By Bulldog Drummond
We decided today to have a look at how clubs had changed their style and approach between last season and the first three games of this season, and yes we found quite a few interesting changes.
But as we started to collate the figures (the figures which as far as we know, no other site or newspaper bothers with) we have the growing feeling that they might reveal some new emphasis by referees on players.
Yet what we were not ready for was for the comparison of the two seasons to reveal a new wholesale attack on Arsenal by referees. But that is what we found.
Let us start with some stand-out numbers…
This season, Manchester United increased their tackling by 35% compared with last season, but the fouls called against have increased by less than 1%. OK so maybe their entire squad has been taught to tackle without fouling during the summer and so encouraged to tackle more. Seems unlikely but you never know.
On the other hand, Arsenal have increased their tackling by a very modest 7% compared with last season, but the fouls called against them have gone up by a whacking great 46%. That is a massive turnaround. Have Arsenal defenders suddenly forgotten how to tackle? Or are referees being more picky about tackles?
We wondered and so quickly turned to look at other clubs. Aston Villa, for example, have increased their tackling by 46% and the fouls called against them have gone up by just 14%. Nothing like Arsenal’s figures.
Manchester City have increased their tackling by 10% but the fouls called against them have gone down by 43%. Perhaps that is not surprising – it is the way things always go for Manchester City/
And to take into account this weekend’s game, Tottenham have increased their tackling by 17% but their fouls have only gone up by 7%!
This situation looks utterly ludicrous. How could every team learn how to tackle better, without giving away so many fouls, while Arsenal have totally forgotten how to tackle?
So we went further. Manchester United have increased their tackles by 35% a game but the number of fouls has stayed the same.
And to give this another perspective, Arsenal have (according to the referees) already committed 10 more fouls per game in each game than Manchester City.
Here are the shocking figures in detail. All figures in this table are per game.
| Tackles 23/24 | Tackles 24./5 | Fouls 23/24 | Fouls 24/5 | |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 19.1 | 22.3 | 11.2 | 12.0 |
| Liverpool | 17.8 | 16.7 | 12.2 | 12.2 |
| Manchester United | 17.8 | 24 | 10.6 | 10.7 |
| Chelsea | 17.4 | 15.7 | 11.7 | 11.3 |
| Newcastle United | 17.4 | 18 | 10.2 | 13.0 |
| Arsenal | 16.1 | 17.3 | 10.3 | 15.0 |
| Aston Villa | 14.4 | 21 | 10.8 | 12.3 |
| Manchester City | 13.6 | 15.0 | 7.6 | 5.3 |
To my mind, if ever there was big news in football, this is it. Either Arsenal have, during the summer, totally forgotten how to tackle (which would be a big story in itself), while all the other clubs have improved (another big story the media has missed) or else someone has said to the referees – “we don’t like the way Arsenal are improving. Do something about it will you?”
Of course that is speculation. We don’t know that any club will have said that, and if a club did, which club would have the most to gain. And it seems preposterous to think that.
But what is the other explanation for Arsenal suddenly throwing away one of their key weapons of last season – that they kept their yellow cards down?
Last season Arsenal got the second lowest number of yellow cards in the Premier League. This season they are flying away at the top – only one club can match their eight yellows and a red, and that is Newcastle..
But what is even more interesting is not just the way the media has ignored this but the way they have found another story to replace it. Take a look at this…
“It seems a shame Arsenal are being forced to switch colours. A minor thing, but when the majority of traditions are being sold out for the sake of profit, seeing two historic clubs in traditional designs adds to the spectacle of the event. Instead, the demise of another bit of football history.”
Thus speaks the Guardian, and yes I would agree with it being a shame – but not as big a shame as the shame of using that story but not even mentioning the tackling and fouls figures which they are so carefully covering up.
At least we do immediately know that the media has not changed this year and that we were prepared for. But what has taken even Untold by surprise is the all-out assault on Arsenal by referees, in terms of calling fouls, while everyone else is being given an easy ride.
Great work again Tony and just more evidence of what many of us have know for a long time, Similarly, we also know the media won’t touch it with a bargepole. Maybe Arsenal should take just one note out of Man City’s book and make a legal challenge!
Great work indeed Tony, but it is of no surprise to me because as I said the other day in the How Referee Bias Will Affect The Tottenham V Arsenal Game article:
“……..I think we can all already see where this season is heading with regards to how we are going to be refereed”.
It already stood out a mile.
I have posted a lot with reference to the Rice Red Card incident and have looked very closely at the deeply flawed decision, and even deeper flawed attempts to justify it.
The reason for mentioning it yet again, is that behind the justification for what happened was that the referee had no choice, BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW, other than to yellow card him.
Apart from the fact that that is in itself utter crap, it says everything you need to know about what is happening this season, and what lies behind those horrendous statistics uncovered by Tony.
I would say that if you looked at EVERY free kick awarded against us, it would be possible for somebody, if they so wished, to justify every single decision, BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW.
And therein lies the problem.
As we saw with the Rice decision, I saw it mentioned many times that just because a Brighton player kicked the ball away earlier doesn’t excuse Rice. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
The identical incident from a couple of years back that was dealt with in the exact opposite way was irrelevant. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Our hand ball claim. The yellow card challenge on Rice on the half time whistle.
All of Vertmans contraventions in the Rice incident ignored.
-Trying to take the kick from the wrong place.
-Trying to take the kick whilst the ball was moving.
-Trying to kick the ball at Rice.
-Kicking Rice
All irrelevant to the point of just being totally ignored.
But, of course what Rice did had to be punished TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW. The referee had no choice.
And that is what Tony has unearthed.
When it comes to Arsenal they are going to be held to THE LETTER OF THE LAW, whilst when it comes to others, discretion, common sense, latitude, judgement, will all be allowed to come in to play.
We are in for a very rough ride this season.
If we finish the NLD with 11 men I will be amazed.
You have said the way it if. The FA don’t like us, so invariably the referees won’t like us. Our destiny lies above. Another thing you forgot to point out is that we have too many tough matches following each other consecutively, something that never happens to Man shitty. Arsenal has been marked out, and it is obvious for even a blind man to see . It is time a formal complaint is made. Enough of all nonsense…
What’s painfully obvious already is the Premiership will once again hinge on refereeing and VAR errors. It’s incredible that the media, pundits and Sky have decided to completely ignore the decisions that went against Arsenal last season against Newcastle & Aston Villa whilst lauding Man City for winning the Premiership by two points. It’s true we lost games to West Ham, Aston Villa twice & Fulham – these games being highlighted as the reason we lost the league, but the fact is poor decisions by the referee and VAR also cost us points.
It will be the same on Sunday in the NLD. For the first 10 or 15 minutes Porro, Romero et al will be allowed to kick Saka, Havertz, Martinelli, Sterling? with impunity until a card is finally brandished. Obviously Son, Maddison & Kulusevski will be diving from the start to whip up the crowd and try to get a free kick, penalty or an Arsenal booking – I’m predicting first yellow card to go to an Arsenal player. They’ll be no sign of consistancy from an inept Referee (how can an Aussie ref be in charge of a game involving Postecoglu ?) … so we better make that a yellow for Arteta as well.
Even with injuries to key players I believe we are a better team that THFC – but I think that once again we’ll be looking at the officials and VAR and asking questions.
And I fear a repeat of last season – the best team and the best football played will not result in the best team winning the Premiership – be it City, Arsenal or Liverpool. It will be decided by Webb and his cronies
Seanleguv
Agree 100%
In the same way they have pretty much ignored everything that has gone against us this year.
There were some dissenting voices over the Rice incident but they were soon shut down by Gallagher and co, followed by the KMI panel, who all assured us that there was ‘nothing to see here guv’.
I’m with you on thise regarding the NLD.
Romero will get away with murder, as he always does. Song will be diving around like a dying Swan.
I said earlier I will be amazed if we keep 11 on the pitch.
But I will be amazed if Spurs do not get a penalty.
And I will be shocked if we do get one.
The agenda is clear. Tony has already exposed it.
Son takes the PK instead of Kane. Otherwise it’ll be the usual.