missing again.
“I played in a team that got red cards, I’m not saying we didn’t. But not as regularly as this team now.
“I know the rules have changed a bit and you can’t tackle sometimes, but that was a stupid mistake last night. A really stupid mistake and he’s let his team down.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Partey’s red card is truly a show of lack of discipline from this Arsenal team, and they have been too naïve at times.
The former Atletico Madrid midfielder is one of the most experienced players in this team and he shouldn’t have earned such a quick sending off.
Xhaka and Gabriel Magalhaes are two other Arsenal stars who have been sent off this season and Arteta has to ensure Partey is the last member of his squad to do so.
Arteta discusses Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool, our lack of players and our red card record
Partey got on a plane from Cameroon that day. Fair enough, I’m guessing he didn’t fly economy class but still, seems like he wasn’t in good condition to play after just having had a trip like that.
I’m not excusing Partey as his yellow was fully deserved but the first yellow was very soft – the Liverpool player passed the ball and then ran into Partey.
I would like to see a tweak in the rules that allows clubs to appeal a suspension if they feel that either card was unwarranted. Wouldn’t rescind the card or stop going down to ten men but would waive the suspension and stops the punishment from being overly punitive.
That’s how it used to be Voyageur but a lot of clubs were appealing bookings tactically to avoid for instance a player due to be suspended for their next important game.
There is a problem, a coaching problem and allowing it to go on without addressing it is a problem. The coaching is naive and confusing, you allow talent and egos to leave but dont mind poor technique and naivety that leads to red cards.
There is a discipline problem that needs to be addressed.
There is nothing naive or confusing about the coaching.
Coaching and discipline, they go hand in hand.
Partey certainly was at fault and it was needless and reckless at that point in the game to act like that, considering the game was almost lost and was coming to an end. That said, in the first place, was it necessary to play Partey after he had just returned from Cameroon midday and that too at this late stage in the game when Liverpool were cruising to victory.