Arsenal legend Tony Adams urges referees to consider rule change after more controversy

Arsenal, who scored much goals from dead-balls (22) than immoderate different Premier League broadside past season, person had immense joyousness from set-pieces again this play acknowledgment to specializer manager Nicolas Jover

Tony Adams believes PGMOL request to tighten up the rules astir obstruction - contempt Arsenal's continued occurrence from set-pieces.

The Gunners person been astatine the bosom of plentifulness of officiating contention this season, with that taxable continuing successful their decision astatine Bournemouth. William Saliba became the 3rd Arsenal subordinate to spot red, earlier David Raya conceded a punishment during the 2-0 defeat.

But Adams, who relished a good, old-fashioned grapple during his playing days, said referees request to stamp retired "wrestling" from dead-balls arsenic successful his view, the contented has gone excessively far.

Adams said: "Back successful my day, I don't cognize whether obstruction came into it arsenic you utilized to person to support decently and not wrestle radical to the ground. Likewise erstwhile you're successful the different box, you had to determination distant from them due to the fact that the goalkeeper astir apt got excessively overmuch extortion during those days erstwhile I utilized to play.

"All the worldly that I saw, each the blocks that they're utilizing - we did that, I retrieve erstwhile we won the derby backmost successful 1993 erstwhile Andy Linighan blocked Teddy Sheringham and Neil Ruddock and I went circular the backmost and scored the extremity that won america the semi-final.

"It was a subtle artifact but I spot things contiguous that really are benignant of crossing the line, determination are radical wrestling each different to the ground.

"They're [ Arsenal ] doing well, don't get maine incorrect and they've got distant with it truthful acold but I bash deliberation the rules request looking at. The obstruction regularisation seems to person gone retired the window."

Ahead of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, PGMOL claimed "the offence of holding (ie blocking oregon obstructing) volition beryllium penalised much stringently successful acceptable pieces, erstwhile an attacker is trying to halt the question of an opponent."

But determination inactive appears to beryllium an constituent of leniency, which Arsenal are cunningly exploiting, peculiarly wherever blocking and lasting connected the toes of the goalkeeper are concerned.

Arsenal scored 22 goals from set-pieces past play - much than immoderate different Premier League side. The Gunners netted 16 unsocial from corners, matching the grounds for the astir successful a azygous top-flight season.

Set-piece guru Nicolas Jover has been the cardinal driving unit down Arsenal's occurrence which has shown nary signs of slowing down this season.

Mikel Arteta precocious said aft Bukayo Saka netted straight from a free-kick successful the 2-0 Champions League triumph implicit Paris Saint-Germain: "It is different limb [set-pieces] we have.

"We person large takers and astatine the infinitesimal a precise carnal squad that tin duel for the ball. We enactment connected it a lot, truthful large recognition to the coaches and past the players for buying into it and knowing that these things are crippled changers."

Adams added: "Emirates are evidently a sponsor of Arsenal and they've opened up this store and this experience, the Emirates world store. I'm present with them, they showed maine astir each the antithetic lounges and experiences and it's much interactive.

"From lockdown, we're utilized to booking everything online but they privation to bash things old-school and get america down to the shop. I similar operation astir my vacations and Emirates are present to assistance with that and getting your docket sorted."

Arsenal Legend, Tony Adams was speaking to the Sunday Mirror for the motorboat of the Emirates World Travel Store which opened to the nationalist connected Wednesday 9th October. The retail store based connected Gloucester Road, London is the archetypal to unfastened successful Europe and latest successful a planned roll-out of 40 stores globally.

Join our caller WhatsApp community! Click this link to person your regular dose of Mirror Football content. We besides dainty our assemblage members to peculiar offers, promotions, and adverts from america and our partners. If you don’t similar our community, you tin cheque retired immoderate clip you like. If you’re curious, you tin work our Privacy Notice.