"We only had ten men!"

[Ray de Galles]

Has the rash of victories in the last couple of weeks from teams having had a man sent off been far more than the norm? Wigan and Blackburn over the last fortnight and Birmingham and Arsenal yesterday.

None of these sides lost a man late and clung on either, they all played with ten men for significant portions of the game and all ( I think) scored and took or increased their lead while at a numerical disadvantage.

Does it say something about how the Premiership now favours counter-attacking play to the extent that it sometimes negates much of the advantage of the extra man? Or is it just that there are a lot more mediocre sides that can't even exploit it?

[cackaforte]

"We only had ten men!"

Harry, one reason is that two of the results were against the shambolic rabble that is Bolton Wanderers. Championship here we come..

[Andy C]

"We only had ten men!"

It's a phenomenon that's been known for quite a time.

We're two down, and the ball's in the enemy court. War is a psychological thing, Perkins, rather like a game of football. You know how in a game of football ten men often play better than eleven?

Yes, sir.

Perkins, we are asking you to be that one man. I want you to lay down your life, Perkins. We need a futile gesture at this stage. It will raise the whole tone of the war. Get up in a crate, Perkins, pop over to Bremen, take a shufti, don't come back. Goodbye, Perkins. God, I wish I was going too.

Goodbye, sir - or is it - au revoir?

No, Perkins.