Arsenal have cut out unnecessary bookings. How?

In the 2024-25 Premier League season, Arsenal faced significant disciplinary issues, accumulating three red cards and 24 yellow cards after just 10 games, which threatened to derail their campaign. By the end of that season, they had a total of six red cards, including three straight dismissals, the highest in the top flight, with some decisions like Myles Lewis-Skelly's overturned red against Wolverhampton Wanderers being contentious.

This season, however, Arsenal has shown a remarkable turnaround, with no red cards and only 10 yellow cards after 10 games, placing them not only at the top of the Premier League but also leading the fair play table. This improvement reflects the team's growing maturity and the effectiveness of a stable tactical model, as emphasized by manager Mikel Arteta's earlier calls to eradicate such indiscipline after incidents like William Saliba's red card against Bournemouth.

Key incidents from last season included Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard receiving bookings for delaying game restarts, which were part of officials' clampdowns, but the team has since adopted a more cautious approach. Arteta's message to avoid playing with 10 men has clearly resonated, leading to a palpable focus on maintaining full squad presence and reducing impetuous behavior on the pitch.

The tactical adjustments have played a crucial role, with Declan Rice playing deeper in midfield alongside Martin Zubimendi to provide protection and stability. This change, along with the team's disciplined adherence to a 4-4-2 shape out of possession, has minimized individual exposure and contributed to the reduced card count, as seen in Rice's decreased involvement in the opponents' penalty area this season.