Interesting article espcially regarding the apparent myth of possession football (relevant section posted below), link to the article with the other (apparent) premier league myths via link - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33757354
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Myth: Possession equals success
posted on 12/8/15
Barcelona's build up isn't slow.
posted on 12/8/15
It was under Pep. Tiki taka is extremely slow in terms of how quickly you get forward into attacking positions.
The ball is constantly moving, but it's not a direct style of play.
posted on 12/8/15
Barcelona's build up isn't slow.
==================
Maybe not so much now they have Neymar, Messi AND Suarez, but they used to make needless little passes IMO just to get the stats up.
They're a bit quicker now they have that forward line.
posted on 12/8/15
comment by Chicken (If Carlsberg did consistent posters...) (U1043)
posted 10 minutes ago
Barcelona's build up isn't slow.
==================
Maybe not so much now they have Neymar, Messi AND Suarez, but they used to make needless little passes IMO just to get the stats up.
They're a bit quicker now they have that forward line.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think the players consciously passed the ball around to increase statistics. They would carry on doing so until they found a good opening and/ or the opponents were tired or just bored and lost focus.
posted on 12/8/15
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 12/8/15
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 12/8/15
Liverpool are not a possession hogging team. They are more a soak up the pressure defend deep and counter attacking team.
posted on 12/8/15
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 12/8/15
Boss By Hugo,
I don't think the players consciously passed the ball around to increase statistics. They would carry on doing so until they found a good opening and/ or the opponents were tired or just bored and lost focus.
===================
I genuinely think they did under Guardiola. Sometimes 2 players would be in acres of space on the edge of their own box, no challenge or opening in sight, and they would do 3 or 4 quick one-twos when not even 1 single one-two was necessary - or benefitted them in any way whatsoever (other than to increase the pass / possession stats, of course).
posted on 12/8/15
@Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
I should have mentioned I got this from when Man Utd beat you at anfield