One of the features of the Premier League these days is players surrounding the referee after almost every decision. Here are the ten worst at it according to the FA, with Arsenal surprisingly high on the list considering their reputation as a ‘soft’ team.
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More expected is the fact that Chelsea are in competition to be the worst. Manager Jose Mourinho is known for getting his teams to do everything to win.
The results are made by the Football Association Fair Play representatives. These officials attend every match and rate teams for how well they treat the referee and his assistants. The higher the score the better the clubs have behaved during the match.
Here are the ten worst as reported by the Daily Mirror.
=9) Southampton, 172 points
They may be most people’s second team at the moment, but the Saints could treat the officials better.
=9) Leicester City, 172 points
With relegation a real possibility, the pressure may be making the Foxes’ players try and take any advantage they can.
8) Swansea City, 171 points
Garry Monk’s tenure has seen the Welsh side add an edge to their slick passing style.
7) Tottenham, 170 points
While Spurs have fallen off the pace in the race for Champions League qualification they have continued trying to be as competitive as possible.
=5) Hull City, 168 points
The Tigers have had a disappointing second season in the Premier League, but still look capable of staying up. Their pressuring of referees may have helped this.
=5) Aston Villa, 168 points
Maybe the frustration at not scoring any goals caused the Villains to lash out?
=3) Stoke City, 167 points
Although Mark Hughes has helped the Potters change their style, they still have the competitive edge that Tony Pulis instilled in the team.
=3) Arsenal, 167 points
Surprisingly the Gunners take the bronze medal for ref abuse. Is their reputation of being soft not backed up by the facts?
2) Sunderland, 161 points
Another team battling against going down. It seems those with more to play for do tend to put more pressure on officials.
1) Chelsea, 159 points
Is it any surprise that a Jose Mourinho side is in first place?