Arsenal top for tactical fouls this season : Gunners

Tactical fouls just means you’re making a foul with the intention of fouling the player. It doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.

City and Liverpool use it as a strategy because they play high lines. The issue being that if they turnover the ball in a bad position there’s a break on so they would rather have a break in play to reset their position by giving up a free kick in a nondangerous area.

I think what you’re trying to say is the fouls we give up are not beneficial because the frees are in our own half. I agree with this obviously but I’d still call them tactical fouls because we are knowingly committing the foul if you get me.

Xhaka definitely knows he’s fouling the player intentionally – depending on your perspective he’s either doing it because he doesn’t want to run or because he’s not quick enough to catch up after failing a tackle.

To me clumsy implies we make mistakes and unintentionally make fouls which I don’t think is reality.