Time on the ball in the Premier League

[Icy Gull]

Now this might sound really thick but my excuse is that I watched virtually no Premier League football until we got here, I may have had MOTD on in the background on a Sunday morning but didn't pay much attention.

Now I could have sworn that there were threads on here saying how much more time we'd have on the ball until the final third of the pitch once we got to the top division.

I cannot believe how quickly our players are closed down all over the pitch, it is seriously frenetic stuff with no small amount of jaw dropping skill on what I've seen so far. We are passing the ball like it's a hot potato and being hassled as soon as we get the ball with no time at all.

My question is, is this a Premier League thing that we are going to have to cope with all season or have we just played two teams whose game is based around pressing the opposition?

 

[brightn'ove]

have we just played two teams whose game is based around pressing the opposition?

Yes.

Pep's tactics require them to have the ball, he wants his players to regain posession within 10 seconds of losing it I believe.

Leicester won the league by hassling & pressuring opponents into mistakes and scoring on the counter attack.

That isn't to say by any means that they will be the only teams to play that way. Liverpool and *gulp* Huddersfield play that way too.

 

[GreersElbow]

Pep's philosophy is about possession, if you don't have the ball; you win it. If you have the ball, you recycle it until gaps appear. They will always have higher possession and time on the ball because they will pass backwards to protect possession.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Now this might sound really thick but my excuse is that I watched virtually no Premier League football until we got here, I may have had MOTD on in the background on a Sunday morning but didn't pay much attention.

Now I could have sworn that there were threads on here saying how much more time we'd have on the ball until the final third of the pitch once we got to the top division.

I cannot believe how quickly our players are closed down all over the pitch, it is seriously frenetic stuff with no small amount of jaw dropping skill on what I've seen so far. We are passing the ball like it's a hot potato and being hassled as soon as we get the ball with no time at all.

My question is, is this a Premier League thing that we are going to have to cope with all season or have we just played two teams whose game is based around pressing the opposition?

I completely agree. It was frightening how quickly the Leicester players closed us down in the first thirty minutes especially (see I can agree with you). I think it will be a mix. Some teams will be happy to sit back and catch us on the break but of course if they see us struggle in midfield under pressure, more teams will do that I suppose.

 

[BensGrandad]

I believe that is what Stephens and Propper are finding it hard to deal with they have no time at all on the ball. I also think that more teams will adopt that attitude and play that way as the season goes on so we have got to learn to overcome it but learn fast.

 

[trueblue]

The Premier League is frantic. Laughed when I heard Bob Booker peddling the old 'have to be patient, more time to play' cliches. Used to be true but in the past few years it's more like basketball: end to end. Not just good players any more but exceptional athletes.

 

[beorhthelm]

Liverpool is another and arguably Spurs, though they dont seem to be as effective but will maintain pressure for 95+ minutes. Leicester won the league from this approach. young eager players hound you to pressure you into a mistake, then rush forward with 3-4 runners into the box at any opportunity.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Not just Pep. Klopp's teams are totally built on high pressure game. Football has changed massively in the last few seasons due to these 2 coaches & others. It's filtering down too, Wagner at Huddersfield learnt under Klopp for example.

It requires a remarkable level of fitness too. Like a Tour De France cyclist. Cough.


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[Rogero]

Propper and Stephens really need to get up to speed. We are missing Kayal.

 

[Don Tmatter]

Spurs are the one team I'm fearing a real hiding from, the rest 2 or 3 - 0's.

 

[pishhead]

3 centre backs to either accommodate 3 central midfielders or 2 strikers is something that'll be new to us this season.
I do wonder if this will be a system we try to employ at some point.

 

[perseus]

Now this might sound really thick but my excuse is that I watched virtually no Premier League football until we got here, I may have had MOTD on in the background on a Sunday morning but didn't pay much attention.

Now I could have sworn that there were threads on here saying how much more time we'd have on the ball until the final third of the pitch once we got to the top division.

I cannot believe how quickly our players are closed down all over the pitch, it is seriously frenetic stuff with no small amount of jaw dropping skill on what I've seen so far. We are passing the ball like it's a hot potato and being hassled as soon as we get the ball with no time at all.

My question is, is this a Premier League thing that we are going to have to cope with all season or have we just played two teams whose game is based around pressing the opposition?

I think it is only Man City and Spurs that press almost all of the game? Hopefully. A few teams like Liverpool and Arsenal and Chelsea have quick players.

 

[scooter1]

Propper and Stephens really need to get up to speed. We are missing Kayal.

I agree with the first sentence. But Kayal is not the answer.
I expected Propper and Gross to hit the ground running, but this hasn't happened. Hopefully the first 2 games has been an awakening for both our manager and the players. Time to kick on, and hope that the players(old and new) gel quickly

 

[matbha]

At the mo the only player which is up to speed is Bruno ,oozes class

 

[GolfingGull]

The Premier League is frantic. Laughed when I heard Bob Booker peddling the old 'have to be patient, more time to play' cliches. Used to be true but in the past few years it's more like basketball: end to end. Not just good players any more but exceptional athletes.

Very true. Watching MOTD closely now, it has really stood out how strong, physical and quick most players are now. I thought we played at a fast pace in the Championship but now we really seem pedestrian compared to most other PL teams. Good to see CH and the team are bringing in pacey attackers as Hemed, Murray, Murphy, Skalak, etc will really struggle to match the pace and power of most other teams.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

I'm looking forward to stringing more than 3 passes together

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[LamieRobertson]

I'm looking forward to stringing more than 3 passes together

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When u making your debut?

 

[Surf's Up]

Closing down, pressing, denying space to play is the name of the game now, we must've known that and yet we seem singularly unable/unwilling to adopt this tactic ourselves. Maybe it's the players we've got, maybe it's the manager, maybe it's both but we'd better bloody well start doing it or we will be sunk without trace.

 

[Conelli98]

Closing down, pressing, denying space to play is the name of the game now, we must've known that and yet we seem singularly unable/unwilling to adopt this tactic ourselves. Maybe it's the players we've got, maybe it's the manager, maybe it's both but we'd better bloody well start doing it or we will be sunk without trace.

Totally agree with this post!