2023-2024 EPL Season

[Savant]

Some players are always going to draw more fouls than others based on the way they play. Saka has consistently been top 5 in the league for drawing fouls -- not because the refs are protecting him, but rather because he's actually getting fouled that much. Yet somehow he's getting fouled 5+ times before the refs hand out a yellow card to the offender(s).

The stats posted above aren't perfectly measuring whether Saka should be drawing more yellow cards, but it's the only statistic available that provides some form of evidence. And as someone that has watched 95% of Arsenal's games over the last few years, I can tell you that those stats match the eye test. You don't have to take my word for it, but you're the one that's talking about it without watching all of the games...

But not all fouls are yellow card worthy. Sure he could be getting more, but it’s not like he isn’t drawing fouls in the first place. Some players need 5+ contact before getting a foul, let alone getting a yellow card. That’s what the difference is. To me anyway.

Sarah also dives a looot more than Saka does which antagonizes refs.

He doesn’t get calls when he stays up either. But this is kind of my point. I don’t think Salah dives disproportionately more or less than any one else. I think he gets disproportionately less fouls/yellow cards that he should based on how much that he has the ball. I don’t think that’s even a controversial statement

Bruno G and Ayew have been fouled more this season (the latter by a significant amount) and haven’t drawn as many cards, so is there a conspiracy against them too?

Showing that Saka has the moist fouls against among players with the highest number of cards drawn doesn’t show anything. What you want to see is the average of cards drawn per foul for players who play a similar position.

I don’t know what a moist foul is, and I don’t think I want to know

 

[luiginb]

By nature of position the fouls Saka/Sarah draw are going to be more violent/high speed than the ones Bruno G suffers. Ayew is really good at protecting the ball so I'd guess most the fouls he suffers are low intensity too.

 

[Savant]

By nature of position the fouls Saka/Sarah draw are going to be more violent/high speed than the ones Bruno G suffers. Ayew is really good at protecting the ball so I'd guess most the fouls he suffers are low intensity too.

And I’m still thinking to figure out how John Brownhill got on there

 

[spintheblackcircle]

And I’m still thinking to figure out how John Brownhill got on there

There are legends of the Premier League.

And then there’s John Brownhill

 

[JPBolts]

Ben Davies is Spurs third centre back doing their hamstring this season. Thankfully Van de Ven will be fit to start next week. Crucial that Spurs bring in another centre back ASAP.

genuinely curious if there is a correlation between the high-octane style (which you play) and an increasing number of injuries in the squad? It seems like that has happened before (Leeds under Bielsa, and Newcastle to an extent this year) ... is this something to consider?

 

[KJS14]

Bruno G and Ayew have been fouled more this season (the latter by a significant amount) and haven’t drawn as many cards, so is there a conspiracy against them too?

Showing that Saka has the moist fouls against among players with the highest number of cards drawn doesn’t show anything. What you want to see is the average of cards drawn per foul for players who play a similar position.

There's no conspiracy. No one said that. In fact, I specifically made a joke at the expense of another poster about it not being a conspiracy.

Maybe Bruno G and Ayew should be drawing more yellows too. I can't speak to that, because I don't watch every game they play. I do watch almost every single Arsenal game and can confidently say that the refs have allowed defenders to kick at Saka without giving them yellows.

And while the stats referenced aren't perfect for showing that, it does directionally align with what I've watched. If someone has stats for the avg cards drawn per foul for attackers, then I'll gladly take a look. I couldn't find anything easily.

But not all fouls are yellow card worthy. Sure he could be getting more, but it’s not like he isn’t drawing fouls in the first place. Some players need 5+ contact before getting a foul, let alone getting a yellow card. That’s what the difference is. To me anyway.

Yes, I understand this. I'm saying that I've watched the games and defenders get away with yellow worthy fouls on Saka often because it's their first or second foul early in the game. The difference to me is that I've witnessed it.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

genuinely curious if there is a correlation between the high-octane style (which you play) and an increasing number of injuries in the squad? It seems like that has happened before (Leeds under Bielsa, and Newcastle to an extent this year) ... is this something to consider?

Not sure, but Bentancur and Maddison were a result of dirty tackles. VdV took place right after a long VAR review, which I wonder had more of an impact than any style of play being responsible.

 

[Savant]

Yes, I understand this. I'm saying that I've watched the games and defenders get away with yellow worthy fouls on Saka often because it's their first or second foul early in the game. The difference to me is that I've witnessed it.

and that’s fine, but that’s not unique to Saka.

 

[KJS14]

and that’s fine, but that’s not unique to Saka.

Yes, it's not unique to Saka, and I'm sure there are other players that should be drawing more yellows too. That doesn't discredit that Saka is one of the most fouled players in the league and he's taking hard fouls from defenders without protection from the refs.

Sorry that our club is trying to protect its star player, especially given some of our injury history. Wenger tried to call this out for years too, but much like the response to Arteta's criticism, the refs have seemingly held it against us.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

If I was concerned about protecting my young star I'd probably let him take a nap rather than playing him in every match for like four years, but who knows tbh

 

[spintheblackcircle]

KDB is back.

Game is on now

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Man City last 8 matches (in all competitions) ; 7 W 1 D | GD : 22-6 (+16)
And now Kevin De Bruyne is back.

I have a trustworthy warm fuzzy feeling that we don't lose a single match from now on.

 

[KJS14]

If I was concerned about protecting my young star I'd probably let him take a nap rather than playing him in every match for like four years, but who knows tbh

Yeah, rather than address the issue of our star player getting literally body checked on the pitch without the refs calling anything, we should just stop playing him. That must be the best solution.

 

[Savant]

Yeah, rather than address the issue of our star player getting literally body checked on the pitch without the refs calling anything, we should just stop playing him. That must be the best solution.

Saka running into a guy is not being body checked. If you want to protect him, give him a rest. He looks exhausted

 

[KJS14]

Saka running into a guy is not being body checked. If you want to protect him, give him a rest. He looks exhausted

Wish I could find a video of it. It was one of the cleanest shoulder checks you'll ever see straight into Saka's chest. Only problem is they were playing soccer, not hockey.

 

[Savant]

Wish I could find a video of it. It was one of the cleanest shoulder checks you'll ever see straight into Saka's chest. Only problem is they were playing soccer, not hockey.

You can’t find video of it because you and our friend from St Louis are the only people in the planet complaining about it

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Yeah, rather than address the issue of our star player getting literally body checked on the pitch without the refs calling anything, we should just stop playing him. That must be the best solution.

Saka ran into him, the guy was standing still.

Now THIS should have been a card

 

[phisherman]

Saka ran into him, the guy was standing still.

Now THIS should have been a card

Ran into him

 

[spintheblackcircle]

 

[Jussi]

Ran into him

Nah, that's clear obstruction. But only worth a yellow.

 

[bluesfan94]

Ran into him

Ben White was standing still.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

"I am a brutally honest person. So I will let you in on a little secret. Before I came to Manchester City, I didn’t really know what to make of this Raheem Sterling guy. I had never met him, and from what I’d read about him in the English press, I thought he was going to be a very different character.

Truthfully, I don’t have many close friends — inside or outside of football. It takes me a really long time to open up to people. But over time, I got closer to Raheem, because our sons were born around the same time, so they would always play together. I really got to know Raheem, and I recognized what a smart and genuine person he is. He couldn’t be more different from what the tabloids were saying.

This is the real truth: Raheem is one of the nicest, most humble guys I’ve met in football."

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Add Lo Celso to Spurs injury list.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

 

[HeHateMeFrisbee]

Add Lo Celso to Spurs injury list.

Sounds like it's minor so rested for the weekend but back soon.