Liverpool and England icon John Barnes has called for a change to the laws of football in response to tactics used by Premier League title challengers Arsenal.
Arsenal, who have made a strong start to a season which they hope will culminate in a first Premier League title since 2004, have been accused of bending the rules, particularly from set-pieces.
Mikel Arteta’s side have scored more goals from set-pieces than any other team so far this season and their use of blockers, while effective, has led to criticism from some quarters.
Blockers are essentially players who crowd the opposition goalkeeper and prevent them from coming to claim or clear crosses with no real desire to compete for the incoming ball.
Arsenal defender Ben White often took up the role last season while Gabriel Martinelli stood in the way of Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson before his Arsenal team-mate Gabriel scored a header in the 2-2 draw last month.
After that game, Graeme Souness claimed Arsenal are conning referees ‘every week’ with their use of blockers and now Barnes has called for a change to the laws to ‘protect’ goalkeepers.
‘I don’t want to necessarily upset Arsenal fans, but I think that the referees are going to have to look at this situation,’ Barnes said on the Seaman Says podcast with Betway.
‘The fouls on the goalkeeper. It’s not so much the contact, it’s the blocking. Now, of course, goalkeepers always complain about this, that we should be held to a different standard to footballers.
‘Why Arsenal are so clever at doing it is because if you stand in there against the goalkeeper, blocking him, the referee can see it.
‘So by the time the ball comes it’s obvious. But when you come in late and the timing is so good that by the time the ball is arriving, you’re there blocking him, the referee doesn’t see you because he’s looking at the ball.
‘From a perspective, what you can do now is just put four players around the goalkeeper. You’re not touching him, but you’re blocking him coming out.
‘You can do that to a centre-half because you don’t have to get out of the way, but I think for goalkeepers there should be [protection].
‘I think that now goalkeepers or referees are aware of Ben White. I think Ben White was probably being a little bit too obvious in terms of standing on him, whereas now they don’t.
‘They just come running in there, and if the timing is right, the goalkeepers is coming out as you’re coming in, and he can’t get past you.
‘That’s why I’m thinking maybe the law has to change, because there’s no rule to say I’ve got to move out of the way for the goalkeeper or the centre back.’
Arsenal legend David Seaman agreed with Barnes’ take and said: ‘I know, I totally agree. What’s happened to the old fashioned obstruction?
‘What’s happened to that? That used to be a foul in our day. But it’s because we are good at them.
‘Last season, it was Ben White who would do it. He would go into the goal and then just as the kick was about to be taken, he would end up right in front of the goalkeeper. It’s just a little nudge at the right time.’
Gabriel’s towering header against Manchester City looked set to give Arsenal a famous victory at the Etihad but John Stones scored a late equaliser for the hosts.
Arsenal returned to winning ways with a 4-2 victory over Leicester City last weekend while Man City dropped points for the second game in a row away at Newcastle United.
Both teams picked up wins in Europe this week, Arsenal proving too strong for Paris Saint-Germain and Man City thumping Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava.
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