Football

Newcastle star Wilson takes aim at Arsenal for ‘wasting time’

May 12, 2023 10:30 am

Callum Wilson

Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson has criticised Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka and his Gunners teammates for their time-wasting antics in Sunday’s Premier League tussle between the sides.

The Magpies were gunned down by Mikel Arteta’s title-chasers at St. James’ Park in a 2-0 victory for the visitors, though Newcastle boss Eddie Howe cut a frustrated figure in the post-match scrum highlighting what he thought were delaying tactics by the visiting team throughout the contest.

Now, centre-forward Wilson has chimed in with the same complaints, accusing Arsenal of deliberately interrupting the flow of the game in the north east.

Wilson takes aim at Xhaka

Granit Xhaka appeared to have injury issues during Arsenal’s win at Newcastle, though Wilson believes the Swiss midfielder’s complaints were disingenuous and a tactic to slow the hosts down. Speaking to The Footballer’s Football Show, Wilson said:

“He has sat down with his groin (injury) and he is smiling away like there is nothing even wrong with him.

“I am like ‘get up’. He is obviously just wasting time. I think every one of their players went down at some point and got the physio on. And got up after a couple of minutes of delay.

“They obviously come with that clear tactic. When you are the home team trying to get momentum in the game, it frustrates you.

“Then you are trying to pick him up and he starts talking. You know what it’s like. You are from the streets, you don’t allow people to talk to you like that. I am like, off the pitch, people don’t talk like this to me, so I am not going to allow it on the pitch.”

People in glass houses?

Callum Wilson and Eddie Howe’s frustrations about Arsenal’s tactics on Sunday have raised eyebrows in several quarters however, with Newcastle widely accepted as being one of the worst time-wasting culprits in the Premier League this season.

Indeed, when the Magpies held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw at The Emirates Stadium earlier in the campaign, their time-wasting resulted in the ball being in play for just a little over 51 minutes, which is still one of the lowest figures in any Premier League fixture so far this term.

Just a few weeks ago, a study also showed that the ball has been in play less often in Newcastle’s matches than any other team in the division, suggesting that the Magpies’ delaying tactics are a big part of their blueprint in games.

Newcastle continue their fight for the top four

Newcastle travel to Leeds tomorrow in need of a victory to strengthen their bid to finish in the top four. The Magpies are in third position, just two points ahead of Man Utd in fourth, however, a resurgent Liverpool are closing in on both thanks to a six-game winning streak.

After they are done with Leeds, Newcastle end the campaign with fixtures against Brighton, Leicester and Chelsea.

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