£40m Newcastle man already on course to retain unwanted title after just seven games

 · October 8 2024, 17:30
£40m Newcastle man already on course to retain unwanted title after just seven games
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Every single possible stat that can be thought of is tracked in football these days, in fact they're so crucial to the modern game that new ones such as xG have entered common usage.

Most of the time topping the table for stats can be seen as a good thing, but there are obviously some stat tables you don't really want to be at the higher end of.

Things like fouls committed or number of times possession given away are a couple you don't want to be associated with, but they are down to the individual player and are something they can work on.

Other things just happen to the player and there's not much they can do about it such as being fouled.

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Anthony Gordon is fouled almost as often as Bruno Guimaraes

Bruno Guimaraes is the master of drawing the foul

Last season Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes topped the charts of being the player who drew the most fouls with 108 according to Stat Muse. Crystal Palace's Jordan Ayew came in second place with 93 which is quite the gap.

Already this season the £40 million former Lyon man is already back at the top of the charts with 27 followed by his club mate Anthony Gordon with 23.

It felt like about 20 of those fouls on Anthony Gordon came in the game against Everton at the weekend as he got chopped down every time he tried to go on a run.

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Newcastle need the practice from free-kicks so bring it on

Jack Grealish was famous for drawing fouls back when he was good and it's usually seen as a sign of a good player if an opponent's only answer is to try and take them out of the game so Newcastle must be doing something right.

Bruno has got drawing the foul down to an art form, especially with the clock running down and Newcastle holding on to a lead. He seems to be able to draw a foul at will.

As long as none of these fouls cause injury then bring it on. It's all practice from dead balls for the lads, which they desperately need this season!

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