Arsenal Time-Wasting Tactics Under Fire After Brighton Loss

Add as a preferred source on Google

Fabian Hurzeler condemned Arsenal’s approach after Brighton’s 1-0 home defeat, arguing that Premier League authorities should react to what Hurzeler described as anti-football. Bukayo Saka’s early deflected strike secured victory at the Amex Stadium and moved Arsenal seven points clear of Manchester City, after Manchester City drew with Nottingham Forest, yet Brighton’s head coach focused on repeated stoppages.

Hurzeler was especially angered by breaks in play which Hurzeler linked to Arsenal’s game management, pointing to goalkeeper David Raya going down several times before continuing. In general, the Premier League needs to find a rule because that's not footballwhat Arsenal did there, Hurzeler told reporters, before questioning whether such tactics matched the spirit of the competition.

Brighton enjoyed long spells on the ball despite losing. Brighton finished with just under 60% possession and an expected goals figure of 0.8. Arsenal’s xG measured 0.43, but the visitors made their early chance count when Saka’s shot was deflected past the goalkeeper, leaving Brighton to chase the game for most of the Premier League contest.

The Brighton head coach highlighted recurring stoppages, noting that Raya received treatment on three occasions yet played on. Have you seen a goalkeeper go down three times in one game? I think that says enough. There was only one team that tried to play football today.But the only way to show these teams is to win. Hurzeler stressed that Brighton needed results to challenge such approaches.

Hurzeler linked Arsenal’s methods directly to the Premier League title race, suggesting their focus remained purely on results. If they win the Premier League, they won't care how,and you can see they do everything to win the Premier League. I will never be the type of manager who tries to win that way. Hurzeler added that such tactics did not match Hurzeler’s coaching principles.

The Brighton manager also questioned the spectacle for neutral viewers inside the stadium. If you ask everyone here in this room: Did they enjoy this game?Maybeone raises their hand, because he's a big Arsenal fan. Hurzeler indicated that, from Brighton’s perspective, Arsenal’s time management undermined the overall entertainment value of a Premier League match.

Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross echoed Hurzeler’s stance after assessing Brighton’s display against Arsenal. A good performance, a really good effort, Gross said, reflecting on Brighton’s control for much of the Premier League game. But in the end, we're disappointed about the result.We found a lot of solutions against them. We created a lot. Gross felt Brighton’s work on the ball deserved more.

Gross then turned attention squarely onto Arsenal’s delays and how spectators might view them. No words needed for that for Arsenal. Everyone can make their own decision, but I'm sure you don't like to watch these football games. Football fans want to see a football game, not time-wasting. The midfielder suggested such patterns conflicted with what Premier League supporters expect.

Arsenal Premier League statistics on delays and time taken

Match data from the Premier League offered more detail on Arsenal’s time use during the Brighton fixture. When all delays were added together, Arsenal took an average of 31.4 seconds to restart play from corners, goal kicks, throw-ins and free-kicks, a figure that sits within a wider pattern seen across the 2025-26 season.

Although Arsenal’s 31.4-second average was not unique, with 195 instances of longer averages in 2025-26, the Premier League data still placed this match high for interruptions. Arsenal’s 59 separate delays ranked as the eighth-highest total this season, while the overall delay time of 1,851 seconds was the 22nd largest for a single team.

The combination of Hurzeler’s criticism, Gross’s comments and the Premier League statistics ensured the debate around game management overshadowed Brighton’s attacking metrics. Arsenal’s win extended the lead in the title race, while Brighton left the Amex Stadium convinced Brighton had tried to play proactively, yet paid the price for failing to turn control into Premier League points.