Mikel Arteta says he’s working hard with the Premier League to change the rules before the new season starts.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he’s been “fighting with the Premier League” to change a rule after having to make some tough choices before Sunday’s Community Shield match against Manchester City.
He left out several players from Arsenal’s squad for the big game, including Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri, and Gabriel Martinelli, who is still being linked with a possible move away from North London. Arsenal easily beat Enzo Maresca’s team 3-0, with goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz, and Martin Odegaard at the Principality Stadium.
Arteta clearly thought a lot about leaving some players out and talked about the rules around matchday squads. He wants the Premier League to increase the number of players allowed from 20 to 23. For the Community Shield, he was allowed to name nine players beyond his starting eleven.
When asked about the players he left out, Arteta told TNT Sports, “It’s really sad they couldn’t be available. I’ve been pushing the Premier League to let us include more players because they deserve it. Hopefully, we can get that rule changed.”
Last season, Arsenal scored many goals from set-pieces, so Arteta is a bit frustrated with the Premier League’s new rule banning towels during throw-ins. Before Sunday’s game, he was asked which new rule will affect the game the most, and he said, “Not using towels is already a big one.”
He also explained that the Premier League and referees walked them through all the new rules during pre-season, so the team has had a chance to try them out. Arteta said, “We’ll see how things go when the season starts, what works and what doesn’t, and what we need to change.”
He added, “Everyone is watching the little details, like restarts and countdowns, which will bring a new energy and different flow to the games. I’m really curious to see how it all works out. These rules are good because they’re meant to create more game time and keep the game flowing, which is better for everyone.”