Menu
Arsenal have found themselves in a bit of a pickle after being accused of time-wasting during their recent 2-2 draw against Manchester City. According to research from Opta Analyst, Mikel Arteta’s squad has snagged the not-so-glamorous title of the Premier League’s biggest time-wasters, with the Gunners leading the pack for the longest average delays during matches.
The drama kicked off after Arsenal’s gritty draw at the Etihad Stadium, where City players and fans were left fuming over what they called deliberate delaying tactics, especially after Arsenal took the lead in the second half. John Stones eventually saved the day for City with a nail-biting 98th-minute equaliser, but not before a series of stoppages had the reigning champions riled up.
City defender Kyle Walker didn’t hold back, saying, “I think it’s part and parcel of the game and we’ll say the dark arts. As a Manchester City fan or player, you are obviously frustrated. As an Arsenal manager, he is going to say well played and well managed.” His teammate Bernardo Silva also chimed in during a post-match chat with TNT Sports Brasil, saying, “There was only one team that came to play football. The other came to play to the limits of what was possible and allowed by the referee, unfortunately.”
The grumbles from City players seem pretty spot on, as Opta’s analysis shows that Arsenal takes the longest time to restart play, averaging a whopping 31.8 seconds. This includes delays for corners, goal kicks, free-kicks, penalties, throw-ins, and kick-offs. Leicester City is hot on their heels at 31.5 seconds, while Brentford rounds out the top three at 31.2 seconds.
Interestingly, Tottenham, Arsenal’s North London rivals, have one of the quickest restart times, averaging just 24.2 seconds per dead-ball situation. West Ham takes the least time overall, wasting only 23.9 seconds, while Liverpool is near the bottom of the table with an average of 24.1 seconds. Reigning champions Manchester City average 25.4 seconds, which is much quicker than Arsenal’s league-high average.
The data highlights a growing trend of teams using what some might call ‘gamesmanship’ as a legit tactic in high-stakes matches. For Arsenal, who were trying to hold onto their lead at the Etihad, delaying tactics might have seemed like a smart move, even if it ruffled a few feathers.
One of the more eyebrow-raising moments in the match involved Arsenal’s 17-year-old substitute, Myles Lewis-Skelly. The young lad got booked for unsporting behaviour after he seemed to pass a message to Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, who then dramatically fell to the ground, causing yet another stoppage. Referee Michael Oliver showed Lewis-Skelly a yellow card as he strolled behind Raya’s goal line in the 65th minute, just as Arsenal were hanging onto their 2-1 lead. It was an incident that only added fuel to City’s fire about Arsenal’s game management.
While time-wasting isn’t exactly new to football, the data from Opta really shows how often certain teams lean on these tactics. Arsenal, for instance, averaged nearly four seconds longer than Manchester United (27.6s) and almost eight seconds more than City. Over a 90-minute match, those extra seconds can really pile up, potentially disrupting the flow of play and giving teams like Arsenal a tactical edge.
The debate over time-wasting often splits opinions. Some see it as a necessary evil in modern football, where the stakes are sky-high, while others think it undermines the spirit of the game. For Arsenal, managing the clock was likely part of a clever strategy to snag points against one of their fiercest rivals in the title race. However, the data suggests they’re now under the spotlight for pushing the boundaries of what’s acceptable.
Despite the accusations, Arsenal are still firmly in the hunt for Premier League glory. With the data now shining a light on their tactics, the big question is whether Arteta will keep using similar strategies or switch things up in the face of growing scrutiny.
Arsenal to Battle Man Utd for £50m Viktor Gyokeres Transfer
Liverpool in Turmoil: Salah’s Future Sealed Amid Contract Talks and a Possible Alexander-Arnold Exit
Why Liverpool’s Title Win Will Be Extra Special This Season
Premier League Injury Check After International Break: All 20 Clubs Updated