- Brighton and Hove v Arsenal, the home and away prognostications
- The great Premier League refereeing scandal – revealed
Here is the regular table (figures from WhoScored)
| Team | Tackles pg | Fouls pg | Yellows from fouls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester C | 13.3 | 8.2 | 0.97 |
| Arsenal | 15.6 | 10 | 1.00 |
| Brighton | 16.3 | 10.7 | 1.43 |
| Aston Villa | 14.8 | 11 | 1.67 |
| Liverpool | 17.4 | 12.2 | 1.27 |
So we can see the range of tackling from Manchester City up to Liverpool, the latter putting in 31% more tackles per game than Man C, In terms of tackles and fouls, the two successful teams are Manchester City and Arsenal with other clubs getting more yellows as a direct result of their fouling. Aston Villa for example get 67% more yellow cards from fouls than Arsenal do. We’ll come back to them at the conclusion.
In terms of yellow cards from all reasons Arsenal are at the bottom of the league, which has helped enormously keep the team members available when needed Here we see the top clubs for yellow cards and their level of possession as well as the three bottom clubs for cards.
| Team | Yellow cards | Possession% |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Chelsea | 87 | 58.8% |
| 2. Sheffield United | 84 | 33.9% |
| 3. Aston Villa | 81 | 53.9% |
| 4. Brighton | 75 | 62.4% |
| 5. Wolves | 74 | 47.7% |
| 6. Brentford | 73 | 44.0% |
| 7. Tottenham | 70 | 61.7% |
| 8. Manchester United | 68 | 49.9% |
| 18. Liverpool | 54 | 60.6% |
| 19. Manchester City | 47 | 65.5% |
| 20. Arsenal | 44 | 60.6% |
What this shows, is that undertaking the sort of activities that get yellow cards doesn’t directly have much to do with possession percentages, except that the top three clubs have lower levels of cards received and higher percentage levels of possession. Which is much as we would expect.
In the next table we compare the figures of Arsenal and Brighton
| Tackles per foul | Tackles per yellow | Fouls per yellow | |
| Arsenal | 1.56 | 15.6 | 10.0 |
| Brighton | 1.52 | 11.40 | 7.48 |
Thus we can see how Brighton’s style of play, although looking very similar to Arsenal’s in terms of tackles and fouls, ends up with them being punished much more readily by referees – thus suggesting there is something different under the surface.
So although both clubs have similar results from their tackling – out of around every three tackles they make, two give the advantage to the opposition by being called out as a foul. However those tackles have a very different effect going forward in terms of yellow cards.
Arsenal can put in 37% more tackles than Brighton before a yellow card is given against them for a foul, while Arsenal can put in 34% more fouls before a yellow card is given.
This is a really significant advantage for Arsenal and it shows up in the overall tally of cards – 75 yellows for Brighton to 44 for Arsenal (these totals being cards for fouls and other reasons). In other words Brighton are picking up 70% more yellow cards than Arsenal, but like Arsenal they are spreading them around a bit.
Arsenal’s yellow card total has been uplifted by Kai Havertz who has received eight yellow cards this season, After that we have Gabriel Jesus on six and Ben White on five. The most carded player is João Palhinha of Fulham with 12. Facundo Buonanotte is the top man for Brighton with seven.
It is also rather interesting to note that Tottenham have 24 players who have picked up at least one yellow card in a league match, whereas Arsenal have only 16 such players. It is just one more factor that adds to disruption in the squad, and is another factor where Arsenal and Manchester City are doing things one way and everyone else is going a different way.
To summarise, in terms of tackles, Manchester City are the least tackling team, and Arsenal the third lowest. In terms of fouls Manchester City are the lowest, and Arsenal are next (equal with Newcastle and Fulham). In terms of yellow cards Arsenal have the fewest, Manchester City are next.
Overall, as things stand thje Premier League tell us that Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes plus Jayden Bogle and Gustavo Hamer of Sheffield United are all in a situation in which one more yellow card will bring them an automatic two-match ban.
It brings home the oddity of the Chelsea approach. They obviously have the money to have bought whomever they want and yet they have gone on buying players who get booked.
And it is worth looking at the top and bottom of the yellow card table as we continue to think about Brighton.
The top five for yellow cards from all causes are Chelsea (87), Sheffield United (84) Aston Villa (81), and in fourth place Brighton whom we play tonight (75). All compared to Arsenal with 44.
And what is worth reflecting upon is the fact that when Unai Emery left Arsenal, he left Arsenal at the top of the yellow card league. Subsequently, Arteta has set about taking the club to the other end of the table – which has been most helpful in allowing him to pick the team he wants, not the players that PGMO has left alone.
