Manchester City and Tactical Fouls : A Myth

As a football fan for over 50 years there are few things which genuinely surprise me. I like to think I have seen plenty of the sublime, lots of the disappointing and much ridiculousness.

Yet as a Manchester City fan I sit somewhat amused and astounded by the nonsense being written about tactical fouls. It has reached almost epidemic proportions of total rubbish. The only value in the argument seems to be it is the best way to spot an idiot. As clearly anyone talking about City tactically fouling is by obvious evidence, an idiot.

The thing is fouls are exactly that. All fouls are designed to break up the play, to stop the opposition, to mess with the rhythm and the momentum – not just some of them. Although I guess the obvious exception are those fouls which are accidental. Committed by lumbering halfwits who are not in control of any of their own limbs. But they are few and far between.

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In the first game of the Premier League 2019/20 season, Manchester City committed 13 fouls. There were 5 teams who committed more fouls – Manchester United, Everton, Sheffield United, Palace and Watford. In fact Tottenham, Wolves and Chelsea also all committed 13 fouls.

Looking at the 2018/19 season paints a similar picture. Here the statistics show that City were recording the second fewest number of fouls per game – 8.63.

So City are not fouling anymore than other teams in the division, in fact over the course of a season the opposite would appear to be true. So are our fouls somewhat more heinous than anyone else’s?

Again that would not appear to be supported by any of the evidence. We finished second bottom of the cards table last season having averaged 1.2 a game. Coincidentally Manchester United finished second in that table overall with 2.13 a game but probably best not to mention that fact as it clearly does not suit the agenda!

The only remaining suggestion is therefore that our fouls are missed by referees or not punished because we are better at fouling than anyone else. If that really is the best a football writer can come up with to try and denigrate Manchester City then they should be ashamed.

Some journalists and opposition managers have sought to propagate this myth because it distracts from their own failings. City commit fouls higher up the pitch than other teams thanks to one simple reason. We are better and spend our time higher up the pitch than most other teams!

So next time you hear the phrase tactical fouls just smile. You have clearly identified an idiot, so be gentle with them.