Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has urged football lawmakers to introduce clearer rules to curb Arsenal’s time-wasting and blocking tactics from set-pieces.
Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler has called for clearer regulations to prevent what he views as time-wasting and excessive blocking during Arsenal’s set-pieces.
We keep moving. pic.twitter.com/9YNPdVSMUC
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 3, 2026
His comments come ahead of Brighton’s Premier League meeting with the Gunners, whose approach from dead-ball situations has drawn increasing scrutiny.
Arsenal’s reliance on corners has once again become a major talking point following their 2-1 win over Chelsea, a match in which all three goals were scored from corner kicks. Their efficiency from such situations has proven decisive this season and underlined their strength in rehearsed routines.
The Gunners have now scored 16 goals from corners in the current campaign, equalling the Premier League record for a single season. That tally matches the totals set by Oldham Athletic in 1992-93, West Brom in 2016-17 and Arsenal themselves in 2023-24.
The teams to score the most goals from corners in a season:
Arsenal 2025/26
West Brom 2016/17
Oldham 1992/93— Premier League (@premierleague) March 1, 2026
However, criticism has not focused solely on their productivity. During the Chelsea match, pundits highlighted repeated instances of players grappling and blocking opponents inside the penalty area, raising questions about consistency in officiating and enforcement of the rules.
Arsenal have also faced accusations of deliberately slowing the tempo at restarts. In their clash with Chelsea, the ball was in play for just 52 minutes and 59 seconds, despite the match lasting 101 minutes. By comparison, the average ball-in-play time in the Premier League this season stands at 55 minutes and 28 seconds.
Hurzeler believes lawmakers must introduce firm and transparent guidelines regarding both physical blocking and delays at corners, throw-ins and free-kicks. He argued that inconsistent refereeing decisions contribute to confusion and that supporters deserve more active playing time, rather than extended stoppages.
Ahead of their Premier League meeting on Wednesday, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has questioned the amount of time Arsenal take before set-pieces. pic.twitter.com/driCOG1DB2
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 3, 2026
Historically, Arsenal have enjoyed solid results away at Brighton in recent years, remaining unbeaten in their last five league visits.
Brighton, meanwhile, have managed just two wins in their last 11 Premier League meetings with the North London side, both of which came at the Emirates Stadium.
