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Is possession a guarantee of success?



dejavuatbtn

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
7,128
Henfield
Brighton assistant head coach Nathan Jones: "This was the least effective we've been in terms of possession and control of the game and ironically enough we scored more goals than we have in the previous three but that's football."

Is he right to infer that possession is the key to success or should this be telling him something?
 


KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
19,692
Wolsingham, County Durham
It is usually easier to score goals when you have the ball, yes. Our problem is lack of creativity in the final third and clinical finishing in front of goal (other than last night).
 


dougdeep

New member
May 9, 2004
37,732
SUNNY SEAFORD
Palace had 33% possession against Chelsea on Saturday.
 


Bwian

Kiss my (_!_)
Jul 14, 2003
15,898
Bayern Munich's first half against Man Utd was one of total dominance possession wise but they couldn't get a shot on target, let alone score.
 


Pantani

Il Pirata
Dec 3, 2008
5,445
Newcastle
Brighton assistant head coach Nathan Jones: "This was the least effective we've been in terms of possession and control of the game and ironically enough we scored more goals than we have in the previous three but that's football."

Is he right to infer that possession is the key to success or should this be telling him something?

Of course possession is not the only key to success. However, this Albion management team, and the previous one too, have decided that this is the way they want to play football. So when they talk to the press they are going to talk about possession and control of the game.

We could play as a counter attacking team, best example from recent years being Mourinho's Inter side, they 'controlled the game without the ball' to quote Mourinho directly. For that side possession was not important, but where and how the won the ball back, and what they did with the ball afterwards was the key.

The current Atletico Madrid side, rely on an interesting, and unusual tackling style. The key to their game is winning an extremely high number of tackles (for a team at the top of the league), so you would expect their management team to talk about that.

So in conclusion the Albion management team believe that possession is the key to good results for our side. In fact this season we have, in the main, managed this. Perhaps what Jones should be talking about is chance conversion, as this has been our main problem. At Blackburn we had seven shots and scored three, against Middlesbrough we had thirteen and scored none (Ipswich 22 and scored none).

So is more possession and more shots on goal better than taking your chances? In the short term no, over a longer period it is surely better as the chance conversion should revert towards the normal levels (though this appears a false hope looking at this season).
 




Bwian

Kiss my (_!_)
Jul 14, 2003
15,898
A perfect example of possession football working for us was away at Charlton a couple of years ago. That was possibly the best I have ever seen The Albion play away from home. Ever. What was different that day was that as well as total possession, the side attacked with pace and was looking to score. Compare that to Bayern Munich last night who have been told by Guardiola not to shoot from distance 'because it wastes possession'. What is the point of controlling the game for 45 minutes/90 minutes with the defending team camped in or around their penalty area allowing no clear view of the goal and not having a shot unless you are 6 yards out?
 








Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,730
Brighton
Brighton assistant head coach Nathan Jones: "This was the least effective we've been in terms of possession and control of the game and ironically enough we scored more goals than we have in the previous three but that's football."

Is he right to infer that possession is the key to success or should this be telling him something?

It's not a guarantee but it's a major reason why we were so so good under Gus. We were in total control of games, not the opposition. If we lost (other than against top sides like Liverpool) it was because we beat ourselves, if that makes sense.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,730
Brighton
Bayern Munich's first half against Man Utd was one of total dominance possession wise but they couldn't get a shot on target, let alone score.

Bayern had all of the ball, however United had the best chances to score.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,265
self evidently not. what continues to be overlooked (though someone pointed out above) is that the possession needs to have some conclusion in the final third. possession for the sake of it is pointless. when people remark about the possession football of Barca or Swansea (weird how they are even comparable) they use that possession to move the ball swiftly up the pitch and then into goal scoring positions. what we've had, to a large degree under Gus and apparently this season, is possession in our half or around the halfway line. opposition will sit behind the ball, especially at our place, when they know we aren't going to do much.
 




Bwian

Kiss my (_!_)
Jul 14, 2003
15,898
Bayern had all of the ball, however United had the best chances to score.

Utd, for long periods of the first half last night, had 9 men in or on the edge of the penalty area, leaving Welbeck alone up front against 2 defenders. Not a bad tactic for when players couldn't stay on their feet like last night. 1 long ball and a slip by a defender and you have a chance to score. Thankfully the chances fell to Welbeck.
 


HastingsSeagull

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2010
9,237
BGC Manila
It helps your defense (and sure enough we conceeded 3) but doesn't GUARANTEE anything no. Equally having 3 pens a game wouldn't GUARANTEE you score a goal............. but it would help!
 


backson

Registered Mis-user
Jul 26, 2004
2,386
Of course possession is not the only key to success. However, this Albion management team, and the previous one too, have decided that this is the way they want to play football. So when they talk to the press they are going to talk about possession and control of the game.

We could play as a counter attacking team, best example from recent years being Mourinho's Inter side, they 'controlled the game without the ball' to quote Mourinho directly. For that side possession was not important, but where and how the won the ball back, and what they did with the ball afterwards was the key.

The current Atletico Madrid side, rely on an interesting, and unusual tackling style. The key to their game is winning an extremely high number of tackles (for a team at the top of the league), so you would expect their management team to talk about that.

So in conclusion the Albion management team believe that possession is the key to good results for our side. In fact this season we have, in the main, managed this. Perhaps what Jones should be talking about is chance conversion, as this has been our main problem. At Blackburn we had seven shots and scored three, against Middlesbrough we had thirteen and scored none (Ipswich 22 and scored none).

So is more possession and more shots on goal better than taking your chances? In the short term no, over a longer period it is surely better as the chance conversion should revert towards the normal levels (though this appears a false hope looking at this season).

And to think, I read that we were useless and uncreative
 




keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,630
Liverpool are much better and succesful this year and they have far less possession than last season
 


Luke93

STAND OR FALL
Jun 23, 2013
5,028
Shoreham
Goals win games. Possession helps trains to score, but isn't the determin factor... Did that help?
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
59,199
The Fatherland
It's important and I prefer my team to play a possession based game as opposed to playing other ways.
 


Birdie Boy

Well-known member
Jun 17, 2011
4,107
Is possession a guarantee of success?
Total passes Man Utd 249 v Bayern 767
Possession Man Utd 25.9% v Bayern 74.1%
Score Man Utd 1 v Bayern 1

The answer is no..
 




fat old seagull

New member
Sep 8, 2005
5,239
Rural Ringmer
Liverpool are much better and succesful this year and they have far less possession than last season


Said it so many times, unless you're Barca or Real Madrid pretty football is as useful as pretty refuse collection. Strong defence including midfield and a quick striking attack is the way forward. Take a battering and counter attack. God I hate to say this... Pulis is spot on and he will sadly save Palarse doing just that. As much as I love Leo he just doesn't fit into that mould. It isn't even naff to watch because when you get the ball, a quick break often catches your opponents out of position.
I was donkeys years ago involved with a very successful senior amateur team who (purely by accident probably) discovered possession means nothing if your kicking against a nine man defence. In fact it's bloody frustrating. Liverpools SSS Stirling, Sturridge and Suarez cause havoc exactly that way.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,730
Brighton
POSSESSION + PURPOSE = PERFECT.

Needs a purpose to it.
 



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