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Posted

After Morgan got his latest booking this week at Old Trafford I checked the stats on the OS and see he has had 7 yellow cards this season, easily the most of any Saints' player. He's also top for the most fouls. As a defensive midfielder he does have to put in more tackles than some other players but when he fouls an opponent he gives away a free kick that can result in a goal to the opposition. When he gets a yellow card he then has to tone down his play in case he gets a second yellow and is sent off, which can reduce his effectiveness for the rest of that game.

At Old Trafford, he certainly fouled the Man U player by grappling with him and shirt pulling which gave away a free kick just before half time in a dangerous area but that wasn't what he got booked for. Having been penalised for the foul Morgan then kicked the ball away and was booked for unsporting behaviour.

Seems to me that some words of advice would help, or even a session with a sports psychologist. He's one of our best players but could be even better if this aspect of his game could be improved.

Posted

He is immense, and someone who puts in as many tackles as him will pick up a suspension in a season it's kind of just a given.

 

He was frustrated on Wednesday I'll let him off for that one.

Posted

I like centre midfielders that get stuck in and give away a foul or two, shows that they're battling out there. Don't see why we need him to see a sports psychologist, he's been class this season and don't want him to give less than the 100% he has been for fear of a yellow card.

Posted

I would leave him be personally. Would rather get, say, 19 out of 20 games out of him playing his 'natural' game than 20 out of 20 games playing in a more restrained way.

 

I hear the argument that he has to probably restrain his play for the rest of the game after getting a yellow, but aren't you asking him to restrain his play for 90 minutes of every game?

Posted

you could argue he uses his agression well! he manged to avoid suspension by the skin of his teeth at the end of December deadline and despite getting 7 yellows he hasnt been sent off! Maybe we could do with a bit of similar agression from other midfielders! Morgan has been by far our best defensive midfielder and key ball winner.

Posted

No problem with him, yellows are so easy to pick up and someone who is a first name on teamsheet and tackles like he does will get one every 3 games. Pretty sure he will reach 10 and get a two match ban so could be tactical as to when that is served.

Posted
Wasn't there a stat about him putting in the most number of tackles? A fairer comparisson would be something like yellow cards per tackle?

 

This.

 

Most tackles in the whole premier league. Bound to have a fair few yellows therefore.

 

(Just as long as he doesn't get silly ones by kicking the ball away etc....)

Posted (edited)
Lot of his yellows is cheeky fouls to prevent a counter attack. They're important bookings to get so carry on Morgan!

 

Straight out of Jose Mourinho's coaching book, that.

Edited by ant
Posted
Straight out of the Jose Mourinho's coaching book, that.

 

That's fine by me.

 

It's easy to forget that he's still pretty darn young really.

 

Probably 5 years til he's at his absolute peak, with that extra experience I am sure he will get on top of it.

 

That said, it never really seemed to affect the games of Keane & Vieira, arguably the two best defensive midfielders of the PL era.

Posted
Nah he's fine, although kicking the ball away was stupid on Wednesday. We will miss him if he's suspended.

This is the point. I've no problem with him being booked occasionally as it is easy to cross the line from fair to foul and to be effective he has to play close to that line, but he didn't need to be booked at Old Trafford. So its not his tackling I'm talking about, its behaviour after the game has been stopped for a foul, such as kicking the ball away, retaliating or accosting the ref, which are the kind of things that other players do get booked for and which Morgan could avoid.

Posted
This.

 

Most tackles in the whole premier league. Bound to have a fair few yellows therefore.

 

(Just as long as he doesn't get silly ones by kicking the ball away etc....)

 

so tackle = foul...?

Posted
Deschamps announced his squad for the friendly against Germany and Morgan is not in it

 

MS will need to play Euro footie to break into the squad I would imagine.

 

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Posted
We should of sold him in the January market as he will cost us a place in the fair play league.

 

Hate dirty bastards....

 

You probably mean this.

Posted
This is the point. I've no problem with him being booked occasionally as it is easy to cross the line from fair to foul and to be effective he has to play close to that line, but he didn't need to be booked at Old Trafford. So its not his tackling I'm talking about, its behaviour after the game has been stopped for a foul, such as kicking the ball away, retaliating or accosting the ref, which are the kind of things that other players do get booked for and which Morgan could avoid.

He is French though :-)

Posted
This is the point. I've no problem with him being booked occasionally as it is easy to cross the line from fair to foul and to be effective he has to play close to that line, but he didn't need to be booked at Old Trafford. So its not his tackling I'm talking about, its behaviour after the game has been stopped for a foul, such as kicking the ball away, retaliating or accosting the ref, which are the kind of things that other players do get booked for and which Morgan could avoid.

 

that was a pain admittedly but is it something that is happening repeatedly?? not thought that myself, more just yellows associated with being a top defensive midfielder with the most tackles and interceptions in the prem.

Posted
so tackle = foul...?

 

No , but x% of tackles = fouls, in reality. So if you make more tckles than anyone else, and indeed if your job is to break up the opposition's play in midfield, you are bound to get more bookings than other players.

Posted
95 tackles, 7 yellows

 

So for approx every 14 tackles he gets a yellow? I'm sure thats a lot better ratio than alot of midfielders. Doesnt Paul Scholes get a yellow pretty much per tackle lol!

Posted
This.

 

Most tackles in the whole premier league. Bound to have a fair few yellows therefore.

 

(Just as long as he doesn't get silly ones by kicking the ball away etc....)

 

Most tackles of any player in the top 5 european leagues I believe.

Posted
Seems to me that some words of advice would help, or even a session with a sports psychologist. He's one of our best players but could be even better if this aspect of his game could be improved.

 

Can you recommend a good psychologist?

Posted
Deschamps announced his squad for the friendly against Germany and Morgan is not in it

 

won't get into that squad until he's more in view. Gonalons is dire most of the time but he still gets called up each time. Deschamps is very old guard centred.

Posted
So for approx every 14 tackles he gets a yellow? I'm sure thats a lot better ratio than alot of midfielders. Doesnt Paul Scholes get a yellow pretty much per tackle lol!

 

I'm not sure what that stat refers to - i.e whether that is completed/attempted/and whether fouls/yellows count toward that figure?

 

so it may be 95 good tackles + the 7 yellows, if that makes any sense?

Posted
No , but x% of tackles = fouls, in reality. So if you make more tckles than anyone else, and indeed if your job is to break up the opposition's play in midfield, you are bound to get more bookings than other players.

 

I get what ur saying but without attempted tackles figures it's pointless, ur missing everyone who skipped past him that he didn't catch. it's just muddled statistics.

Posted

Considering he was rated one of the most competitive midfielders in Europe, you can't expect him to go through the season without picking up some cautions.

 

In comparison to some of the former " hard-headed midfielders " we've had in the past ; Hurlock, Marsden, Quashie and Prutton

Morgan's disciplinary record almost puts him in the choir-boy catagory.

Posted
Am I right that he gets suspended if/when he chalks up 10 yellows?

 

Or is there an amnesty/reboot at some point in the season?

 

I think there's another deadline for 10. They get a naughty-boy letter or something instead of a suspension.

Posted

I don't think that it's too much of a problem. As others have said, yellow cards are an occupational hazard for a defensive midfielder.

 

It would only be a problem if he was picking up red cards for either two yellows or lashing out at opposing players and getting a straight red, as he did in previous seasons. It shows that he is relatively sensible with his fouling and doesn't take risks when he's on a yellow.

Posted
Yep, ten yellows before the second Sunday in April is a two-match suspension, fifteen by the end of season three matches.

 

Hmmm. Chances of that happening to Morgan are quite high then.

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