Yellow and Red Cards

Firstly yellow cards: my left back got booked in the 28th second of a match for a silly little trip. Ok this could be a yellow card by definition, but in the 28th second of a match, I assume in real life the ref would let him off with this. Maybe this is wrong, but it is what happens in real life.

Red cards: What determines when a player makes one of those silly tackles (you know the one the slow two footed one). I mean this is clearly a red card, but what determines a player to do one of these - because my brilliant midfielder goes in for one when the opposition has the ball facing the opposite direction.

I would just love to say at this point - I love football manager. Not criticisng at all, just a simple discussion. Please share your views.

It all depends on the refs. I do believe that refs have 'personalities' so to speak which will determine what you may get away with in game whether it be early on or not. I know some FM players check the ref of their matches before hand to decide what sort of tackling they could get away with.

There definitely are refs who like handing out cards like it's Christmas, as the saying goes.

However, I always tackle hard, because I back my players to always do it fairly, and importantly my tactics are defensively solid, so they are usually positioned to do so. Last season I had the second lowest tally of yellow cards in the league, so I consider this approach to be vindicated.

Red cards: What determines when a player makes one of those silly tackles (you know the one the slow two footed one). I mean this is clearly a red card, but what determines a player to do one of these - because my brilliant midfielder goes in for one when the opposition has the ball facing the opposite direction.

I consider it to be the old fashioned brain fade. I don't worry too much about it, happily I've never had a player do it more than once in two years, or the wild elbow, which is the other thing that gets the straight red and gives the player a little holiday. Your players are humans - they make mistakes! I'm never shy of criticising the action of a player who gets himself sent off, but I'll generally express support for them as well. Unless you have a head case on your hands, that is all you need to do for probably 95% of players.

I'd like to know more about this too, I've always used easy tackling and finish near the bottom of the yellow card table every season. Last season there didn't seem to be many cards handed out to anyone, with the worst team getting 44 yellows and 1 red in the season(previous seasons 80 and 7, 87 and 7, and 78 and 6!). I usually don't get more than 1 or 2 reds a season in all competitions and 40 or so yellows.

This season I'm already on 6 reds, almost entirely for forwards for violent behaviour???? Why have my players suddenly gone mental? Their morale is good, we're competing as well as ever, and they should be getting older and more sensible. I haven't changed my tactics, or my captains. What has happened?