John Terry has voiced his criticism regarding Chelsea’s response to a controversial incident involving Gabriel Magalhaes and Emiliano Martinez during Arsenal’s 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium.

In the match, Gabriel caught Martinez in the head with his boot during a chaotic goalmouth scramble, shortly after Chelsea took an early lead through Morgan Rogers. Referee Chris Kavanagh penalized Gabriel but issued no card, while VAR deemed the contact accidental and did not recommend an on-field review.

Terry argued that Chelsea should have exerted greater pressure on the officials at the time, stating:

The Emi Martinez-Gabriel incident – when he clearly kicks him in the head... I didn’t think there was too much in it first of all, but slowed down, he clearly completely misses the ball.

He emphasized that elite teams should manage game situations better, saying, "These are the moments in games... my instinct goes ‘referee he has just been kicked in the f***ing head! That’s a blatant red.’"

Despite the Premier League’s explanation that Gabriel’s actions did not meet the threshold for serious foul play, Terry’s broader point centers on Chelsea's lack of urgency in influencing the referees during key moments.

While the debate over whether Gabriel deserved a red card continues, Terry’s critique highlights a potential issue with Chelsea's mentality. Ultimately, blaming the defeat solely on this incident seems overly simplistic, as Chelsea had opportunities to manage the game more effectively after initially leading.