By Bulldog Drummond
- Bournemouth v Arsenal Reserves: Arsenal top of the league for injuries
- AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal: 19 October 5.30pm: the background
In our usual review of tackles fouls and cards for fouls, this week we look at the two clubs involved in our game of tomorrow, plus Manchester United who seem to be sinking fast, and Tottenham Ho who seem to be sinking.
Arsenal have committed the smallest number of tackles this season – Manchester United have committed 26% more tackles than Arsenal, who are the lowest in our group this week. But really curiously, despite committing 32 more fouls than Arsenal this season Manchester U have actually had one fewer foul given against them for a bad tackle.
That of course suggests that Manchester U’s team are much better tacklers than Arsenal – they put in 26% more tackles but get called for fewer fouls. That really is something and is something commentators would be studying if they did their job properly.
But then even more bizarrely despite committing fewer fouls than Arsenal Manchester United have got 58% more yellow cards for fouls than Arsenal! In fact Manchester United have committed more fouls than any other Premier League club.
| Tackles | Fouls | Card for fouls | |
| Arsenal | 124 | 86 | 12 |
| Bournemouth | 142 | 100 | 13 |
| Man U | 156 | 85 | 19 |
| Tottenham | 132 | 84 | 14 |
And now the ratios
| Tackles/Foul | Tackles/Card | Fouls/card | |
| Arsenal | 1.44 | 10.33 | 7.17 |
| Bournemouth | 1.42 | 10.92 | 7.69 |
| Man U | 184 | 8.21 | 4.47 |
| Tottenham | 157 | 9.43 | 6.00 |
So as we can see Arsenal and Bournemouth are not too far apart in the statistics. The number of tackles that can be put in before a foul is called is almost identical. Bournemouth can put in more tackles before a card is waved and can commit more fouls before a card is shown.
But now compare this with Manchester United. They can put in more tackles before a foul is called, but then once that foul is called they are much more likely to get a card – even more likely than Tottenham. And here is the twist.
Manchester United are over 40% more likely to have a foul result in a card, than Arsenal. Tottenham are 17% more likely to have a foul result in a card than Arsenal.
I can certainly remember a time when this was the other way around – and when Arsenal hardly had to get near to another player for a foul to be called, but the years of working on this under Arteta has got it established in referees’ minds that Arsenal do not commit foul tackles as much as other clubs.
That may or may not be true – but as we have argued for years that is irrelevant – what matters is what the referee believes. And as time goes by referees are more and more inclined to believe that Arsenal is not a dirty team. On the other hand, another change is happening: the more and more they are willing to believe that Tottenham are rather naughty when it comes to tackles and the like.
But to return now to this weekend’s game. Bournemouth and Arsenal although very different sides are both working to keep not so much within the rules of the game but within the referees’ interpretations. It is a trick Manchester United and Tottenham have no idea about. Quite possibly they read the newspapers and listen to the commentaries rather than do the analyses themselves.
So back to this game, Bournemouth can put in just around 6% more tackles before a card is shown. It really isn’t too bad.
However, there is one other issue here which is both worrying and unexplained. Arsenal have picked up more cards for issues that are not fouls and not unprofessional behaviour, than any other team – they have eight such cards, the same as Chelsea.
This compares to the likes of Tottenham H and Liverpool who have just one or two for “other” reasons. I am trying to find out why. If I get an answer I will of course publish it here.
In the next piece, we shall take a look at the referee, who is Rob Jones. He is averaging 24.6 fouls a game, 5.6 yellows a game. At least according to Paddy Power
