Online Reporter
Champions Arsenal kicked off their campaign with a Community Shield clash against Manchester City yesterday.
Gunners boss Arteta, who used Ben White and Declan Rice for long throws last term, said: “Not being able to use the towels is already a big one.”
The Spaniard fears his side’s threat will be reduced from long throws after protocols changed.
Stars will no longer be able to wipe the ball dry before launching missiles into the penalty box.
And Arteta joked he will send his players out in hats so they have something to dry their hands.
He added: “Let’s see what we do. Maybe we will play with hats on!”
Previously both teams have had to agree before matches over the use of towels.
Against Newcastle last season, Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori tried to use a towel left near Nick Pope’s goal to dry the ball before a throw-in.
Referee Jarred Gillett intervened and took the towel away – as the teams had not agreed for them to be used.
When he was Nottingham Forest boss last season, Sean Dyche criticised the use of towels saying they are an unfair advantage.
Yet Arteta reckons the game will be better to watch and that the new laws are “really good”.
A crackdown on timewasting has been deployed throughout English football which will see countdowns for goal-kicks and throw-ins, time-limited substitutions, injured players being forced to stay off the pitch for a minute.
If a goalkeeper asks for the physio, outfield players must leave the pitch for one minute.
Asked which rule will have the biggest impact, Arteta said: “We have had the Premier League and the referees there with us to explain and go through everything.
“In pre-season we had the opportunity to see and experience some of them.
“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.”
Yet it is Arsenal who were often criticised for their time-wasting on their way to the Premier League title.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler criticised Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya after the Spaniard received treatment three times with Arsenal holding on to secure a crucial 1-0 Premier League victory – Sun.
