Read on Twitter
THREAD:
This season we have generally been engaged more in offensive work than defensive work.
[Please RT]
![THREAD:This season we have generally been engaged more in offensive work than defensive work.[Please RT]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eoqm9pZXMAEEDQ0.jpg "THREAD:This season we have generally been engaged more in offensive work than defensive work.[Please RT]")
This season we have generally been engaged more in offensive work than defensive work.
[Please RT]
This is a diamond scatterplot. Some of you are new to them and some recognise them from before. It's a normal scatterplot that has been rotated 45° clockwise. I do this because it allows me to show good as up, bad as down and nuances as sides (i.e. left and right).
On this graph, the metric used is called ‘deep completions’. This just refers to passes that have been completed within 20 yards of the goal. A team that completes more of these certainly has more dominance and a team who concedes more has less dominance — in most cases.
Let's have a look at this graph. At the top we see the ‘offensive’ zone. This zone is for teams that have more deep completions but also prevent their opponents from them. At the bottom we see the ‘defensive’ zone. This is for the opposite — teams concede more and complete less.
On the sides we have two styles. On the right are teams who complete more but also concede more which often results in end-to-end games. On the left are teams who don't complete many but also prevent their opponents from completing many, too, hence the ‘stalemate’ label.
Liverpool and Man City are understandably at the top as they are able to keep the ball well next to the opponent's goal whilst preventing their opponents from doing the same. United are a watered down version of this but not as good defensively.
Chelsea are in between the ‘offensive’ and ‘stalemate’ zones and this is because they've put in some good defensive performances where they've not attacked much and tried to, instead, contain the opponent e.g. vs United & Tottenham.
Arsenal have a similar level to Chelsea offensively in terms of deep completions but are not as competent defensively. So, Arteta's side is closer to either engaging in defensive performances or end-to-end battles. Though, they are quite central which is a start at least.
Tottenham are between stalemate and defensive. This means their games often resemble them defending in mid-to-deep blocks or they're in the middle third. They rarely dominate teams in the final third but, rather, break quickly on them, relying on Kane and Son for their attack.
At the bottom we have a host of clubs who are effectively defending for large periods of their games with Burnely and West Ham being the two worst. I wrote an important note about Wolves as they are not like the others.
There are other benefits to take from this but I do not want this thread to be long.
End of Thread.
End of Thread.
