'I made my point' - Fabian Hurzeler addresses Mikel Arteta altercation, takes aim at Arsenal and calls for new Premier League ruling in passionate press conference
Fabian Hurzeler launched a passionate defence of his players and took aim at Arsenal – accusing the Gunners of time-wasting during a heated, but dull, Premier League encounter.
Hurzeler cut a frustrated figure after seeing his side fall to a 1-0 defeat despite what he felt was a dominant performance.
“I think statistics never lie,” he said.
“We conceded one shot on goal, we created a lot of chances, we weren't that effective. In the final third we could be more clinical, more calm. We could make better decisions and create even more chances.”
Arsenal’s winning goal came after just nine minutes at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday (March 4). Bukayo Saka’s effort somehow beat Bart Verbruggen after a slight deflection off Carlos Baleba.
It was not a game for the neutral with a very stop-start feel to proceedings – with the visitors happy to defend their slender lead.
While disappointed with the result, Hurzeler insisted he was proud of his team’s approach.
He explained: “In the end we lost, so we are all disappointed regarding the performance. But I loved 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.
“We have to keep working on the details, improving the small margins in the final third to create more chances. That’s our job, our responsibility, and we will keep working.”
However, much of Hurzeler’s anger was directed at what he perceived to be Arsenal’s deliberate slowing of the game. Having described the Gunners as ‘creative’ with their use of time before the match, he doubled down on that assessment afterward.
“Creative, I said. Creative with the time. Took their time, wasted time – however you want to phrase it,” the German, 33, said, pointedly.
"In the end I think these kind of opponents you can only punish by winning against them. Today I have no arguments on my side. If I would have a 2-1 win, a deserved 2-1 win, I could speak
differently.
“Therefore we need to find a way to punish it. We need to find a way to find solutions against these kind of teams and that's our responsibility. We have to keep working.
“Complaining doesn't help so that's why focus is on us.
"If they win the Premier League, no one will ask how they win the Premier League. I think you can really feel that they want to do everything now to win this game. In the end it's about the
rules.
“If the Premier League, if the referee allow everything then it's difficult. They make their own rules. At the moment I have the feeling they are doing their own rules no matter how they are playing.
“I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way. I want to do well.
“I want my players to keep improving and keep playing football on the pitch. In the end, of course, every team will manage and waste time. But I think there has to be a limit.
“The limit has to be set by the Premier League. The limit has to be set by the referees. At the moment they just can do what they want.”
He also questioned the actions of Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya, suggesting repeated stoppages disrupted the rhythm of the game.
“I ask one question: did you see in a Premier League game a goalkeeper going down three times?” he said to a reporter, post-match.
"No? So I think we shouldn’t waste too many words about that tonight.”
Hurzeler’s complaints were seemingly not well received by his counterpart. Mikel Arteta was seen pointing a finger at the Brighton boss shortly after the 25th minute mark, in a tense moment, caught by the TV cameras.
The Seagulls’ manager downplayed the confrontation.
“I can’t remember, I’m in my tunnel so I try to focus on my team,” he said. “Maybe a little bit complaining about one action of time-wasting – there were so many, so it could be one action of that.”
Despite his frustration, Hurzeler stopped short of directly blaming the officials, instead calling on the league to address the issue.
“We can’t control these kinds of things,” he said.
"Therefore the Premier League has to find the rule. It’s not my business. I made my point before the game and I stick to it. In the end we are football coaches, we try to manage the game and help the team to win. The focus is on that.”
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