‘The new innovations are positive’

Arsene Wenger has praised some of the rule changes to be implemented for the start of the 2016/17 Premier League season.

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Among the new innovations, players will no longer be sent off when they concede a penalty, while teams will also not be required to play the ball forward from kick off.

“Yes [this is a good thing], because… that sometimes allowed the opponent to gamble and get on the ball,” Wenger told Arsenal Player.

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“I feel there’s more freedom, as you can still play the old way but you can as well play a backpass straight away. I always found it a strange rule. You need only one guy in the middle to play the first ball now, whereas before you needed two.

“I think [the fact players won’t be sent off for giving away a penalty] is a good innovation as well. There are two or three new things that football has innovated and I think they are all positive.

“It is a good example we had in the Champions League final in 2006 – we had Jens Lehmann sent off and we played with 10 men in a Champions League final where you would expect at least to play with 11 against 11.”