BlueMoonAcrossThePond
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 27 Oct 2020
- Messages
- 5,221
- Team supported
- Manchester City
Under Pep, City have become a side ultra focused on control of the game via possession. Our %possession each game is off-scale, and indeed we won the treble last year playing this way.
But is such a strategy best?
Another interesting stat correlated with success, is number of possessions - namely how often do you possess the ball after taking it away from your opponents?
Interestingly - our number of possessions stat is not very high as compared to other teams... Why? Because if you don't turn the ball over, you cannot have a large number of possessions.
%possession is important and correlates towards winning - but so does number of possessions. There seems to be an optimal mix between %possession and number of possessions for winning a game, and it seems, that we're too focused on the former, at least according to some pundits.
Why is number of possessions important? - It's because to increase this stat, you have to first lose the ball. The opponents get the ball, drive forward, move out of optimal defensive position, and then turn it over. And when they turn it over, they're likely out of position, creating enhanced opportunities for scoring.
Bottom line - perhaps we're playing too conservatively, and need to take more chances. Our defense will need to change if we adopt a high number of possessions strategy, to accommodate a game which will inevitably be more open.
More chance-taking, and the resultant increase in turnovers, I think will help us. Especially since Haaland is in our side.
Thoughts?
But is such a strategy best?
Another interesting stat correlated with success, is number of possessions - namely how often do you possess the ball after taking it away from your opponents?
Interestingly - our number of possessions stat is not very high as compared to other teams... Why? Because if you don't turn the ball over, you cannot have a large number of possessions.
%possession is important and correlates towards winning - but so does number of possessions. There seems to be an optimal mix between %possession and number of possessions for winning a game, and it seems, that we're too focused on the former, at least according to some pundits.
Why is number of possessions important? - It's because to increase this stat, you have to first lose the ball. The opponents get the ball, drive forward, move out of optimal defensive position, and then turn it over. And when they turn it over, they're likely out of position, creating enhanced opportunities for scoring.
Bottom line - perhaps we're playing too conservatively, and need to take more chances. Our defense will need to change if we adopt a high number of possessions strategy, to accommodate a game which will inevitably be more open.
More chance-taking, and the resultant increase in turnovers, I think will help us. Especially since Haaland is in our side.
Thoughts?
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