The Value of Possession - The Swansea Example

[mark1975]

I almost feel like this possession mantra is there as much to paper over our inadequacies at the back as it is to try to win games. Under Ged, Rafa and now Rodgers we've been all too guilty of not really knowing how to build a defense that can defend without being heavily reliant on over-protection from the midfield.

 

[Modo]

I almost feel like this possession mantra is there as much to paper over our inadequacies at the back as it is to try to win games. Under Ged, Rafa and now Rodgers we've been all too guilty of not really knowing how to build a defense that can defend without being heavily reliant on over-protection from the midfield.

We need the next gen defenders. The quick Varane, Luiz types. We've got Ilori in the reserves.

 

[Rosco]

But having possession is a way of defending as well is it not?
We didn't concede many goals during Rafa's time here.
My reference to possession and how important it is away from home was with regards to defending and Gerrard's habitual Hollywood passes. It's simple really, by keeping possession of the ball, playing it simple and not gifting it to them we wouldn't have invited that pressure they had on us towards the end of the game.

Follow that trough and look at the last five years.

Do you think we conceded less under Rafa (in the early years anyway) because of the amount of possession we had or because we had good defenders and good DMs ?

Because I think under Kenny and Rodgers we've had at least comparable amounts of possession, and more in some seasons - yet conceded a significantly larger amount of goals.

The relationship between possession and goals conceded is far from straightforward - it doesn't stand up to any scrutiny.

We all intuitively know that it's easier to sit back and play for a draw than it is to dominate and take a game to the opposition.

 

[Modo]

Follow that trough and look at the last five years.

Do you think we conceded less under Rafa (in the early years anyway) because of the amount of possession we had or because we had good defenders and good DMs ?

Because I think under Kenny and Rodgers we've had at least comparable amounts of possession, and more in some seasons - yet conceded a significantly larger amount of goals.

The relationship between possession and goals conceded is far from straightforward - it doesn't stand up to any scrutiny.

We all intuitively know that it's easier to sit back and play for a draw than it is to dominate and take a game to the opposition.

Good point(s).

 

[Mystic]

I think someone else summed it up earlier in the thread. Generally, a higher percentage of possession doesn't win you football games, but teams who win football games have a higher percentage of possession.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

I think someone else summed it up earlier in the thread. Generally, a higher percentage of possession doesn't win you football games, but teams who win football games have a higher percentage of possession.

Yes, that's generally true from the stats I've seen. I think Rosco's point is that there is no actual correlation between winning games and the possession you have. I would think that is probably true too, there's probably no single stat that you can say if you have more of X you will win more, except for goals scored and maybe pass completion.

 

[SummerOnions]

That passes in the final third stat is interesting.

Basically Swansea are a bunch of pussies