Why do we concede so much possession?

[Seenitallayi]

70/30 in Leicester's favour yesterday! It is not uncommon for us to concede the lions share of possession and I'm puzzled as to why this is, given that we have so many technically gifted players in the team. Is it because of a lack of power/energy in midfield? What is the issue? Clearly possession doesn't necessarily win matches but it sure does help! Thoughts?

 

[Poztin]

It’s pointless possession though. Teams knock it around the back and midfield struggling to break us down.

We lay traps and press in the right areas where we win the ball back then break on the counter.

 

[Pagey]

I think in yesterdays game, our midfield was tired and looked leggy. We had a more than normal amount of misplaced passes.

Leicester passed the ball about well in areas that didnt threaten us, we kept our shape superbly and let them.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

Phil Neville was sucking dick about Leicesters posession yesterday. They did nothing with it. You can control the game without posession its one of our main strengths. If we had 70% posession yesterday we would of been hit by the Vardy long ball game which is his only strength.
If Jota had been on his game in the box yesterday we would of won with our 30% posession

 

[Rangiora Wolf]

Just watching the man u game v chelsea and unless we get less leggy and wake up we will be punished.

 

[themanwhobuiltthemoon]

It’s pointless possession though. Teams knock it around the back and midfield struggling to break us down.

We lay traps and press in the right areas where we win the ball back then break on the counter.

Exactly. Man United lost the possession count to Chelsea yesterday yet carved them open at ease when it mattered and won 4-0.

 

[tamwolf]

I thought we were pretty poor in possession yesterday to be honest. We were sloppy at times with Neves, Dendoncker, Doherty and Jonny all being guilty of getting caught in possession in our own half at some point. Will cost us if we don't improve on it.

 

[MotorWoden]

70/30 in Leicester's favour yesterday! It is not uncommon for us to concede the lions share of possession and I'm puzzled as to why this is, given that we have so many technically gifted players in the team. Is it because of a lack of power/energy in midfield? What is the issue? Clearly possession doesn't necessarily win matches but it sure does help! Thoughts?

I think it's part of the game plan to draw teams out. To be honest though, if we want to dominate possession I really think we need more pace and mobility in the middle third. Neves, Dendoncker, Moutinho, Doherty, Jonny. They are all one paced and relatively slow even over 5 yards.

 

[Brizzlewolf]

Leicester won the league with similar lack of possession across a whole season. It's what you do with your 30% that matters......

 

[Deleted at request of member 4337]

It's part of the game plan it's pointless possession in the middle of the park we just wait for our chance. I remember Merson going on about our lack of possession as a negative until le tiss put him right

 

[Rangiora Wolf]

I thought we were pretty poor in possession yesterday to be honest. We were sloppy at times with Neves, Dendoncker, Doherty and Jonny all being guilty of getting caught in possession in our own half at some point. Will cost us if we don't improve on it.

We've got to pick up the tempo and be more accurate. We seem very slow out of the blocks at the moment

 

[306NOTOUT]

We were over run in midfield yesterday and it’s understandable when they have 5 against our 3. (I didn’t really see what Donc offered yesterday) so at times it felt like Neves and Moutinho vs 5.

However our five at the back meant we could soak up the pressure and limit them to just one real chance. We could and should have had 3 on the break yesterday

 

[tamwolf]

We were over run in midfield yesterday and it’s understandable when they have 5 against our 3. (I didn’t really see what Donc offered yesterday) so at times it felt like Neves and Moutinho vs 5.

However our five at the back meant we could soak up the pressure and limit them to just one real chance. We could and should have had 3 on the break yesterday

Really? Donk covered Doherty repeatedly yesterday, was a threat going forward (had the shot early on and scored the disallowed goal) and had a higher pass completion than Neves.

If anything, Neves was the worst out of the midfield three. He got dispossessed twice in our own half, his pass completion percentage was much lower than normal and he missed a few interceptions and tackles in the middle of the park. It was quite right that he got substituted for Saiss to try and make us more solid as he wasn't at the races.

I actually think that bar Moutinho; all of the midfield and wing backs were off pace in possession yesterday, but to me Neves was the most noticeable.

 

[1312]

Palace away from last season is all you need to look at.

Off memory, we finished the game with about 30% possession, but we controlled the game from start to finish.

Atletico Madrid also tend to do this well.

 

[clivewolves]

Leicester won the league with about 30% possession every game. With 70% against us they only achieved one shot on target.

As for Wolves, it feels like we have less possession since we changed from 3-4-3 to 3-5-2. I don't know if the stats back that up though.

 

[Flea]

Possession is overrated if facing an opponent that can deal with it.
We are that opponent,and I think our game plan yesterday worked well.

 

[JadeWolf]

Tactics. Give the opposition the ball, drag them up the pitch, leave spaces, then get the ball back and hit them on the break. We’re a much more dangerous team when we break, but to break successfully you’ve gotta have the opponent high up the pitch, easiest way to do that is give them lots of possession.

 

[WolfLing]

You're right. We should have tried to have more possession yesterday and tried to score more goals.

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

It’s because we only have one way of playing - counter attack.

It’s also because Nuno is a defensive manager.

A side with Neves & Moutinho in the middle should be able to control the game more than we did yesterday.

 

[Sketchead]

It’s because we only have one way of playing - counter attack.

It’s also because Nuno is a defensive manager.

A side with Neves & Moutinho in the middle should be able to control the game more than we did yesterday.

And so it begins, one game in where we get a point away at a direct rival, people begin questioning Nuno's ability and tactics.

Neves and Moutinho were poor yesterday. Both of them misplaced countless passes. They're more to blame for us not holding possession than the boss is.

 

[Dan G WWFC]

Because we are so good at a quick transition and getting teams on the break using the spaces they have left behind as the main source of our goals. If a team wants the ball we'll let them and use it against them. If they don't we'll keep it ourselves. We aren't about to try and battle for possession and risk getting caught out the back

 

[Dan G WWFC]

Leicester won the league with about 30% possession every game. With 70% against us they only achieved one shot on target.

As for Wolves, it feels like we have less possession since we changed from 3-4-3 to 3-5-2. I don't know if the stats back that up though.

I think they are about the same in the premier league

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

And so it begins, one game in where we get a point away at a direct rival, people begin questioning Nuno's ability and tactics.

Neves and Moutinho were poor yesterday. Both of them misplaced countless passes. They're more to blame for us not holding possession than the boss is.

You’re taking it as a criticism. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.

We are only good on the counter attack, and Nuno is defensive.

It’s why we couldnt beat many of the poorer sides at home and why we got results against the big six.

I would like him to adapt more but don’t think we can after failing to bring in the midfielder we needed.

 

[wolvesjoe]

The teams who have a lot of possession are able to achieve that by leaving only 2 at the back and swamping the midfield areas. This is the approach of City, Liverpool and Chelsea in particular but Leicester did the same yesterday and may be looking to play that way throughout the season. Nuno's approach is based on a permanent back three, reinforced by wingbacks dropping back into full-back position and midfield three forming a defensive screen. Best termed a hydraulic system of defence as players are constantly moving to support each other in well-drilled formations. It is extremely hard to play against as just one goal conceded in the first six games of the season shows.

We pay a price in attacking options of course. We are (over) reliant on the interplay of Jiminez and Jota for many of our attacks; the wingbacks need to get up the pitch and chip in if we are not to be pinned back. And when we play a team that sits back, as many of the weaker teams will, then we can run into problems of creating chances without the extra midfielder to reinforce the attack.

But it is a very effective system, especially when backed by a goalkeeper as good as Patricio.

 

[Golden Arrow]

And so it begins, one game in where we get a point away at a direct rival, people begin questioning Nuno's ability and tactics.

Neves and Moutinho were poor yesterday. Both of them misplaced countless passes. They're more to blame for us not holding possession than the boss is.

Don't share your view about Moutinho personally but then that's just my opinion.
Agree re-possesion, although Leicester appeared a tad more tenacious as the game went on and thanks to inept shooting we wern't really troubled. Fair result I would say on reflection.

 

[Wagstaffe Was Magic]

In reply to the OP..... Isn’t it as plain as the nose on your face that we are a counterattacking team, even at home. Which is why we struggle with the parked bus!!

 

[WonderWolf]

Possession is 9/10ths of the flaw in football.

Having it means jack unless you can put it where it belongs....and that's without handling it. ...

We are in essence a 'smash and grab' team but stylish. It's not your opportunistic hit or miss approach, we set the situation(s) up artfully.

 

[Leominster_Wolf]

70/30 in Leicester's favour yesterday! It is not uncommon for us to concede the lions share of possession and I'm puzzled as to why this is, given that we have so many technically gifted players in the team. Is it because of a lack of power/energy in midfield? What is the issue? Clearly possession doesn't necessarily win matches but it sure does help! Thoughts?

It means jack **** if I'm honest and I don't give a stuff. An awful lot of the possession yesterday was I'd have thought in their own half or middle third. So realistically they could Knock it around there all day, with no penetration and no end product.
We get possession, move it forward quickly and look dangerous. With better finishing and composure yesterday we probably should have had 3 goals at least.

 

[reanswolf]

Indeed, counter-attacking is our method.

The clue is in the song............."With 5 at the back, and pace in attack, We're Wolverhampton, with negative stats" -

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

It’s clearly the way we set up. It’s largely effective. We regularly won games last season without the majority of possession.

As has been mentioned above a lot of our opposition’s possession is pointless, we let them move it side to side across the middle or into unthreatening space, in doing so we create holes that we counter into when possession is overturned.

Phil Neville waving lyrical about Leicester’s possession yesterday shows how shallow the presenter’s analysis of these games go.

 

[Taffywolf]

I felt we Controlled where they had their possession but I did feel that we were under too much pressure for the last 15 mins, that's when we should of brought on Traore to hit them on the counter attack. His pace is unplayable at times..

 

[The Runner]

It’s clearly the way we set up. It’s largely effective. We regularly won games last season without the majority of possession.

As has been mentioned above a lot of our opposition’s possession is pointless, we let them move it side to side across the middle or into unthreatening space, in doing so we create holes that we counter into when possession is overturned.

Phil Neville waving lyrical about Leicester’s possession yesterday shows how shallow the presenter’s analysis of these games go.

He even said in the middle of his analysis 'they didn't create much today'. Sort of destroyed his point.

 

[jrpb-3]

defensively we set up to keep our shape and try and stop balls getting into the box, rather than trying to push players out press and win the ball back, we seem happy for opposition to have the ball as long as they're not creating chances, then counter when we do get the ball. Yesterday we wen't the bast at keeping the ball ourselves which is why the possession stats were more in their favour than ideal. Last season we probably had < 50% possession in more games that we had > 50% possession

 

[WW1963]

When West Brom played the 'Albion Way' before Pulis turned up, 90% of their passing was meaningless and in their own half. Nearly all their goals would come from a punt over the top to the likes of Odemwingie, Lukaku and Berahino - or from lucky knock-downs in the box from corners.

Complete illusion that they basked in for years

 

[Autistic Kangaroo]

Palace away from last season is all you need to look at.

Off memory, we finished the game with about 30% possession, but we controlled the game from start to finish.

Atletico Madrid also tend to do this well.

One of the season previews described us a coil ready to spring quickly and effectively to hurt our opponents - thought it summed up the teams style well.

 

[The Wolf Of Wombourne]

Part of the problem in yesterdays game was that every time we won possession back the Leicester players threw themselves to the ground to which the ****e ref then gave them a free kick giving them possession back!

 

[WW1963]

Was everybody happy that we played Man United off the park in the FA Cup?

We had a measly 38% possession at home.

 

[Whoisdrcp]

It is to do with defensive shape and bringing them out of shape. To answer the question as to why is possession conceded, well it isn't actually at any other stage than when the ball is with their back four, We do not press in that area and we wait for a trigger movement. Once the trigger is done there is a very aggressive press in midfield to get the ball back. So the stats largely if not exclusively depend on how much they want to play around their back four. We sit back and watch them drag themselves out of ordinary position whilst staying in shape. This has worked well for us but can look really odd when we are losing.

 

[wolvesjoe]

Part of the problem in yesterdays game was that every time we won possession back the Leicester players threw themselves to the ground to which the ****e ref then gave them a free kick giving them possession back!

I actually admired how our players kept their cool in the face of the Leicester theatrics and a biased ref, very impressive. They lost it a bit after the VAR debacle but still kept the formation.

Have a feeling though that we are not going to get any favours this season.

 

[Grendel74]

Phil Neville was sucking dick about Leicesters posession yesterday. They did nothing with it. You can control the game without posession its one of our main strengths. If we had 70% posession yesterday we would of been hit by the Vardy long ball game which is his only strength.
If Jota had been on his game in the box yesterday we would of won with our 30% posession

Absolutely! Give it a while and the same TV ‘experts’ will be creaming about how well we control games without the ball.