Thomas Partey Calls on Arsenal Teammates to Heed Arteta’s Warning After Bournemouth Defeat
Arsenal faced another setback as they struggled to keep a full squad on the pitch, leading to a disappointing 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The defeat marked the end of the Gunners’ unbeaten streak and highlighted persistent issues with discipline within the team.
After the match, midfielder Thomas Partey stressed the importance of learning from their mistakes.
Despite the team’s third red card in just six league games, there appears to be a lack of awareness regarding the severity of their situation.
Partey pointed out that competing for the title is virtually impossible when they are down to ten players.
He emphasized that if the team fails to heed manager Mikel Arteta’s warning about eliminating red cards, their long quest for a championship will likely continue.
Arsenal’s troubles began earlier in the season when Declan Rice received a red card during a match against Brighton, which ended in a 1-1 draw despite Arsenal initially leading.
Similarly, they were in a winning position against Manchester City before Leandro Trossard was sent off, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
In the recent match at the Vitality Stadium, Arsenal remained scoreless until William Saliba was sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
This loss underscores the five points the Gunners have already dropped due to disciplinary issues this season.
Arteta has made it clear that to achieve their objectives, the team must perform at full strength: “We need to play with 11 against 11,” he stated.
The evidence suggests that Arsenal’s discipline is a significant issue that must be resolved to avoid further setbacks.
Partey acknowledged the pressing need for the team to learn from these patterns. “We must understand our mistakes and ensure they don’t happen again.
We are working hard and trying to win our duels, but we need to maintain our unity, as red cards can happen in any game,” he commented.
“When we have 11 players on the pitch, we usually dominate the match.”
With key players like captain Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka sidelined due to injuries, Arsenal struggled to find their rhythm until Saliba made an error that led to his red card.
Even with ten men, Arsenal managed to hold off Bournemouth until Ryan Christie scored from a short corner, followed by a penalty from Justin Kluivert after a poor backpass from Jakub Kiwior.
“It’s essential to have a full squad for building confidence, but we must focus on the match rather than dwell on who is missing,” Partey said.
He highlighted Saliba’s importance to the team but noted that other defenders must rise to the occasion and adapt to the situation.
The defeat ended Arteta’s impressive unbeaten run of 16 matches across all competitions and disrupted Arsenal’s strong away form this year.
He now faces the challenge of revitalizing the squad for a crucial week ahead, which includes a Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday and a significant clash with Liverpool on Sunday.
In closing, Partey remarked, “We aim to win every match, but sometimes uncontrollable events happen, and we need to find a way to succeed.
We didn’t manage to do that here, but we can’t keep playing with ten men.
It’s up to us to respond positively. We’re professionals and must hold each other accountable, so our next step is to bounce back.”
