Rice red card Sets Arsenal back Despite busy Transfer Window

Rice red card Sets Arsenal back and proved to be a turning point as Arsenal dropped points at home against Brighton. The Gunners were ahead 1-0 when Rice was sent off for delaying the restart while already on a yellow card. Arteta expressed his disbelief, stating: “I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was visibly frustrated with the refereeing ‘inconsistency’ following Declan Rice’s dismissal in the match against Brighton.

A stunned Mikel Arteta remarked that he was “amazed” by the decision to send off Declan Rice, which ultimately cost Arsenal two points against Brighton. He criticized the lack of “consistency” in the way bookings were handed out for kicking the ball away.

With Arsenal leading 1-0 and aiming for a ninth consecutive Premier League victory, Rice delayed the restart with a Brighton free-kick, colliding with Joel Veltman’s swinging leg before falling to the ground.

The Arsenal midfielder, who had already received a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Veltman in the first half, was shown a second yellow by referee Chris Kavanagh for what was deemed a second bookable offence. Rice red card sets Arsenal, his team back.

Arteta felt that Veltman should have also been sent off for his role in the incident and criticized Kavanagh for not penalizing Brighton for similar actions in the first half, including an instance where Joao Pedro kicked the ball into the Emirates crowd as it was going out of plumage:

“I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be,” said Arteta in his post-match press conference.

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Declan Rice’s red card proved to be a turning point as Arsenal dropped points at home against Brighton. The Gunners were ahead 1-0 when Rice was sent off for delaying the restart while already on a yellow card. Arteta expressed his disbelief, stating: “I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was visibly frustrated with the refereeing ‘inconsistency’ following Declan Rice’s dismissal in the match against Brighton.

A stunned Mikel Arteta remarked that he was “amazed” by the decision to send off Declan Rice, which ultimately cost Arsenal two points against Brighton. He criticized the lack of “consistency” in the way bookings were handed out for kicking the ball away.

With Arsenal leading 1-0 and aiming for a ninth consecutive Premier League victory, Rice delayed the restart with a Brighton free-kick, colliding with Joel Veltman’s swinging leg before falling to the ground.

The Arsenal midfielder, who had already received a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Veltman in the first half, was shown a second yellow by referee Chris Kavanagh for what was deemed a second bookable offence.

Arteta felt that Veltman should have also been sent off for his role in the incident and criticized Kavanagh for not penalizing Brighton for similar actions in the first half, including an instance where Joao Pedro kicked the ball into the Emirates crowd as it was going out of play.

“I was complaining about the tackle against Joel,” he said. “I haven’t seen it yet.

“Of course, we can accept in the Premier League it’s a yellow card. The referee made that decision. I thought it was a red card not because of the foul but the way he’s going in.”

The international break will shape their approach and also give Sterling a chance to sharpen his game ahead of the trip across the capital. Not selected for England by interim coach Lee Carsley, Sterling will instead work at Arsenal’s London Colney base and reacquaint himself with Arteta, with whom he developed a strong relationship during three years working together at Manchester City.

“We have to see him, speak to him [about] what he’s been doing and how he’s feeling about it and try to find quick wins to get him up to speed as quickly as possible and for him to understand what we are looking for from him in the dynamics of the team,” Arteta said of Sterling. “We will use that time to do that and get him involved as soon as possible.”

And what of coping without Rice or Merino? “This is what happens,” Arteta replied. “We have to adapt to that context. That’s why we have other players that can fulfil that [role] and [I can] give that opportunity to somebody else.”

Perhaps those squad concerns never truly go away.