Max Dowman has already enjoyed multiple high moments during his brief career, making a low point seem almost inevitable. Developing challenges form part of a young athlete path, and the Arsenal attacker is far from the first teenage prodigy whose momentum has stalled due to a red card.
Wayne Rooney, nearly the sole English player comparable to Dowman regarding extraordinary talent and rise, can certainly confirm this reality. At the age of seventeen, the striker received a red card playing for Everton against Birmingham in 2002, remaining the youngest player in Premier League history to be sent off. Years later, everyone recalls Rooney receiving his marching orders for England in the World Cup quarter-finals following a stamp on Cristiano Ronaldo.
Dowman getting dismissed against Fleetwood Town during the fourth round of the Carabao Cup lacked that same stage or scale, yet the pain remains identical. Mikel Arteta seemingly offered some harsh words as the player departed the pitch, reminding observers that he is only sixteen years old. Merely two months ago, Dowman was collecting his GCSE results. The forward might be finished with school, but his football education is just beginning, and this served as a severe lesson.
To be clear, it was a soft red card, and Arsenal is correctly appealing the decision. They possess a solid case, particularly when considering Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer only received a yellow card last weekend for barging into Mateus Fernandes after feeling unhappy with a challenge from the Tottenham midfielder. Dowman displayed no force in his reaction against the tackle from Fleetwood midfielder Harrison Neal. One could easily argue the teenager merely attempted to free his leg after a challenge trapped his right foot. The action contained no malice, though it proved just enough for referee Michael Salisbury to brandish a red card. He could easily have penalized Neal for his tackle instead, and understanding why Dowman reacted is simple.
The unfortunate lesson for the sixteen-year-old involves accepting that opponents will target high-profile young talents like him. Dowman experienced similar treatment at youth level, receiving a red card for England Under-19s earlier this month during a behind-closed-doors friendly against the USA. The forward reportedly drew a red card for a heavy challenge after enduring numerous hits beforehand. The teenager faced identical treatment a year prior against Spain Under-19s, prompting Arteta to advise him to study Bukayo Saka. The English winger regularly faced rough treatment early in his career, and handling those situations proved vital to his progression.
Arteta stated: It is going to happen, he is going to have to learn as well when to release the ball, when to attract his starting position. Very similar to Bukayo in the beginning as well. Those players are going to attract players, contact, attention and they have to be very smart when you want that contact and when you don't want it, and what you have to do to avoid it. He is super smart, his football IQ, the way he makes decisions, the way he moves, he does it naturally.
Arteta's understanding during those comments contrasted with his reaction on Tuesday night. The Spanish manager appeared to offer stern words to Dowman while the teenager walked off the field. Perhaps frustration stemmed from the youngster already receiving warnings about opposing tactics, though the public display appeared unhelpful. Such interactions are likely better kept inside the dressing room. Now that Arteta has examined replays and Arsenal pursues an appeal, his perspective may have shifted.
Max Dowman was unlucky, says ex-Prem ref
SunSport refereeing expert Mark Halsey believes Max Dowman can feel hard done by regarding his red card against Fleetwood.
Halsey stated: The teenager was petulant and aggressive towards his opponent, but he did not commit the offence of violent conduct.
Dowman's incident has been compared to Cole Palmer's first yellow card for his sending off against Tottenham on Saturday evening.
Halsey added: I said at the time that a yellow card for Palmer's bump into Mateus Fernandes was the correct decision, and I think Dowman's frustrated kick was the same. There's not a lot of difference between the two challenges, if anything Palmer's was a little more aggressive than Dowman's.
