The Premier League sides who waste essentially the most time revealed

“You could as properly put a cow in the midst of the pitch, strolling,” Jose Mourinho as soon as sniped after he was significantly pissed off with the time-wasting techniques of an opponent. “And then cease the sport as a result of there was a cow.”

For a person so well-versed within the shadowy fringes of a soccer match, it was a exceptional burst of hypocrisy. This, keep in mind, is similar supervisor who as soon as uttered the immortal instruction: “Lads, I would like at the least two bookings for time-wasting earlier than half-time.”

With Mourinho working by way of his weighty tome of darkish arts in Serie A as of late, who among the many Premier League’s present roster has taken up the baton of the final word time-wasters?

Data by way of Opta, appropriate as of 28 April 2023

Brentford have risen from England’s third tier to the highest half of the Premier League in 9 years by extracting each drop of worth from the minor particulars. For occasion, the membership’s statistically savvy proprietor Matthew Benham claims groups have a barely elevated likelihood of victory in away matches if the gap to the bottom is minimal.

With such a broad scope of things into consideration, it is hardly a stretch to counsel Brentford have totally analysed the advantages of labouring over restarts. Almost each Premier League fixture pits Brentford towards a workforce with a considerably bigger funds, why not restrict the time that the opposition gamers have to point out their superior financial worth?

After a hotly controversial takeover, Newcastle discover themselves on the reverse finish of the wealth spectrum however simply as eager to waste time. While Brentford’s delays are largely reserved without spending a dime kicks and throw-ins – which has confirmed to be time properly spent given Brentford’s risk from attacking set items – Newcastle take longer than every other workforce to take objective kicks. On common, 36.8 seconds elapse earlier than Nick Pope punts the ball upfield.

Ahead of his 12 months’s Carabao Cup last, Manchester United supervisor Erik ten Hag labelled Newcastle “annoying” and bemoaned the restricted time by which the ball is in play, the ‘efficient time’, throughout Newcastle matches.

“The referees wish to play efficient time,” Ten Hag mentioned final February. “[Newcastle] have the bottom within the league and they’re fairly profitable with it.” The statistics did not precisely line up with Ten Hag’s barb when he made these feedback however, as of the top of April, Newcastle matches do certainly see the ball in play for the least period of time.

According to Opta’s rely, Newcastle followers are handled to a median of 51 minutes and 15 seconds of precise soccer every weekend. The epitome of Newcastle’s makes an attempt to maintain the ball off the pitch comes within the type of Jamaal Lascelles’ disciplinary file. The membership captain has obtained 4 yellow playing cards this season however half have come when he wasn’t even on the sector of play but managed to delay the match whereas warming up in its place.

Current Premier League desk, prime scorers & upcoming fixtures

Manchester City matches have the ball in play for greater than an hour on common, 60 minutes and 12 seconds to be exact, essentially the most of any workforce within the division. Only Liverpool are faster to get the sport going once more within the Premier League (ready simply 23.3 seconds earlier than every restart) and Jurgen Klopp can develop into significantly perturbed when going through opponents that do not share his Corinthian spirit.

After a 3-1 defeat to skilled time-wasters Brentford in January, Klopp fumed that Thomas Frank’s aspect “stretch the foundations”. Newcastle arrived at Anfield in August with little intention of getting right into a soccer match and actually tried to shake the granules by way of the hole within the sand timer with the sport degree at 1-1 heading into the ultimate ten minutes.

The fourth official initially signalled for 5 further minutes however Newcastle’s delaying techniques have been so extreme that Fabio Carvalho had time to fireplace within the winner within the 98th minute. Newcastle’s bench was livid the sport had gone on so lengthy however Klopp may scarcely comprise his satisfaction when the ultimate whistle was finally blown. “It’s the right response,” he beamed.

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