Clean records – Are Chelsea and Manchester City the most disciplined clubs in the FAWSL?

The opening two weekends of Barclays FA Women’s Super League action have now passed and 10 of the league’s 12 teams have seen at least one player booked.

The exceptions are title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City who both boast clean disciplinary records from their 180 minutes of football. Have the two clubs really been the cleanest sides in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League in the early stages of the season?

In both of Chelsea’s fixtures, they have been more disciplined than their opponents, committing just five fouls in each of their matches. Only Aston Villa (4) gave away less free-kicks than Chelsea in the opening weekend while The Blues committed the second-least amount of fouls in the second round of matches.

Manchester City kicked off the new season with a simple 2-0 victory over Aston Villa. Despite not picking up a booking, City gave away 11 fouls, seven more than the hosts. Over the opening weekend, only Reading, Birmingham City, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton committed more fouls than Gareth Taylor’s side.

Despite being frustrated by Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, City committed just the two offences which was the best disciplinary record of the two weekends of action so far and maybe a sign that Taylor’s side can be one of the most restrained when under pressure to deliver.

In total, Chelsea have therefore committed just 10 fouls so far this season while Manchester City have committed 13. Both of those records cannot be rivalled by any of their other Barclays FA Women’s Super League rivals and it could be a case that the disciplinary table doesn’t lie, the two clubs have kept their cool better than any other side in the top flight so far.

Stats: BBC Sport

About The Author

Daniel Pentland

I am the editor and owner of the WSL Full-Time brand which I launched in 2018.

I am an accredited journalist with the FWA, SJA and AIPS. I have reported from various levels of men’s and women’s elite football since 2016.

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