Former Super Eagles captain and Chelsea legend, John Mikel Obi, has weighed in on Chelsea’s 1–1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday, insisting the Blues would have won the match if not for Moises Caicedo’s first-half red card.

The London derby at Stamford Bridge was intense from start to finish, but things took a dramatic turn in the 38th minute when Caicedo was sent off after a VAR review. Despite being reduced to 10 men, Chelsea showed spirit and even took the lead early in the second half through a powerful header from Trevor Chalobah.

However, Arsenal fought back, and Mikel Merino rescued a point for the Gunners.

The red card adds to a worrying trend for Chelsea—seven red cards in just 20 games across all competitions this season.

Speaking on his podcast, Mikel said:

“That’s four red cards this season; it’s not good enough. I’ve spoken about it; the manager needs to talk with the players because it’s costing us games.
If you look at that game, if we finished with eleven men, I think we could’ve won. Maybe not easily, but comfortably.”

Opinion: Chelsea’s Biggest Opponent Right Now May Be Themselves

Mikel Obi’s frustration mirrors the sentiment of many Chelsea fans: discipline is becoming the club’s Achilles heel.

It’s one thing to be aggressive and competitive; it’s another to repeatedly make reckless challenges that sabotage your own team. Seven red cards in 20 matches is not a statistic any top club should be proud of—it shows a lack of control, awareness, and game intelligence.

And in a league as unforgiving as the Premier League, playing with 10 men is almost always a disadvantage. Yes, Chelsea fought bravely against Arsenal, even scoring first, but energy spent compensating for a numerical disadvantage always catches up eventually.

The positive? Chelsea have shown heart, resilience, and flashes of their potential. The negative? They often become the architects of their own downfall.

If the Blues can fix their discipline issues, tighten their decision-making, and keep 11 men on the pitch, their performances—and their points tally—could look very different in the coming weeks.

Right now, Chelsea don’t just need tactical adjustments—they need maturity. And until they find it, matches like the one against Arsenal will continue to slip through their fingers.