Since the Seagulls’ defeat, the headlines from the post-match reactions have been dominated by the debate surrounding Fabian Hürzeler’s Arsenal time-wasting claims, with the Brighton boss directing a series of scathing shots towards Mikel Arteta and Arsenal’s style of play.
Bukayo Saka’s ninth-minute deflected strike on his 300th appearance for the Gunners was enough to give his side all three points and extend their points lead at the top of the Premier League table to seven after Man City’s draw to Nottingham Forest.
Hürzeler, who has been in charge of Brighton for close to two years, took aim at the Gunners’ tactical approach, describing their style of football as “making their own rules” and “not trying to play.”
The German tactician did not hold back from pouring his mind out after the game, launching a 15-minute rant that has since gone viral.
He accused the North London side of systemic time-wasting and dark arts, claiming the game was constantly disrupted by “tactical” injuries and delays.
Despite Brighton bossing the game with 60% ball possession and looking like the next likely team to score, this loss leaves them with a poor record of three wins from 10, leading some to wonder if Hürzeler’s Arsenal time-wasting allegations are a deflection from his team’s struggling form.
Hürzeler’s Arsenal Time-Wasting Comments
One of the most striking comments he made was directed to Mikel Arteta, where he said, “I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way.”
Hürzeler’s Arsenal time-wasting criticism has raised eyebrows as he is not the first to make snide comments towards Mikel Arteta and his team’s style of play.
It continues to ignite fierce debates amongst fans and pundits whether he was in his right to dictate how Arsenal should approach their football, and if the Gunners this season have also in any way adopted a style of play that has begun to irritate their opponents.
The Brighton manager also took a swipe at Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, as the Premier League’s clean-sheet leader went down on several occasions in an apparent attempt to run down the clock, much to his frustration.
“There was only one team that tried to play football today. I ask one question – do you ever see in a Premier League game the goalkeeper going down three times?”
He also pointed to the limited amount of time the ball was actually in play during the match, using it to reinforce his frustration with Arsenal’s time-management tactics.
“One game, you play 60 minutes, and then when you play against Arsenal, only 50 minutes, so it’s 10 minutes difference,” he said. “Is this for what the supporters are paying for? Do you get my point?”
In truth, Hürzeler’s Arsenal time-wasting complaint was justified. According to Opta, the ball-in-play time at the Amex Stadium was actually 53 minutes and 58 seconds, accounting for 53.5% of the 100 minutes and 54 seconds played.
This has been a recurring experience for teams playing against Mikel Arteta’s men this season, as the Gunners have taken the longest time over corners on average of all Premier League clubs this season, according to Opta, at 44.5 seconds.
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Former Players And Pundits React To Arsenal’s Style Of Play
It has not been only Fabian Hürzeler raising concerns. Throughout the season, several former players and pundits have also questioned the style of play employed by Arsenal, with some going as far as describing it as “boring to watch” and even “ugly”.
Two former Chelsea players, goalkeeper Rob Green and legendary midfielder John Obi Mikel, have also weighed in with their opinions on Arsenal.
Green speaking after the Gunners win said, “Arsenal can keep playing badly and winning all they like. It’s the others that are faltering. Manchester City are faltering.
“They’ve had a stroke of good fortune. There’s not one player that can turn around and say they had a good game, except maybe [Piero] Hincapie”.
Former Nigerian international Obi Mikel has particularly come under fire from the club’s fanbase after describing Arsenal’s style of play as “awful to watch” and accusing them of “cheating” with their corner-kick routines, while also questioning the legality of players blocking a goalkeeper’s movement inside the penalty box.
In addition, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has had his say in the ongoing debate as he claims Arteta has taken the Gunners “back by 20 years”.
“Yeah, it was a very negative team, I thought. He’s almost gone back 20 years. I know he’s been in England a long time, but it feels like we’ve almost brought an English mentality to him, if you know what I mean”.
For someone who played under Arsene Wenger, one of the greatest coaches in the Premier League, and learned under one of the best managers in the world in Pep Guardiola, Arteta’s transition from a technical purist, determined to restore the well known “Arsenal way” of beautiful and expansive football, to a Jose Mourinho-esque style of ruthless pragmatism, reflects a manager evolving under the pressures of modern football.
Former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel also said, “Arsenal bring an ugly brand of football to our game. I don’t want to insult Arsenal, but their brand of football is so annoying to watch, it’s designed to exploit opponents while waiting for set pieces.”
This statement from former players shares the same sentiment as Hürzeler’s Arsenal time-wasting claims, suggesting that Arteta’s pragmatic approach prioritises “dark arts” in every area of the pitch over beautiful football.
Winning Over Style: Arsenal Ignore Criticism As Title Nears
Reaction on social media to Arsenal leading the Premier League title race with seven points, and moving closer to clinching their first title in nearly two decades, has been mixed, with many questioning whether they would be worthy champions based on their style of play.
Critics have labelled them as potentially the “worst winners of the modern Premier League era,” accusing the team of trying to run away with the title largely through set-pieces, particularly corner kicks.
When asked about the criticism, manager Mikel Arteta responded sarcastically, saying he was actually “disappointed” that his side does not score even more from corners.
For Arsenal, however, the manner of victory is unlikely to matter. As long as the red ribbons are tied around the Premier League trophy and their name is engraved on it at the end of the season, the job will be considered done.
While Hürzeler’s Arsenal time-wasting criticism contains a degree of truth, it is unlikely to derail the Gunners or force them to change their approach. In football, the priority is finding a way to win, whether in a beautiful or ugly manner.
The real frustration for many observers, however, is the idea of relying on such methods across the majority of the 38-game season.
Next for Arsenal is an away trip to Mansfield Town in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, and despite the criticisms over the week, Arteta won’t mind if his team beats the League One side, even if all the goals come from set-pieces.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / IPS
Recording Date: 04.03.2026
