Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was infuriated with referee Chris Kavanagh during the match against Brighton, which led to Declan Rice’s controversial red card.
Despite being down to ten men and creating some of their best chances of the season, Arsenal lost valuable points in a frustrating draw. The focus of post-match discussions will likely be on Kavanagh’s decisions.
Arsenal initially took the lead when Kai Havertz scored from a deflected pass by Bukayo Saka, chipping the ball over Bart Verbruggen. However, Joao Pedro equalized for Brighton, and the red card issued to Declan Rice has left many puzzled, especially those who reviewed the replays.
Observing the events leading up to a match, especially the warm-ups, can be quite revealing. One of the final exercises involves build-up and shooting practice against substitute and third-choice goalkeepers.
For the Arsenal match, Tommy Setford was the designated bench player, with Aaron Ramsdale and Karl Hein already absent and Neto not yet registered. Alexei Rojas, another junior goalkeeper, was the third option.
During this time, Arsenal’s goalkeeping coach, Inaki Cana, stood beside the goal while the starting players rehearsed their moves, with keepers rotating in and out of the net. Cana provided immediate feedback to each keeper, a regular feature of the club’s coaching that helps players improve and prepare.
In the early stages of the game, Arsenal dominated and created several chances they failed to convert. Arteta reprimanded Ben White, who was frequently involved in the attack along with Bukayo Saka, proving to be a constant threat.
Ben White’s critical runs and incisive passes are key to Arsenal’s attacking play, with Saka and Martin Odegaard often utilizing these runs to exploit the opposition’s defense. However, as the first half progressed, White was getting caught out of position, prompting Arteta to become visibly frustrated and instruct White to return to his right-back position to support William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes as they faced increasing pressure from Brighton’s forwards.
After a contentious second-half moment where Declan Rice received a second yellow card for a foul on Joel Veltman, referee Chris Kavanagh’s decision sparked confusion among the spectators.
Arteta was particularly enraged in the first half when Joao Pedro kicked the ball away without penalty. He was seen shouting across the pitch to Kavanagh and the fourth official, raising concerns about inconsistent officiating.
