An angle for tonight's Burnley v Leicester City game
The referee is Mike "look at me, no I insist, please look at me. Foul, he's not looking at me" Dean
He has awarded 11 penalties this season in the PL, four more than any other referee (coincidentally 5 of his last 6 red cards have been rescinded, but that is by the by)
Incidence of penalties is up season to date: crackdown on grappling in the box is a part of this.
"a pre-season directive to referees to get tough on shirt-pulling and blocking in the penalty box at corners and free-kicks"
Inconsistently applied by some referees you might argue, but not inconsistently applied by Mr Dean.
PL penalty stats
16-17 to date (22 games each) 72
15-16 91
14-15 83
13-14 87
12-13 83
11-12 99
10-11 101
and 16-17 is on course to beat these tallies
59 of the 72 penalties this season have been scored
46 of 72 won by the home team
http://www.myfootballfacts.com/Premier_League_Penalty_Statistics.htmlAt centre back for my side are Wes Morgan and Robert Huth who for a variety of reasons are not in the form they were in last year and Huth in particular has struggled with the grappling directive. (in essence a) protected less well by the midfield, so lack of pace is an issue and b) less able to practice the dark arts under the current directives)
Leicester have only conceded four penalties this season, but its not for want of trying. Dean has only refereed two of their 21 games.
Burnley at home are a tough proposition (25 points from 12 games) and by the by are still nearly 2/1 for tonight's game (which is too high)
Vokes, Barnes and Gray have converted Burnley's 3 penalties this season.
Mrs Coates offers us 8/1 Burnley to score a penalty
take this referee, these central defenders and a wet night in Lancashire and away we go
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/burnley-v-leicester/to-score-a-penaltyRecommend (if someone can get us on) £15 on the above.
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