League Focus: 3 Conclusions from the Premier League Season So Far

Proactivity and reactivity

Since the success of Barcelona and Spain and their approach based on radical possession, teams seem to have become more aware of the advantages – and disadvantages – of holding possession. Although it’s true that, at the very highest level, the most successful teams tend to look to dominate the ball, playing the game on their terms and at their pace, there’s little point teams who lack great technicians trying to play that way. Similarly a side with a solid defence and rapid forwards may be best served playing on the break even if it does have good ball-players in midfield.

What has been striking so far this season is how utterly the Premier League divides into proactive sides and reactive sides. Of course there are anomalies, particularly when two proactive teams (or two reactive teams) meet – they can’t both have greater (or less) than 50% possession – but after half a season the divide is stark. Manchester United have the ninth highest possession in the league with 55.2%, while Newcastle United have the tenth most with 47.9%. At the halfway stage, Swansea are top of the possession charts with 60% and Crystal Palace bottom with 39.2%, but it’s that split that seems most telling.

Sunderland shooting themselves in the foot

Sunderland are bottom of the table at the halfway stage but, after scoring twice in the final seven minutes to snatch a draw at Cardiff are understandably dreaming of an improbable escape. Gus Poyet, their manager, has moaned about their misfortune and, while it’s debatable whether they’ve been unlucky or just keep shooting themselves in the foot, there is something strange going on. Sunderland, for instance, have scored five league own goals this season (plus one in the Capital One Cup). Only two other sides, Fulham and Everton, have scored more than one, and both of them have scored only two.

Similarly, Sunderland have picked up five red cards this season. No other team has had more than two players sent off. Now you may think that’s just the result of a side chasing the ball and committing more fouls than other teams, except that Sunderland have made only 19.2 tackles per game this season, the eleventh most in the division, and have picked up just 24 yellow cards, the second fewest in the division. Of the reds they’ve received that haven’t been rescinded, only the Lee Cattermole foul at Hull was even slightly harsh, yet considering what Samuel Eto’o, Oscar and Lucas Leiva got away with at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, it may be that referees are subconsciously more likely to show red to struggling sides.

Universalism

José Mourinho’s comments about his attacking midfield trio at Chelsea this season have underlined the importance of forwards performing their defensive responsibilities and defenders contributing in the attacking third. Although defenders and holding midfielders naturally make more tackles per game than anybody else, it’s also notable that Oscar has made 2.5 tackles per game. Although he did play on the left side of a midfield diamond for Brazil at the Under-20 World Cup in Colombia in 2011, he is clearly a predominantly creative figure. Adam Lallana is the forward with the second highest figure (1.8) then Marco Arnautovic of Stoke (1.7). Interceptions are another measure of defensive work done, with the highest-placed attacking players Wayne Routledge, Yoann Gouffran, Danny Welbeck and Lallana, all on 1.2. Eden Hazard, so praised by Mourinho for his defensive work, averages 0.7 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per game.

At the other end, it’s Seamus Coleman who leads the way, seemingly taking over from Leighton Baines while his Everton team-mate has been injured, by registering five goals and an assist. Pablo Zabaleta, although he hasn’t scored yet, tops the defenders’ assists charts with five. Given the small sample size, key passes from open play are perhaps a better measure of creative impact and, if holding midfielders are included, James McCarthy and Steven Gerrard lead the way, with 1.7 and 1.5 per game, respectively. Patrice Evra, on 1.2, is the best out-and-out defender. Football is an increasingly universal game.

What conclusions have you made from the season so far? Let us know in the comments below