Arteta accused of encouraging time wasting among his players

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·9 gennaio 2025

Arteta accused of encouraging time wasting among his players

Time-wasting has become a contentious issue in football today, with Arsenal among the teams accused of frequently employing such tactics. When a team holds a narrow lead towards the closing stages of a match, it is common to see them using various methods to delay play and disrupt the game’s flow.

However, when a team is trailing, they naturally want to keep the game moving and are quick to criticise any attempts to slow it down. This demonstrates a shared hypocrisy in football: teams are happy to engage in time-wasting when it benefits them but are vocal in opposition when they find themselves on the receiving end.

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Arsenal, for instance, have occasionally expressed frustration at opponents slowing the game down when the Gunners are chasing a result. Yet, they have also been accused of employing the same tactics when they are protecting a lead. Keith Hackett, the former head of referees, believes Arsenal are no different from others in this regard. Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett stated:

“Delayed free kicks. Take injuries where a player going down starts to rub his head and suddenly we have a water break, and another delay whilst the coach starts to deploy different tactics.

“The corner kicks where referees go in tally to players who are holding each other and when play restarts the offences go unpunished.

“So, Mr Arteta, you are as guilty as other managers who empower their players to waste time.

“Football needs to get its act together and stop this nonsense and, like other sports, employ an independent timekeeper.”

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Hackett’s remarks highlight how widespread the issue of time-wasting has become and the need for uniform solutions to address it.

Ultimately, all teams engage in time-wasting to varying degrees, and it is an unavoidable aspect of the modern game. Arsenal, like others, must ensure their players are prepared for such tactics, particularly in the late stages of matches. It is crucial to remain focused and avoid allowing opponents to dictate the tempo when they attempt to slow things down.

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