'We'll play with hats on!' - Mikel Arteta MOCKS Premier League rule change as Arsenal boss faces long-throw crisis

Arteta has expressed his frustration with a new Premier League directive that prohibits players from using towels to dry the ball before throw-ins. The Spaniard, whose side frequently utilised the long-throw expertise of Ben White and Declan Rice last season, believes the removal of towels represents a significant shift in how teams prepare for set-piece situations in the final third.

Addressing the new protocols, the Gunners boss joked about potential creative solutions to keep the ball dry for his specialists. "Not being able to use the towels is already a big one," Arteta noted during a recent press conference. He jokingly added: "Let’s see what we do. Maybe we will play with hats on!"

The rule change is part of a broader crackdown on time-wasting across English football, intended to increase the amount of effective playing time. In previous seasons, the use of towels was a grey area that required mutual agreement between both competing clubs before kick-off. A flashpoint occurred last term when Riccardo Calafiori attempted to use a towel near the Newcastle United goal, only for referee Jarred Gillett to intervene and take the towel away because both teams had not agreed to its use.

The new regulations mean stars will no longer be able to meticulously wipe the ball dry before launching long-range missiles into the penalty box, a tactic that drew widespread criticism last season.

Beyond the towel ban, the Premier League is introducing several measures to speed up play, including countdowns for goal-kicks and throw-ins, and strictly monitored substitution windows. Injury protocols are also being tightened to discourage tactical breaks in play. Injured outfield players must now stay off the pitch for at least one minute after receiving treatment, and crucially, if a goalkeeper requires medical attention, an outfield player from that team must vacate the pitch also for one minute.

Arsenal themselves have faced accusations of gamesmanship in the past, most notably when Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler criticised David Raya for receiving treatment on three separate occasions during a narrow 1-0 victory for the Gunners.

However, Arteta remains confident that his squad can navigate these changes. "We have had the Premier League and the referees there with us to explain and go through everything," he explained. "We will have to see when the season starts and how this unfolds and what is more doable and what is less doable and what we need to adapt.

"We know that everybody is paying so much to the details, all the restarts and the countdowns, that will bring something else, a different dynamic, different momentum. So I am very curious to see. They are really good rules because what we are doing is trying to promote more game time and the fluidity of the games which is better and hopefully that will work."

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