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This video illustrates how recoveries can be distinguished not only in terms of their effectiveness, but also their quality. Barcelona record the fourth-most advantageous recoveries in the league, i.e. situations that involve a numerical advantage and where the side in possession has more players ahead of the ball than the opposition.
Given the importance of build-up play in the system deployed by Xavi’s troops, the team’s set-up at the start of the attacking transition is key. This video shows how the Barcelona players react in these situations. It’s worth pointing out that 15% of the Catalan giants’ recoveries put them at an advantage.
Real Madrid are the LaLiga Santander front runners for the number of carries leading to shots, with four per game to their name. Carries can be analysed from a whole host of angles, but in this case we’re keen to look at their outcome, i.e. shots.
There’s no question that Ancelotti’s charges are capable of making the most of these actions, as illustrated in our Clip of the Week. The players’ ability to go past their man, their skill level and decision-making ability are key to the success of such actions, which can reap rich rewards for the capital club.
As we can see in this clip, Simeone’s boys post an average of two carries that lead to shots per game. Indeed, this is one of Atleti’s favourite tactics to pose a threat on goal. If we dive deeper and take a look at what the Wanda Metropolitano-based outfit do in possession, we learn that they feature amongst the league’s top five teams for the number of players per possession (almost three), whilst they find themselves amongst the division’s leading five teams for the number of dangerous possessions per match (4.6).
When it comes to possession, there are a whole host of aspects that we can analyse, with one of them being the degree of danger created. When we speak of dangerous possessions, we’re referring to those that end in a goal or a goalscoring opportunity. This video features a dangerous possession put together by Manuel Pellegrini’s charges. Betis excel in this department and lie second in the LaLiga standings for the number of dangerous possessions (5.7 per outing).
The Real Madrid players ensure that their team balance enables them to consistently produce and improve on their statistics as the games goes on. As we can see in the latest instalment of Clip of the Week, the Blancos record more dangerous possessions than any other side in the league (6.76 per game) and, crucially, they make them count.
Getafe CF
Real Madrid
SUN 02.01.2022
13:00
Season 2021/2022
Coliseum
Atlético de Madrid
Rayo Vallecano
SUN 02.01.2022
15:15
Season 2021/2022
Riyadh Air Metropolitano
Elche CF
Granada CF
SUN 02.01.2022
15:15
Season 2021/2022
Estadio Martínez Valero
RCD Mallorca
FC Barcelona
SUN 02.01.2022
20:00
Season 2021/2022
Estadi Mallorca Son Moix
Getafe CF
Real Madrid
SUN 02.01.2022
13:00
Season 2021/2022
Matchday 19
Coliseum
Getafe are the LaLiga Santander side with the most compact team spacing when out of possession or, in other words, they occupy the smallest space on the pitch when the opposition have the ball. This means that there is little space between the Azulones’ lines in this phase of the game and so it is little wonder that they’re the side to receive the
second-fewest shots per minute in the division (0.40).
Furthermore, the Coliseum Alfonso Perez-based outfit lie in fifth spot in the LaLiga standings for distance covered at over 21km/hr and have clocked up an impressive 6,622m at this level of intensity. The side from the Madrid suburbs also make their goals count and lie in fifth place in the league’s points per goals scored standings (1.25 per goal), whilst they spend 58.2% of the game in the opposition’s half, a figure which once again puts Quique Sanchez Flores’ troops amongst the league’s top-five performers.
This game promises to be a high-octane contest, with Real Madrid occupying fourth spot for distance covered at over 21km/hr, having chalked up 6,625m at this intensity. Indeed, Carlo Ancelotti’s charges perform impressively in a number of departments. For example, the Santiago Bernabeu-based team boast the highest pass success rate in the Spanish top flight (87.2%) and are also top dogs for long balls (63.27%). The capital club make good use of their possession, with a shot per minute ratio of 0.53, which places them in fifth spot in this department.
Elaborate and quality possession football can prove to be highly productive for the sides that are able to adopt such a blueprint. Real Madrid are clearly one of the teams whose bid for success relies heavily on a possession-based game. The boys from Chamartin are top of the class for the number of players per possession (3.67) and dangerous possessions per game (6.28), whilst they sit pretty in third spot for distance per possession (36m). As if that wasn’t enough, Ancelotti’s men lead the way in terms of sprints completed at over 28km/hr (31).
As we’ve noted, Geta perform impressively in terms of defensive positioning and boast the smallest team spacing in the defensive phase. In addition, the number of shots the hosts receive is lower than league average, whilst the Getafe players complete over 93 sprints at over 21km/hr.
Damian Suarez is a key cog in Getafe’s defensive system. His marauding style and high-intensity levels place him amongst the top five players in the league for recoveries made following a tackle (1.8 per game). Meanwhile, only one of his teammates completes more recoveries in the opposition’s half and he features amongst the competition’s top 15 players when it comes to high-intensity actions per game (2.1).
As illustrated in this video, he backs up his ability to regain possession with a strong score in terms of the number of opponents beaten per pass (3.64).