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 differen.