Possession | Vital Football

Possession

libertine

libertine

Vital Squad Member
This is absolutely not a Skubala bashing post in response to a first loss in ages, but just a general wondering. Do we think we will see a continuation of our current style next season or are we expecting a big change to the system given that the board were openly looking to improve possession stats? There's no doubt that our decision making on the ball has been better under Skubala but possession overall hasn't really improved:

vs Wigan (H) 35%
Reading (A) 34%
Carlisle (A) 45%
Orient (H) 46%
Bristol Rovers (H) 40%
Cambridge (H) 57%
Barnsley (A) 34%
Stevenage (H) 47%
Shrewsbury (H) 47%
Port Vale (A) 41%
Exeter (H) 44%
Charlton (A) 37%

And so on. So just the 1 game out of the last 12 where we've had more of the ball than the opposition. We've had lots of great results in this time obviously, but it will be interesting to see whether this trend continues next season or whether our style evolves during pre-season.
 
Possession with a purpose is key, but naturally I think you are correct that we need more time on the ball.

However it’s fair to say and has been said earlier in the season, that we signed a more dogged side, lesser on technical nouse but more power and solidness. The three centre halves yesterday, very good defensive players, however all three not great on the ball compared to a Joe Walsh for example.
 
It's been mentioned elsewhere that Oxford had 30% possession in their 5-0 win yesterday. We've all been at games when you see the opposition pass it amongst themselves at the back for a couple of minutes and that might look good the following day when you look at the stats but not when you are sat in the stands.

As a team we have been trying to transition from front to back quite quickly since the turn of the year. Not every pass will hit their target playing like that, but as a watcher in the ground I can easily forgive that as when it works chances are made.

Possession just in itself id irrelevant.
 
andy_imp said:
Possession with a purpose is key, but naturally I think you are correct that we need more time on the ball.

However it’s fair to say and has been said earlier in the season, that we signed a more dogged side, lesser on technical nouse but more power and solidness. The three centre halves yesterday, very good defensive players, however all three not great on the ball compared to a Joe Walsh for example.
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I agree. We have so many excellent defenders but we're crying out for a Walsh or Montsma IMO.
 
To be fair, I don't think Mitchell is too shabby with the ball. Maybe not as good as Montsma, but I'm not sure we will see him again, or if he'll be the same player he has been.
For me, we need a consistent ball playing midfielder. We really struggle to break down a side that is organised and not intent on "having a go" at us. We can't find the gaps often enough, so if we don't score early there's no need for some to come out of the organised shape to get back in the game. Bishop maybe, but yet again he's MIA. Mandroiu just isn't consistent enough, and has a tendency to disappear at times.
We press well, but at times yesterday Wigan (a decent side) were just passing around the press. Another string to our bow please. As someone has said "possession with a purpose".
 
For higher possession stats you have to play through midfield more, hold the ball more and have the players that are technically and tactically capable of doing that. Also as previously alluded to by other posters, I concur that there has to be a meaningful objective purpose for doing that - which can be defensive (protect a lead) or offensive (probe to find openings).

Overall the subjective figures have little relevance but as a general aim, if we can meet the criteria raised in my first paragraph it certainly wouldn't do any harm to aspire to an average higher 10% of possession going forward.

I haven't looked at the stats of the teams in the top 6 but it would not surprise me if they average over 50%, whereas we don't.
 
I was chatting to a mate the other day, not specifically about possession, and wondered whether we will change to Skubala's favoured (apparently) four at the back next season. A case of sticking to what we know for this but making the bigger changes next?

For me, I like a three at the back (more so 3-5-2 than 3-4-3), though and I think the CB's we have suit that. I'm not sure we do for four and then we'd have a full back issue as well.
 
Personally I think the possession stats have a lot to do with Skoobs having no forwards for the first half of his games, and virtually no midfielders during the latter half.

At full strength with everyone fit I think we would pass through midfield more.

I would like to see us get away from that long diagonal ball though, which rarely works. But again it may be due to lack of player options.

It will be interesting if Skoobs changes style next season with new signings and a fully fit squad.
 
Lots of people saying we look dead on our feet. Possibly injuries, people playing whilst not fully fit but also chasing the ball when sides are having 65% possession. This has to change going forward
 
Wider than simply possession, I do wonder if our pattern of play has been sussed for the last three games. I’m sure I’ve heard Skoobs or the players mention that the opening 15 minutes is how we set up to attack games from the off, with the high press, the hope being that we can get that all important first goal. However, the last three games have been a lot harder. I wonder if, for example, teams now focus on nullifying us for the first 15 minutes (eg by having a deeper defensive structure), then if goalless at 15 or so minutes, they start to impose themselves more on the game. The coaching staff must find a way around that so we can re-impose ourselves on games. Just a thought 🤔
 
PerthImp said:
Wider than simply possession, I do wonder if our pattern of play has been sussed for the last three games. I’m sure I’ve heard Skoobs or the players mention that the opening 15 minutes is how we set up to attack games from the off, with the high press, the hope being that we can get that all important first goal. However, the last three games have been a lot harder. I wonder if, for example, teams now focus on nullifying us for the first 15 minutes (eg by having a deeper defensive structure), then if goalless at 15 or so minutes, they start to impose themselves more on the game. The coaching staff must find a way around that so we can re-impose ourselves on games. Just a thought 🤔
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Tbh I think it's just been a case of playing against better sides in Orient, Reading and Wigan.
 
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