Possession Football Equals Success?

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Just read a pretty decent article on the BBC about football myths - one bit on possession football caught my eye - and this quote

'Possession is an indicator of a side's style and strategy rather than its success.'

Myth: Possession equals success

When a team that had the majority of possession loses, they are often called unlucky.

But while it is true that over a whole Premier League season the top sides enjoy more possession than those lower down the table, in individual games last season the side with more of the ball won only slightly more often than they lost.

In fact, if you looked at all 380 top-flight games last season, the team that had more possession won 155, drew 93 and lost 132. Divide that by 10 to get a 38-game season and Possession FC would have won 57 points - leaving them eighth in the table.

Stats showing possession

Crystal Palace have had the lowest possession level of any top-flight team in each of the last two seasons and yet finished comfortably in mid-table both times, while West Brom won 1-0 at Old Trafford last term with only 20% of the ball.

Possession is an indicator of a side's style and strategy rather than its success.

[Ozblue 4,332]

Possession is nothing if you don't have it in the right areas of the field. I have lost count of the number of times a team has had a vast majority of possession and lost.

Possession doesn't guarantee success but it goes a long way to get you success if you use it properly and make it count where it matters. The opposition goals.

[BigAmo'sThighs 848]

I don't understand the point in all honesty, especially from the BBC article.

A teams style absolutely relates to it's success, and how much of these games have they factored in genuine quality play? Under McCoist I'm sure we had more possession than most teams, but the football was non existent.

Possession equals possession, if you use it well, you'll create chances and stop other teams creating chances, if you use it in bad areas, slow the game down, and never really do anything with it, you aren't playing possession football the correct way IMO.

Possession football will always be king, there's no denying that. You can't deny it in all honesty, just look at Barcelona, Bayern etc these last few years, teams that dominate the ball are lauded as the better team, deserving of every victory and bitterly unlucky when they lose 9 times out of 10.

[cushynumber 25,178]

Possession without Penetration is Pointless TM

[markem 7,407]

Possession doesnt guarantee success however the stand out point in that article is:

But while it is true that over a whole Premier League season the top sides enjoy more possession than those lower down the table.

Find that article a lot of shit to be honest.

[Skyson1872 2,923]

Its the chances we take that make us successful, playing possession football gives us more chances.

[minstral 5,375]

You can have the ball all of the game, but no use if you can not score a goal. How many times have we seen a team control the game, then bang, hit by the sucker punch.

[sammy cox 664]

This game is about scoring goals bottom line.You score one more than the opo and hey presto you win. I reminds me of a night in Porto nearly 10 years ago when Porto were all over us with " their possession" and McCormack scored the equaliser all be it we didn't win but this old Porto fan sitting next to my mate and I came out with " you have only had one shot at goal all night " and as my big mate promptly replied yes and one fucking goal so get it up you.Possession is all fair and well but you have to have the end product which is the ball in the back of the net.

[Big Al 55 9,536]

Interesting, after the turgid nonsense of the last few years I'll take possession football.

It's a bit too general for my liking, there are far more important factors than simply possession. Like possession in particular areas, translating that possession into chances and so on.

[G.E.C. 19,594]

Still created a combined 50 chances in our last 2 games so something must be right.

[ianb1547 3,776]

BP9...you'd probably enjoy

Myths and Facts about Football: The Economics and Psychology of the World s Greatest Sport Paperback – 1 Nov 2008

by Patric Andersson

​

It debunks a lot of 'known facts' like a team is most likely to concede shortly after scoring......or going first in penalty shoot-out is advantageous etc etc.

interesting read

[G.E.C. 19,594]

The negative football we played the last 3 seasons resulted us in staying in this division.

[Johnstone Burgh 1,687]

The way we're using possession now is far better than we were using it before. We've usually had most possession over the last 3 years and we were absolutely murder so I'm not sure what the point of posting this was.

[sammy cox 664]

The negative football we played the last 3 seasons resulted us in staying in this division.

Exactly

[sammy cox 664]

The way we're using possession now is far better than we were using it before. We've usually had most possession over the last 3 years and we were absolutely murder so I'm not sure what the point of posting this was.

Totally agree just more shit

[TheLawMan 6,240]

I can see this being the case in a 52 v 48 game but i would bet if they looked at 60 v 40 games or more, the loss %age would decrease significantly.

[markem 7,407]

You can have the ball all of the game, but no use if you can not score a goal. How many times have we seen a team control the game, then bang, hit by the sucker punch.

It happens and we tend to remember ehen it does however not nearly as many times as team in control winning the game.

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,446]

I thought it was goals that counted, not possession.

[TheBluebells 6,898]

Possession without Penetration is Pointless TM

Exactly what i tell the Mrs.

[sammy cox 664]

I thought it was goals that counted, not possession.

Obviously weve had it all wrong all along

[Wullies_bowly_legs 3,953]

Our 9IAR teams were the proof of this. The scum would have most of the possession a lot of the times but we usually beat them. Can still hear them greeting about it now.

[OlegKuznetsov 10,816]

The most important stat is obviously GOALS, but that's dependent, mainly, on SHOTS ON TARGET, which in turn depends on GOAL ATTEMPTS, which can be heavily influenced by POSSESSION.

However, GOALS CONCEDED is obviously very important, so your EFFICENCY, in defence and attack are very important, but are rarely covered in match report stats.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

BP9...you'd probably enjoy

Myths and Facts about Football: The Economics and Psychology of the World s Greatest Sport Paperback – 1 Nov 2008

by Patric Andersson

​

It debunks a lot of 'known facts' like a team is most likely to concede shortly after scoring......or going first in penalty shoot-out is advantageous etc etc.

interesting read

Thanks - Ill go see if that is on Amazon.

[cushynumber 25,178]

Regardless - MW's possession based hi tempo football is a quantum leap up in comparison to the utter dross served up over the last three years. Its been a pleasure to watch.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Our 9IAR teams were the proof of this. The scum would have most of the possession a lot of the times but we usually beat them. Can still hear them greeting about it now.

Yep - they were always getting lauded as the 'better' team during that period but we kept winning the games - and quite a few enjoyable ones at that, with 'The Goalie' breaking a few hearts (not just Mr Burns) - Goals - the only stat that counts at the end of the day.