If anyone has watched Major League Soccer in the first 2 months, its been very apparent that there’s been a rise in the number of red cards. Only a few weeks ago, the Kansas City Wizards had 2 player sent off against Chivas USA. It seems almost clockwork that at least one or two players will receive a red card every weekend and in some weeks its been more. Is there a reason for the increase in red cards? Is it bad officiating or the league trying to cut down on physical play or something else? Here’s a closer look at the numbers and possible explanations.
The Numbers
EJECTIONS (RED CARDS) - 2008 MLS Season PLAYER CLUB GP EJECT Roger Espinoza KC 22 2 Bryan Namoff DC 27 2 Pablo Ricchetti DAL 27 2 James Riley SJ 24 2 Eddie Robinson HOU 20 2 Marco Velez TOR 23 2 47 players tied with 1
There were 6 players with 2 red cards which add up to 12, and in addition there were 47 with at least one, making for a grand total of 59 red cards for the 2008 season. Now for this season’s stats.
EJECTIONS (RED CARDS) - 2009 MLS Season PLAYER TEAM GP EJECT Gregg Berhalter LA 8 2 Carlos Johnson NY 6 2 24 players tied with 1
So far in the 2009 season there have been 2 players with 2 red cards plus 24 others with one for a grand total of 28. There are almost half as many red cards as last season through about a 1/3 of the season. At the current rate, the 2009 season would finish with around 70-80 red cards which would be a significant increase. However it is very possible that the rate will not remain constant and could be close to last season. Here a few reasons why there have been a large number of red cards early in the season.
- The officiating – Several matches have seen players receive red cards very quickly. In past the officials seem more inclined to give a yellow card (unless one’s already been issued) rather than a straight red. It could be they’ve been instructed to call the game more closely and not allow as much physical play. Another aspect is that the referee’s could tend to call games a little tighter earlier in the season and as they officiate more games will loosen just a bit.
- It’s early in the season – If you look at statistics for any soccer league only a 1/3 or half way into the season, they can be misleading. It is entirely possible the rate of red cards will decrease and it will average out to around 60 rather than over 70. The players have had an offseason and the overall quality of play should increase which could lead to fewer red cards. As teams start to fight for playoff spots, many players will be much more conscious that a reckless challenge could cost their team with a red card.
- MLS is a physical league – Major League Soccer is a physical league and it shouldn’t be a surprise to see a rise in red cards. Also, with the addition of Seattle this season and the league at 15 teams, the talent pool has thinned out a bit results in matches that tend to be more physical. Besides that, the league is made up of a lot of American players who tend to have a more physical style of play than Europeans or South Americans.
Overall, there’s no reason for concern for the rise in red cards as its early in the season. However, if the current rate stays the same then serious questions need to be asked of the officiating and if there’s a problem.
