Leeds United have a reputation as a dirty team stretching back a number of years, but the statistics suggest that may no longer be the case.
Dirty Leeds? Luke Murphy is shown a red card against Bradford City in 2014
Ever since Don Revie’s highly successful tenure as Leeds United manager, the club have been accused of being ‘dirty’. It is a nomenclature which Leeds fans have decided to adopt and embrace, often referring to themselves as ‘dirty Leeds’.
Whilst Revie’s Leeds team was blessed with some exceptional players who played delightful football at times, the accusations were understandable. The former Manchester City forward did implement a robust style of play at Elland Road, and Leeds consistently ranked among the worst teams in the First Division in terms of their discipline.
Can the same be said of Garry Monk’s Leeds United team though? Despite Revie having left Leeds more than 40 years ago, it is a label still attached to Leeds, yet the stats show that they are in fact the cleanest team in the Championship so far this season with the best disciplinary record.
Former Leeds United manager Don Revie
Garry Monk is known as a manager who like his teams to get the ball down and play good football, and the stats appear to reflect that. With more than a quarter of the season gone, Leeds are yet to have a player sent off in the Championship this season, and have received just 23 yellow cards.
Only Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday have received fewer yellow cards, and both have seen players dismissed. Using the barometer of 1 point for a yellow card and 3 points for a red, as is often used to create disciplinary charts, Leeds United emerge as the cleanest team in the Championship.
Promising young full-back Charlie Taylor has been Leeds’ worst offender, with 3 yellow cards to his name this season, whilst Pontus Jansson, Hadi Sacko, Luke Ayling and Ronaldo Vieira have all picked up two bookings each.
Charlie Taylor has the worst disciplinary record at Leeds United
This is in stark contrast to last season, when Leeds picked up more yellow cards than any other team (94) and 3 red cards under Uwe Rosler and Steve Evans.
It is a record Garry Monk will be keen to see continue over the course of the season. Less bookings mean less suspensions and more options available to the former Swansea boss, not to mention the fact that his best chance of winning matches is likely to be with eleven men on the pitch.
Sheffield Wednesday, Cardiff City, Derby County, Bristol City and Preston North End are the next cleanest teams in the Championship, whilst Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Reading have statistically been the dirtiest.
Is Garry Monk the man responsible for Leeds’ much-improved disciplinary record?
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