Did anyone else think we'd have more of the ball than we do?

[BurnleySteve_]

In this division.

Went from 64.5% average in the Champ to 47.2 % in the Prem. The difference is huge. Was expecting around 53-55.

[gawthorpe_view]

Some matches this season have been a mirror image of last season, especially the early games.

[alboclaret]

We can't keep it half as well as we do and don't recycle it around the oppositions box like we did last year.
It's usually an attack from us and hand over the ball.

We are playing a different way though this season

[Quickenthetempo]

We tried but the players weren't good enough at passing the ball under pressure.

Remember though, possession is only our number of passes Vs their number into a percentage.
If we passed short from the keeper like last season the pass count would be a lot higher.

[Newcastleclaret93]

I’ve been surprised how many long balls we have gone for.

Currently rank third in the league for the most long balls with an average of 58 a game.

For reference under Dyche we were averaging 68.

[Westleigh]

I’ve been surprised how many long balls we have gone for.

Currently rank third in the league for the most long balls with an average of 58 a game.

For reference under Dyche we were averaging 68.

I posted yesterday that I thought VK had slackened the reins a little and was letting Trafford play an higher % of long balls which seems to tie in with his overall improvement,and obviously with Foster being more involved it gives Trafford a better outlet for the long balls.

[ksrclaret]

Now we've got Foster back for, hopefully, an extended run of games, direct balls in behind are going to play to our strengths. We could do with getting the most advanced wide man to run behind more frequently (JBL seems to the best of our current wingers at this) as well.

It's great that we've got players who are comfortable on the ball and can knock it about a bit, but without a threat in behind the opposition pushes up and we frequently turn the ball over in our own half.

[CoolClaret]

The irony isn't lost on me at all that we're now playing a 4-4-2 and launching it a lot more

Moyes and Dyche get called Dinosaurs for this - VK and Emery revolutionaries apparently...

[taio]

The irony isn't lost on me at all that we're now playing a 4-4-2 and launching it a lot more

Moyes and Dyche get called Dinosaurs for this - VK and Emery revolutionaries apparently...

Villa under Emery don't play many long balls. Not that it would be a problem if they did more often.

[CoolClaret]

Villa under Emery don't play many long balls. Not that it would be a problem if they did more often.

They play into the channels plenty enough for Watkins!

[taio]

They play into the channels plenty enough for Watkins!

Yes and a good tactic playing to Watkins' strengths. But they are still anything but a long ball team.

[CoolClaret]

Yes and a good tactic play to Watkins' strengths. But they are still anything but a long ball team.

I never said they were.

It was a jibe about perceptions of managers when a lot of them are doing very similar things

[taio]

I never said they were.

It was a jibe about perceptions of managers when a lot of them are doing very similar things

There's lots of contrast in styles in the premier league. Nothing wrong with a direct style though when it suits.

[BabylonClaret]

No not at all. I can't believe anyone though we really would

[Ampth7]

Answering the OP’s question, I think we tried to play the way we did last year earlier in the season, which ultimately led to us getting picked off on the counter or pressed out of possession high up the pitch.

Since then, we have clearly had to adapt resulting in us having to be a bit more selective about when and when not to tippy tappy it around which has inevitably led to us losing more possession of the ball. Personally, I couldn’t really care less about how much possession we maintain as long as it’s not 20% or less like it sometimes used to be.

More importantly, how sharp are we when the ball is in and around either penalty area? At the moment, this is what’s killing us at this level IMO.

[Vegas Claret]

no, seeing exactly what I thought we would see in terms of possession. We lack physicality (pace and power) to punch consistently at this level and that is something that needs addressing going forward.

[FCBurnley]

Prem teams don’t give much if any ‘soft’ time in possession. If they lose the ball the pressure hard and fast to get it back. In the Champs a good team can have all the possession they want in their own half. Think THB had most touches last season

[bobinho]

Nope. I thought we’d have less of the ball than we were used to, based purely on the quality of the opposition. Without wanting to sound like a smartarse, I was right. To be fair tho, it couldn’t really be otherwise - Stevie Wonder could see that happening.

Unsure why anyone would think our impressive championship possession stats would remain the same or increase????