Southampton have had just 24 yellow cards in 15 Premier League games played so far, with Mohammed Salisu leading the way with 4, but does this relatively low figure highlight why Saints sit in the bottom 3.

The good news on this stat is that when Premier League football returns on Boxing Day, Saints will have no players missing through suspension, the rule is that if a player hits the 5 card mark in the first 19 games of the season then he will receive a 1 game ban.

Mohammed Salisu is the only player nearing that figure with 4 to his name and so he will be available for the game against Brighton, but will be walking a tightrope in the subsequent 4 games after the restart.

Next up is a plethora of 7 players on 2 cards who should get through, then 6 on a single caution who would need to get booked in every game to get suspended.

But does this relatively low figure highlight why Saints have not fared well in these first 15 games, have we not been nasty enough, have we not got our foot in when it has been needed in the build up to conceding goals ?

It perhaps suggests that we have lacked that passion, indeed aggression needed to win tackles and in doing so prevent situations building that lead to goals.

If you look at the list, of those on 2 bookings, it is interesting to note Kyle Walker Peters, Maitland-Niles, Romeo Lavia Stuart Armstrong & Lynaco are there, the latter four have not started many League games this season and KWP has missed the last few, it seems that these players are the ones that get stuck in for the cause.

Does that highlight something about where we are going wrong ? I would say it does, the fact that we have not had a single red card also suggests that we have played too nice.

I am not suggesting that we suddenly turn into the Ale House Brawler team as Saints were once described by Bill Shankly or even the physical sides that Ian Branfoot put out, but we need that aggression back in our game, the willingness to work hard and not give the opposition time on the ball, when teams do that, they tend to get more yellow cards as they make more tackles and by definition will mistime a few in doing so and pick up the odd booking here and there, but we just haven't been doing that.

Nathan Jones has promised his teams will play with that aggression & passion, so it bodes well for the remainder of the season and hopefully we will see his sides go out there with flare but also with that motivation that has been lacking.

Photo: Action Images

Ifonly added 09:46 - Nov 16 It's hard to give away yellow cards when the opposition are always 5 yards away from a Saints player! I agree this is part of the problem and more importantly it sounds like NJ does too. I think he used the word "aggression" in his press gig. He also said he didn't want to see "tippy tappy" football which was music to my ears. Sounds like we're going to both defend and attack with more purpose. This WC break is a heaven-sent opportunity to change the way we play.

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highfield49 added 10:42 - Nov 16 Surely the better plan is to get more physical without collecting bookings? As far as I'm concerned a "soft" yellow card for a minor infringement often leads to a player being inhibited in challenges later in the match in an effort to avoid a second booking. Both of the 9-0 defeats were significantly influenced by bookings and I can see zero benefit in collecting red cards. By all means coach players to put in strong challenges but that shouldn't be at the expense of giving away free kicks or collecting bookings. Of course we should be a team that can intimidate tappy, tappy opposition but that needn't be measured in the number of key players missing through suspensions.

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Jesus_02 added 11:27 - Nov 16 suspensions for yellow cards was an appalling rule introduction worse that VAR by far. Benefits big teams with large squads and does nothing to stop persistent fouling as yellows can be given for anything from kicking the ball away to taking a player out without intent. To answer the headline, we should be able to press and have energy/passion without picking up cards. The only tactic I can see effecting the card count is playing a high line and a player having to "take one for the team".

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derry added 11:30 - Nov 16 Personally I've always felt one of the fundamental problems we have, unlike the top teams and many others, who immediately take down any player trying to break against their defence when they are lacking numbers. Nearly always getting a yellow card but killing the break. We concede most of our goals. Newcastle, for exampl, e by just nibbling rather than ruthlessly stopping the break almost before it has begun.

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SaintNick added 11:35 - Nov 16 The 5 yards away from the ball issue is about positional sense, being aware and organisation, in terms of soft yellows, half these cards have been soft, making tackles where there is no danger, the issue is about making challenges in our half to stop the opposition getting at us. The two 9-0 results were both influenced by bookings and more importantly sendings off where both players who got early reds in each game made rash tackles when there was no need. There is a big difference between a rash tackle and getting your foot in. At Liverpool we might have showed a bit more passion, but defensively there was absolutely no difference between how we played under Hasenhuttl and at Anfield, players out of position and losing their man at key moments. You can't blame Jones, he probably didn't pick the team and had little time with it on the training ground, but his big issue is that he has defenders who can't read a game, organise and mark

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GRIM added 13:15 - Nov 16 Another reason for getting a yellow card is for taking your shirt off when celebrating scoring. With our lack of goal potential it's unlikely we'll get too many Yellows for that offence.
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WestSussexSaint added 13:28 - Nov 16 This is a classic example of using a statistic without context to make a point. Firstly Saints are certainly not the lowest on the yellow card count this season. Man City have that position with only 11 (less than half our count). Clearly the lack of bookings is not affecting their performances. Indeed half the PL clubs have the same as or less yellow cards than we do. Even if you look at the other two teams in the relegation spots, both Forest and Wolves have a good number more booking’s than Saints. Forest (36) and Wolves (29). So there is a strong argument that collecting more bookings, or at least players putting themselves in greater risk of getting booked, is not a key factor in the league standings.

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Ifonly added 13:51 - Nov 16 WestSussexSaint - I have to agree with Nick here. The point is that teams at the bottom ALWAYS have more bookings than teams at the top. The reason is simple, the teams at the top are the ones doing most of the attacking and the ones at the bottom are doing most of the defending. Saints have an unusually low bookings count for a team that's 2nd bottom. The question is why? Is it because: a) We typically have more possession than other teams at the bottom so less opportunities to get bookings? b) We aren't streetwise enough to take one for the team when we need to? c) Our overall play lacks intensity? I don't know but I'd guess it's a mixture of these and maybe other reasons too.

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underweststand added 15:37 - Nov 17 There are other reasons for the lack of yellows, in part due to the instruction to referees to let play flow, whilst ignoring minor infringements and playing advantage but more often now we see refs. retuning to " the scene of the crime " and dealing out yellow cards retrospectively if they deem it necessary. Despite losing games the odd goal, I think our young players have shown a bit more skill, rather than just putting the boot in. I also agree with GRIM (above) that removing the shirt in celebration is a ridiculous habit guaranteed to get a caution, when even a simple tackle afterwards might result in a red. The yellow card punishment is for "excessive celebration", which seems to be ignored by refs. when some players may run half the length of the pitch to " cuddle " his manager, or allow himself to be pancaked by all his teammates. If such a yellow card offence later leads to a red, I think that clubs should take action and fine the player for idiot behaviour, especially if it cost them points.

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Block8 added 18:13 - Nov 17 To suggest our lack of Yellow/Red cards is partly responsible is another reason where statistics are a nonsense! We are where we are because we defend like a pub team and don't score goals. The other saints statistic that drives me mad is possession, we often have a far bigger share of possession in games we have lost! Putting the ball in one end and keeping it out at the other is the only statistic that will keep us up!

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GRIM added 19:42 - Nov 17 It's quite common now for the the losing team to have had the higher percentage of possession. That's the way that a lot of teams play now, it's to let the opposition have as much possession as they want in areas that they cannot hurt you, then suck them in & hit them on the break. That's the modern game & it works.
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