Chelsea have amassed the most cards, followed by Blackburn Rovers, Wolves, and Arsenal- with QPR receiving the most reds.
With eight games to go in the Premier League, Chelsea sit in fifth- not the position they had aimed to be in.
They are at least top of one table, although it is perhaps not one to be proud of.
Here is the league table for red and yellow cards:
1) Chelsea: 60 Yellows, 4 Reds
2) Blackburn: 55 Yellows, 4 Reds
3) Wolves: 55 Yellows, 3 Reds
4) Arsenal: 50 Yellows, 4 Reds
5) Wigan: 53 Yellows, 3 Reds
6) Aston Villa: 54 Yellows, 2 Reds
7) QPR: 41 Yellows, 6 Reds
8) Sunderland: 49 Yellows, 3 Reds
9) Newcastle: 52 Yellows, 2 Reds
10) Stoke: 49 Yellows, 2 Reds
11) Bolton: 39 Yellows, 5 Reds
12) Norwich: 44 Yellows: 3 Reds
13) Everton: 49 Yellows, 1 Red
14) Manchester City: 37 Yellows, 4 Reds
15) Liverpool: 39 Yellows, 3 Reds
16) Fulham: 48 Yellows, 0 Reds
17) Tottenham: 37 Yellows, 2 Reds
18) West Brom: 39 Yellows, 1 Red
19) Swansea: 35 Yellows, 2 Reds
20) Manchester United: 37 Yellow, 1 Red
The statistics are worked out through a simple system: 1 Yellow Card = 1 point, 1 Red Card = 3 points.
Intriguingly the team top of the Premier League table, Manchester United, are the cleanest team when it comes to amassing cards. Clubs at the bottom of the table- Blackburn, Wigan, and Wolves, have earned among the most, yet this pattern is offset by Chelsea and Arsenal who are in the top five of both.
Two of Chelsea’s four red cards came against QPR in the same game, with Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drogba sent off, with Fernando Torres and Ashley Cole the other offenders.
All four were awarded under Andre Villas-Boas management. In the three Premier League games Roberto di Matteo has been in charge for, they have picked up just four yellow cards, suggesting a less aggressive change of approach.
What do you make of the table, has Chelsea’s ill-discipline cost them this season?
image: © Ben Sutherland
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