More than half of Premier League teams have adopted a more direct approach with the ball this season compared to last year, with Man City showing the most dramatic shift so far
New season, new reminder that you can follow a bunch of smart soccer people here
My favourite visual of the 2024–25 season is "Serie A pressing efficiency". You can now create the same type of graph yourself with markstats.club
Some of you may already have access to markstats.club 2.0. We’ve moved from WordPress to React, and one new feature lets you create scatter plots right in your browser. Check it out if you have access
This post is not about Amorim. I should've phrased it better 😅
Man United and Spurs were in similar, if not identical, situations: a generally poor season ended with a sudden knockout success. Yet the managers were judged in completely opposite ways
Ange Postecoglou tenure at Spurs: instant impact followed by a gradual decline
If Inter stays brave tonight, they can leverage their biggest strength: effective buildup and press resistance. As PSG typically presses high m2m, opportunities to create artificial transitions will likely arise. Set pieces might offer another edge
Manchester United 2024-25 compared to 2023-24:
They have a less effective high press, but overall open-play defense improved massively from "catastrophic" to "slightly above average". An open-play attack and buildup quality have not remarkably changed
"Glasner's defensive masterclass" looks like this by the way. Basically the worst game of the season
Crystal Palace is one of the most effective defensive PL teams. Their mid-block restricts opponents’ access to the final third and danger zones. However, today’s match was a complete contrast. Palace allowed 16 shots from the penalty box and 24 entries into the danger zone
Are you prepared for a flood of "Glasner's defensive masterclass" and "Pep's overthinking" hot takes?
A chaotic, open game with frequent transitions is the best *this Real* can hope for against *this Barcelona*
Why won’t Carlo Ancelotti just let his players express themselves? 🙃
Chelsea excels at attacking space, creating fast-break opportunities through natural turnovers and artificially (baiting opposition press). Sharper decisions with the ball in the second half against Liverpool could have led to a couple more goals
Carlo Ancelotti: Gives his players flexibility and freedom to “express themselves”
The players: Cross the ball into the penalty box instantly
💙🤍
Since Ruben Amorim’s appointment, Manchester United has lost possession in the dangerous buildup areas more often than any other Premier League team except Crystal Palace
@whitecapsfc.com are the best team in the league right now, even considering factors like schedule difficulty and home advantage. This season, they feel like a much better-coached team in and out of possession
This is honestly one of the most comprehensive, one-sided beatings I've ever seen in an MLS game.
And the 'Caps are doing it on short rest and without multiple starters, including their best player.
Image from markstats.club
Image from markstats.club
Image from markstats.club
Image from markstats.club
Vancouver 5 : 1 Austin
▪ xG: 4.43 - 0.79
▪ xThreat: 1.8 - 0.98
▪ Possession: 52.0% - 48.0%
▪ Field Tilt: 54.8% - 45.2%
▪ Def Action Height: 49.1 - 43.5
True. Scatter plots would definitely add the extra dimension
Trent is a "high risk—high reward" player. He loses the ball a lot and is historically low on this type of chart, near Bruno and KDB
Vitinha is the most effective player at advancing the ball through passing in Europe this season. This metric measures players who move the ball forward and maintain possession, rarely losing the ball
How Arsenal curbed Real Madrid’s fast breaks:
- Cautious possession to avoid turnovers
- Deep fullbacks to strengthen the center
- Vinícius’s poor decisions
Man City's attack hit rock bottom tonight: the season's lowest Expected Goals, Expected Threat, and danger zone entries
Over the past five seasons, 82% of La Liga teams have been more effective than Real Madrid at stopping opponents from building play. You're missing a clear opportunity to gain an edge if you’re not targeting Real Madrid's high press
Startup idea: Build a team with a strong defense, exceed expected goals significantly, and secure a spot in European competitions
