Ahead of facing Everton next in the Premier League, Arsenal are facing criticism for time-wasting in games.
Everton have a bit of a break again now before that game, after beating Burnley 2-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Is this genuinely realistic…🤔
Everton vs Liverpool stat.
It’s the next round of FA Cup fixtures this weekend, meaning a chance for Everton to rest and recuperate, and the expectation is that the Toffees will head off somewhere for warm weather training.
But it’ll be back to it the following weekend, and Everton may need to brace for some frustrating tactics after what Arsenal did against Brighton.
Everton must brace for Arsenal time-wasting as Fabian Hurzeler fires warning
Arsenal won their latest game against Brighton 1-0 at the Amex Stadium.
But the Gunners have faced criticism for wasting time in getting the ball back in play.
According to Opta, ‘Arsenal took 30 minutes and 51 seconds to restart play against Brighton last night, their highest total in a Premier League match this season’.
Mikel Arteta looks pensive while managing Everton.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
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For a 90-minute game of football, that is a truly staggering amount of delaying from Mikel Arteta’s side
And it was something that rubbed Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler the wrong way.
He said after the game (via Sky Sports): “I love the effort from my boys, I loved how they played football. I think there was only one team who tried to play football today and therefore I’m proud of how they did it.
“There are different kinds of winning, so if they win the Premier League, no one will ask how they win the Premier League. I think you can really feel that they do everything now to win this game and in the end it’s about the rules.”
Hurzeler the warned that Arsenal could be doing things by their own rules at the moment.
“In the Premier League, if the referee allows everything then it’s difficult, then they make their own rules,” he added. “At the moment I have the feeling Arsenal are doing their own rules, no matter how they are playing. That’s why I think it’s difficult to judge that.”
Everton must be clinical amid potential disruption tactics
So the game with Arsenal has the potential to be a very tough watch.
It is clear that the Gunners, in their pursuit of the Premier League title, are prepared to do whatever it takes to win games.
Of course, that’s what all teams ought to be doing, within the rules.
But Arsenal are pushing the boundaries and are hell-bent on winning that elusive Premier League title.
David Moyes managing Everton.
Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
What will be paramount for Everton is to try and not let them take the lead. Because this will change the complexion of the game.
Arsenal took an early lead against Brighton and then didn’t have another shot on target until the 87th minute.
It suggests that it would be very hard to get back into the contest. In an ideal world, Everton would be the ones taking the lead and doing the defending.
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