Free kicks for Arsenal: Brighton player Fabian Horzler criticizes Arsenal

Brighton coach Fabian Horzler called for stricter rules on set-pieces and criticized incoming rivals Arsenal for wasting time.

Horzler, whose side host the Premier League leaders on Wednesday, claimed that the Gunners sometimes wait “more than a minute” to take corner kicks in matches.

Arsenal’s prowess from set-pieces continues to fuel their title campaign, with Sunday’s win over Chelsea marking the ninth time the Gunners have scored the winning goal from a corner kick this season.

But they have also been at the forefront of recent discussions about grappling and blocking at set-pieces, with Everton manager David Moyes identifying Mikel Arteta’s side as pioneers in the use of the ‘dark arts’.

Asked why he thought Arsenal’s approach to dead balls had received this level of attention, Horzler said: “There are no clear rules anymore.” [around] How much time can you spend taking a corner kick or throw-in?

“Some of the ways teams challenge, there’s no real rule. Sometimes the referee whistles and it’s a foul, and sometimes it’s not a foul or they don’t blow the whistle.

“[We need] A clear rule on how much time it can take to take a corner kick, or a free kick, because no one recognizes it. “When Arsenal get a corner kick and go ahead, sometimes they spend more than a minute just taking a corner kick.”

Statistics show that, on average, no team in the Premier League takes longer to restart corner kicks than Arsenal.