The issue at hand revolves around Arsenal’s alleged strategy of obstructing goalkeepers at set pieces, particularly involving Ben White. Graeme Souness criticized this tactic, citing FA rule book’s definition of obstruction. He condemned the behavior as cheating and expressed frustration with the prevalence of such actions and the challenge they pose for referees.
Souness also called for VAR officials to intervene and penalize Arsenal for this conduct. Amidst this controversy, Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou offered a different perspective, describing it as a strategy and emphasizing his focus on building winning teams. He downplayed the significance of such tactics and questioned their impact on the game.
Postecoglou also dismissed the need for his players to engage in similar behavior and stressed the importance of focusing on playing football. The debate surrounding this issue is ongoing, with contrasting views on whether Arsenal should face consequences for their conduct at set pieces.