Sports
Former Man Utd Player Suggests Tactic to Stop Arsenal at Corners
A former Manchester United player has suggested a bold tactic that Premier League managers should consider implementing to combat Arsenal players ‘obstructing’ opposition goalkeepers at corners. Meanwhile, ex-Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has cast his verdict on what should happen next amid the intense online debate.
An image showing United goalkeeper Senne Lammens swarmed by Arsenal players – and, subsequently, his own teammates – while stood on his goal line has gone viral on social media. The incident occurred during the closing stages of Man Utd’s shock 3-2 win over the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Some perturbed football fans have even called for the FA and PGMOL to change the laws of the game to prevent this from becoming an increasingly common occurrence during matches. “They need a corner rule change to protect keepers. What Arsenal are doing is ridiculous,” one fan complained on X (Twitter).
Another messaged the PGMOL directly, commenting: “This certainly needs to be clarified. The defenders are not allowed to push the attackers. Clearly there is a rule for the goalkeeper to jump freely and that does not apply in Arsenal corners.”
‘Embarrassment to This Club’ – Arsenal Fans Turn on Key Player After 3-2 Defeat vs Man Utd
Arsenal dropped valuable points in the Premier League title race against Manchester United – and one player was particularly poor.
Mark Clattenburg Wants PGMOL and Premier League to Take Action
Retired ref Clattenburg has told United in Focus that the PMGOL and Premier League must address the issue. He said: “It’s clear that this has become more common when set-piece coaches were employed by clubs to get any advantage possible.
“It’s something the PGMOL and Premier League need to address, and any blocking on the goalkeeper must be punished by a free-kick. Yes, more fouls will be given at first, but when teams realise they will not be allowed to use this tactic, they will stop. We see this tactic used less in the Champions League as referees punish more!”
Former Man Utd Player Offers Solution to Combat Arsenal Tactic
However, former Man Utd defender John O’Kane – who recently made headlines with his eye-opening take on the Brooklyn Beckham saga – believes he may have found the solution, without the PMGOL and Premier League having to intervene. The 51-year-old tweeted:
“It ain’t rocket science. Coaches have to start leaving two or three players on the halfway line. Stoke [a nickname currently being used to describe Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal] have found a loophole in s***housery of obstructing the goalkeeper.”
It would take an extremely brave manager to leave two or three players on the halfway line against the Premier League leaders, who are widely regarded as the world’s best team from set-piece situations right now. The tactic of having fewer defenders inside the box for corners has the potential to backfire if it makes it even easier for Arsenal to score.
But if the PGMOL and Premier League fail to act, then O’Kane’s suggestion may provide the immediate tactical solution rival mangers are looking for.
