Arsenal

Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Most of the post-match discussion on Saturday centered on the red card shown to Miles Lewis-Skelly just before half-time. With this, Arsenal have now matched their total of red cards from the 2020-21 season (Arsenal actually went the two full Premier League seasons after without a single red card).

Many fans would have feared the worst. In three previous occasions after receiving a red card, Arsenal have gone on to either draw or lose the game. This week, things were different. While some fans will focus on the harshness of the decision, the Gunners' response to going down to 10-men deserves recognition for both what it was and for what it could represent going forward.

There is a narrative emerging that paints Arsenal, and particularly their fans, as the league's villains. It is this exact sense of perceived injustice that could provide the spark the team needs to reignite their title challenge. There is a type of siege mentality, a sense of 'us against the world' that can galvanise a team and fanbase alike.

Rather than collapse, Arsenal more than rose to the occasion of playing the majority of the game a man down. The industrious Declan Rice put in one of his best performances of late, getting into more forward positions as well as providing balance in defence. At the final whistle, Kai Havertz could be seen collapsing to the ground, exhausted. Make no mistake, this was a gargantuan effort for Arsenal. That rumoured trip to Dubai couldn't come soon enough.

The harshness of the red card may serve as a rallying cry, and with their backs against the wall, Arsenal demonstrated a defiance that fans will hope can shape the remainder of the campaign.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Wolves and Arsenal.

Here are some of your comments:

Wolves fans

Paul: Still the same issues as we've had for many seasons. Too easy to score against and we aren't clinical enough when it matters. We had enough chances in the last three games against Arsenal, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest but we lost all of them. I thought we looked far more compact against Arsenal though.

Mark: Played a decent game but desperately need more quality to compete at this level. No creativity in midfield and not enough movement up top. Defended reasonably well - thought Emmanuel Agbadou was excellent. Owners were present and, like the fans, I hope that they can acknowledge that investment is needed - now!

Mike: Some really encouraging signs today. Very competitive in midfield, particularly in the first half. That's more than can be said for the two strikers. Superb display and really commanding performance by Agbadou. Another centre-back with his physical presence would be money well spent. Our subs don't have any real impact apart from Rodrigo Gomes and he looks like our new Neto. Our goalkeeper is still a big issue whoever wears the shirt. However, the support was a big plus, and we're going to need that now until the end of the season.

Dan: Poor showing with relegation written all over it. As normal, there is no backing from the board - two thirds of the way through the window and one first-team signing just isn't good enough.

Arsenal fans

Dave: Excellent game management from Arsenal and a very good three points. Some very good performances there and the team should be proud. Riccardo Calafiori scored an excellent goal and did very well on the left. It was nice to see Ethan Nwaneri start - shame he came off at half time although it was understandable. Declan Rice was excellent everywhere. Gabriel and William Saliba were brilliant in defence, and Thomas Partey was solid in midfield. I feel sorry for Myles Lewis-Skelly but he'll bounce back in his next game.

Guy: Not a vintage Arsenal performance. Would've been 3-2 on a different day and if both teams were more clinical. I think both sendings off were fair. Rice seems to be going forward a little more often which is great to see.

Stuart: Surely nobody in football can say that Lewis-Skelley's tackle deserved a red for serious foul play? Barely a yellow. And no word of the Wolves player's second yellow which was a more serious one but only got a second yellow.

Peter: Arsenal were once known as lucky Arsenal. Even though they won this one, they don't seem to be having much luck any more. Jurrien Timber was man of the match.

John Bennett
Final Score reporter at Molineux

The extremely controversial decision to show Myles Lewis-Skelly a red card against Wolves has had plenty of coverage over the last couple of days and it was one of the most bizarre refereeing calls I've ever seen live.

But I want to write about Arsenal's reaction.

I was really impressed by their composure and calmness in response to the extremely harsh call. It was Arsenal's fourth sending off of the season in the Premier League and I wonder if they've learnt from some of their past reactions to players being red carded.

The fans were furious and stunned on the other side of the Molineux pitch but in the technical area Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff made sure that an upset Lewis-Skelly was quickly ushered down the tunnel as they made a plan with how to deal with losing him. Of course there was frustration on the pitch too but above all there seemed to be a clear resolve from players and the staff to concentrate on what's next rather than allow the injustice to distract them.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's been talked about and planned with discussions at the training ground since their last red card.

Second-half, after Riccardo Calafiori came on, Arsenal were the better side in the opening stages and could have taken the lead even before the big turning point in the game, which was the red card for Joao Gomes.

Arsenal will hope that it's their final red card of the season but Arteta will surely be proud of the character in adversity and the resilient response to one of the most talked about officiating decisions of the season.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures are now available to watch.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Wolves 0-1 Arsenal

• Man City 3-1 Chelsea

Image source, Getty Images

More from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Incredible because yesterday, we lost Martin this morning, we lost some other players this week and we play every three days. It doesn't matter. We have to play again, 55/60 minutes with 10 men. Let's go for it."

On the title race: "We're not going to give up. We're going to face any challenge, any situation like we have done today. Whether we win or not, that is a different question. We are going to try 100%, I guarantee we are going to be there."

On telling the players to attack at half-time despite having 10 men: "Yes. That's what I want from my team. We will have certain situations where we have to play in certain areas, we have to promote certain things, we have to play with a lot of courage with and without the ball if we want to win the game. We can't be satisfied to be hold on here for 45 minutes, don't go there because that's not what I want to see."

On whether Myles Lewis-Skelly's red card fired up his team: "I don't know, I think they were fired up already. It's obvious that it was very difficult to accept."

On the red card: "Very expandable, very easy. I leave it to you guys because it's that obvious that today, you don't need my words. It was so obvious."

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal kept their first away clean sheet in 10 Premier League games, since a 1-0 win at Tottenham 1-0 in September.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Wolves' performance

What did you make of Arsenal's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Six matches make up Saturday's Premier League action.

• Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest

• Brighton v Everton

• Liverpool v Ipswich

• Southampton v Newcastle

• Wolves v Arsenal - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Man City v Chelsea (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

I see Wolves manager Vitor Pereira dug out Matheus Cunha for his body language after Monday's defeat by Chelsea.

I am not sure how smart a move that is, considering Cunha has scored almost a third of their 32 Premier League goals this season.

Maybe it will work and inspire Cunha - but there is always the risk of losing a player when you criticise him like that.

Mind you, I am not sure about Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's attempts to galvanise his players either.

The Gunners have been playing Brazilian Samba music during training sessions, external this week, to 'build energy' according to Arteta.

He has some wild ideas, including getting pickpockets to steal valuables from his players, external during a squad meal at the start of the season.

I dread to think how it would have gone down if, say, Martin O'Neill had started playing any sort of music, Brazilian or otherwise, during training when I was with Celtic.

I think the minute his back was turned, the players would have been making all sorts of gestures. We would have just found it funny - maybe it is a generational thing.

As for the pickpockets? If some of my old team-mates found someone trying to nick their wallets then they might have ended up having a scrap with them. Imagine if that one went wrong!?

Still, maybe I am just being an old misery for mocking things like this. Arteta is thinking outside the box and trying something different - if he wins this game, like he did against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday, then I guess it has worked.

Arsenal slipped up badly against Aston Villa last weekend, letting them back in it from 2-0 up, but I don't see them having any problems here.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

When the full-time whistle blew to confirm Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday - a match in which they had taken a two-goal lead - it was not the first time this season they had drawn against a top half side.

In fact, it was the seventh.

With two defeats and just two wins to add to those draws, victories against those sitting 1st-10th in the Premier League table have been hard to come by for the Gunners.

It means they have picked up 13 points from 11 games against those sides, so could this be what costs them the title?

When comparing to league leaders and title rivals Liverpool, who have picked up five wins from 10 games against top half sides and lead that particular table as it stands, it does not look favourable.

What will be a frustration for Mikel Arteta is that it has been this metric where they have excelled over the past two seasons.

At the end of both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, where Arsenal have challenged Manchester City for the title, the Gunners have come out on top in points picked up against the top 10 teams in the league.

Perhaps one saving grace for Arteta, however, will be their ability to put away those sides in the bottom half of the league.

Their record against teams sitting 11th-20th has seen them pick up more than double the points - 31- of those they have taken off top half sides.

They have won 10 of the 11 games and drawn just one - a record equal to that of Liverpool.

Picking up points from those around you is never an easy task, but Arsenal will need to start turning some of those draws into wins if they want to still be competing alongside the Reds come the end of the season.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked if you think Raheem Sterling still has a chance to be a success at Arsenal.

Here are some of your comments:

John: Unfortunately, however good Raheem was when he was younger, I fear we have already seen the best of him. Arsenal need to look at the future and the academy stars to plug the current gap.

Malcolm: Yes Sterling has a role to play. Shame Arteta can't find his best position. I feel you can see his determination. Fingers crossed.

Amy: My gut feeling was there would be a big moment at some point of the season, maybe he scores a winner against Liverpool or something like that. However I just can't see it now, I don't think he's been helped by Nwaneri's impact but unfortunately he doesn't seem up to the level the league needs. If there was an option to break the loan, I think we would take it.

John: Yes. Sterling can still be a success. Arteta needs to tell him to run at the defenders more, even if he sometimes loses possession. Rather than keep passing the ball square.

Sam: If we are 2-3 goals up with 20-30 mins to go, he can give Nwaneri or Saka a rest. He doesn't give us anything or justify even the percentage of his wages we are paying though. Would much rather see a youngster out there who could benefit from the experience or increase in value.

Rob: I have faith that Arteta can help Sterling get closer to his Man City form. Sterling needs minutes consistently. Saka's injury might just give Sterling the opportunity he needs to gets some goals and form back in his game.

Forget the numbers, what about the eye test?

Can you see a chance for Raheem Sterling to still succeed at Arsenal?

Tell us here

And make your selection in our poll

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

As Pat Nevin eloquently wrote on this page earlier, Raheem Sterling has no credit at Arsenal and is stuck in a "Catch-22 situation" where he is damned if he does and damned if he does not.

The frustration from the stands echoes what he experienced on international duty - once a key member of the England first XI and now cast off as a relic of a bygone era.

Still only 30, Sterling's career as an elite player appears to be in the past.

At the height of his career with Manchester City, Sterling scored goals at will.

Season tallies of 23, 25 and 31 between 2017 and 2020 poured cold water on previous criticism of wasteful finishing and he played a key role in City's constant trophy success.

However, as he moved south to London in the summer of 2022, so did his goal figures.

Nineteen in 81 appearances for Chelsea – albeit in chaotic and confused circumstances - was not what was expected. Since being ejected on loan to Arsenal on deadline day, he has one goal, against Bolton Wanderers in a 5-1 Carabao Cup victory.

Long a player whose every mistake is under the microscope, Sterling has lost possession with 26% of his touches this season. However, that is in line with his career average in the Premier League (27%).

Similarly, his passing accuracy is almost the same as his Premier League average (83.5% compared to 82.7%), suggesting he is not giving the ball away any more regularly than previously. It is probably reasonable to expect this from a player who is likely to take risks with the ball at his feet.

His dribble success rate for Arsenal is far higher than at any stage of his career (72% against an average of 47%). That is not even because he is trying fewer per game either – his average of four and a half dribbles every match is again on par.

It should be stated that all his Arsenal data comes from a very small sample size. But then that is the point too.

He has not exactly been flush with opportunities at Emirates Stadium, playing a mere 215 minutes in the Premier League and starting only three times.

In that time, he has had only 146 touches of the football and taken seven shots. As someone who, over a sustained period of time, has scored with about 17% of his shots in the Premier League, it is fair to say he is due a goal round about now.

That is backed up by his expected goals figure of 0.87, which, from his position in Bukayo Saka territory out on the right, he ought to get the chance to score.

Image source, Opta

A player with 82 international caps, four Premier League titles, an FA Cup and five League Cups has the pedigree to perform - and at the very least his numbers at Arsenal are better than what he provided at Chelsea.

Is there scope for him to turn his career trajectory around and play an important part for Mikel Arteta's side between now and the end of the season?

Success in one, two or even three competitions could depend on it.