Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler described Arsenal’s tactics as “not football” after accusing the Premier League leaders of time-wasting during Wednesday’s fixture.
Brighton were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal at the Amex Stadium as Mikel Arteta’s side extended their lead at the league summit to seven points.
Hurzeler accused Arsenal of taking too much time over corners during his pre-match press conference, arguing it “disturbs the rhythm of the game”, and he reiterated that criticism following his side’s defeat.
The Brighton head coach said he believed his team should have been awarded a first-half penalty after Gabriel Martinelli appeared to bring down Mats Wieffer on the stroke of half time. When asked if his conversation with referee Chris Kavanagh concerned the penalty decision, Hurzeler said his complaints instead centred around Arsenal’s game management.
“Yeah, for me it’s a penalty,” Hurzeler told TNT Sports. “In the end, we have to accept the decision. It was more for me about him handling the other things better — the Premier League needs to find a rule because that’s not football what Arsenal did there. That was more the point I made to him (the referee).”
Asked what he meant by “handle the other stuff”, Hurzeler replied: “I think everyone saw it, and therefore everybody has to make his own opinion.”
Hurzeler singled out David Raya in his criticism over time wasting after the Arsenal goalkeeper went down to receive treatment in the second half, and argued the manner of Arsenal’s victory was not enjoyable watching for the neutral.
“I ask one question. Did you see one time in a Premier League game a goalkeeper go down three times? No? We shouldn’t waste too many words on that,” he added. “We should focus on us, our performance, we can’t control these kind of things.”
Hurzeler continued in his post-match press conference: “In the end it’s about the rules. If the Premier League, the referee, allows everything then it’s difficult. They (Arsenal) make their own rules, no matter how they are playing. I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way. I want to develop players, players that keep improving and play football on the pitch.
“In the end every team will manage and waste time, but there has to be a limit and the limit has to be set by the Premier League, by the referees. At the moment they just can do what they want.
“If I ask everyone now here in the room ‘did you really enjoy this football game?’, I am sure maybe one raises his arm because he’s a big Arsenal fan. Beside that, no chance.”
Arsenal were 1-0 winners on Wednesday thanks to Bukayo Saka’s ninth-minute goal. Arteta’s side stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League after Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw by Nottingham Forest.
Asked about Hurzeler’s comments, Arteta said: “Go back to the previous games and you will find a lot of comments like this. Always. I love my players. That’s the highlight. We love our players and I love the way we compete.”
