Arsenal are among the Premier League’s biggest time-wasters this season, with new data showing how they slow games down through set-pieces and restarts.
In a report from The Times, Arsenal rank second in overall time-wasting, sitting below Leeds United.
The average match lasts just over 100 minutes, but the ball is in play for only 55 minutes and 31 seconds. Arsenal are close to that average overall, but the difference comes when they are winning.
When level, Arsenal keep the game moving, with the ball in play for 57.28 per cent of matches. When ahead, that drops to 54.27 per cent. When losing, it falls further to 52.29.
Manchester City, their main title rivals, show a clear contrast. City keep the ball in play more across all situations, including 62.44 per cent when drawing and 56.29 when leading.
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Set-pieces highlight the difference. Arsenal take an average of 44.03 seconds per corner, the slowest in the league. City are among the quickest at 31.46 seconds.
The same pattern appears with throw-ins. Arsenal take over 19 seconds on average, while City are the fastest in the league at 14.73.
Free kicks are another area where Arsenal slow things down. They take longer to restart play when winning, averaging 41 seconds compared to 27 when drawing. City also increase their time, but not to the same extent.
Goal kicks show a similar trend. Both sides take longer when ahead, but Arsenal again push the limits slightly more.
All teams waste time when leading. That is part of modern game management. But Arsenal stand out because of how consistently they do it across different situations.
In a tight title race, slowing the game down has become another tool. Arsenal are using it as effectively as anyone.
Photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images
