Fabian Hurzeler insisted he did not want to upset anyone at Arsenal after his post-Brighton comments, but the Brighton head coach also made clear he still stands by his criticism of Mikel Arteta’s side.
Fabian Hurzeler has moved to lower the temperature around his recent criticism of Arsenal, while still standing by the substance of what he said after Brighton’s defeat to Arteta’s side. In fresh comments before Brighton’s next game, Hurzeler stressed his admiration for Arsenal’s work this season and described Arteta as “probably one of the best managers in the world”, but he also made clear he was not backing away from his complaints about time-wasting.
The Brighton head coach had initially caused a stir after Arsenal’s 1-0 win at the Amex, when he claimed “there was only one team that tried to play football today” and questioned whether it was normal to see a goalkeeper go down three times in one Premier League match. Asked about those remarks afterwards, Arteta declined to engage and simply replied: “Next question.”
Now, though, Hurzeler appears to have taken a more careful line. “I think it is very important to say one thing about that,” he said. “I really admire what Arsenal have achieved so far this season. I really admire Mikel Arteta and his team, his players and all the staff and how they work. And I will be the first one to congratulate them if they win the Premier League.”
That felt like a deliberate attempt to make clear his frustration on the night was not intended as a broader attack on Arsenal or Arteta. Hurzeler went further, saying: “I didn’t want to upset anyone from Arsenal, I didn’t want to upset the staff or the players.” He added that he had also spoken to Arteta “afterwards and during the week” to underline that point.
But while the tone was softer, the substance did not really change. Hurzeler said he would “stick to my words” about parts of that night which left him unhappy, arguing that “all the numbers” supported what he had said about time-wasting. His broader position was that football needs clearer rules in that area.
That balance is what makes the latest comments notable. Hurzeler was clearly keen to show respect and avoid the impression of a running feud, yet he also did not want to look as though he was retreating completely. “It is very important in life to say your opinion, not to hide your opinion,” he said. “Even when we are a smaller club, we also should do it.”
He also returned to the football point behind the frustration, saying Brighton had tried hard to win the game and now had to find a different solution against an Arsenal side who had approached the contest in a different way. The Brighton manager’s latest remarks sounded less like a full climbdown and more like an attempt to reframe the argument. The admiration for Arteta was emphatic, but so was the insistence that his original complaint still stands.