A long list of managers have accused Pep of using tactical fouls to disrupt the flow of the game allowing them to reset in transitions rather than deal with counter attacks.

So reading the below is really interesting. But let's look at it in terms of data. https://twitter.com/SamLee/status/1194954256895430656

There are 21 fouls given in an average Premier League game = this game had 15, one of the lowest.

I won't even touch throw-ins. I have literally never heard of a manager moaning about throw-ins before.

But given City have long defended tactical fouls as part of the game

is this now going to flip into being something nefarious in this game which statistically had very few fouls. Are they going to say the few that were given were disruptive of their attacks?

Heard that somewhere before. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/10/west-ham-united-manuel-pellegrini-manchester-city-fouls

City made 13 fouls that day against West Ham. Liverpool only 10 against City. That despite City having more possession against the Hammers.

So is Pep now saying Pellegrini had a point? Pick a lane here Pep. You can't have video of your assistant coaching the team to make

tactical fouls, have your new signing saying he is struggling to learn how you want him to tactically foul AND moan that other teams disrupted the game with fouls.

You simply cannot be that much of a hypocrite.

Against Liverpool in the Charity shield, they had twice as many - with 8 to 4.
Against Spurs it was 14 to 4.
Bournemouth 13 to 7
Brighton 10 to 6
Shakhtar 15 to 7
Everton 8 to 4
Palace 8 to 10
Atalanta was 15 to 12
Villa 10 to 5
Soton was 11 to 10

So whenever City have a high foul count and/or much higher foul count than their opponent - that is fine. But what happens when the shoe is on the other foot?

Norwich, when they lost, was 8 to 7 to NC.
Wolves, when they lost, was 11 to 14 to WW
Liverpool, when they lost, was 5 to 10 to Liverpool

Pattern? When they don't get to tactically foul teams or it is used against them, they struggle?

All 3 defeats has seen them also lose on the foul count. Could be coincidence with a small sample size - but the fact he is now moaning about it suggests he is rattled. Especially given the fact his team usually dominates the foul count in every game - and is called out for

the fact they do so in a way specifically to disrupt the game - and have even been filmed coaching their team to do so.

Some have asked on the video of Arteta instructing tactical fouls. This is a still from their 'All or Nothing' documentary in which he does so.

While you are here - give @craquestats a look. We are producing unique analysis visuals like the below. https://twitter.com/CraqueStats/status/1194713964384542726