Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler has accused Arsenal of exploiting unclear rules at corner kicks to waste time, ahead of their Premier League clash on Wednesday night. Hurzeler claimed that Arsenal deliberately prolong the process of taking corners when leading, sometimes spending over a minute to deliver the ball.
“When Arsenal has a corner and they are leading, sometimes they spend over one minute just to take a corner,” Hurzeler said. He argued that the lack of clear rules on time allowed for set-pieces disrupts the flow of matches and reduces actual playing time.
Hurzeler also criticised the inconsistent enforcement of blocking and holding during corners, stating that referees sometimes penalise and sometimes do not. He called for clearer regulations, noting that supporters pay to see an uninterrupted game. “The game is changing so much. We analyse it and the difference is massive,” he added.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) recently announced plans to introduce a five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal-kicks to speed up play, but no such rule change is imminent for corner kicks. IFAB director Ian Maxwell confirmed that grappling at corners was not specifically discussed at the organisation’s recent annual general meeting.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot previously remarked that the growing reliance on set-pieces is removing the “joy” from Premier League matches, echoing concerns about the overemphasis on dead-ball situations.
