By John Considine
Few traditional football people would nominate Stoke City as the Premier League team to watch for 2013-4. However, the growing band of people who populate the world of sports analytics will think differently. Since last season Stoke City have parted ways with Tony Pulis. The parting of the ways occurred even though Tony Pulis was deemed 25th on a list of overachieving managers in England between 1972 and 2010 in a piece written for the Financial Times (28-Jan-2012) by Simon Kuper.
Since their return to the Premier League, Stoke City have been one of those outliers that the sports analytics people love to examine. Tony Pulis and Stoke City have been cast in the role of the dark forces of the Premier League. Chris Anderson and David Sally suggest that Stoke City did not want possession of the ball. Or to be more precise, they argue that Stoke did not want possession of the ball in general play. Stoke craved another type of possession. According to Anderson and Sally, Stoke “maximize the one time that they control the ball absolutely: during set pieces”. An example of how they achieve this is when they get a throw-in in their opponents half. They wait for the ball to be retrieved, and possibly dried with a towel, before launching it like a missile towards the opponent's goal.
Chris Anderson and David Sally have a grudging appreciation for Pulis and Stoke. They say he deserves enormous credit because Stoke translated this limited possession into a greater numbers of points and goals than other teams.
While most teams followed the 21st century trend of seeking greater possession of the ball, it seems that Stoke adapted a different strategy. They seemed to seek less of the ball. Anderson and Sally show that for the 3 seasons from 2008-9 to 2010-11 Stoke averaged the lowest amount of possession.
While most teams followed the 21st century trend of seeking greater possession of the ball, it seems that Stoke adapted a different strategy. They seemed to seek less of the ball. Anderson and Sally show that for the 3 seasons from 2008-9 to 2010-11 Stoke averaged the lowest amount of possession.
Things did not change much in subsequent seasons. Figures 1 and 2 present possession statistics for the last two seasons. Stoke are again toward the lower end. Figure 1 shows that for 2011-12 Stoke had the lowest possession
rate. Figure 2 shows that Reading took the dubious honour last season. And, Reading got relegated.
rate. Figure 2 shows that Reading took the dubious honour last season. And, Reading got relegated.
Not only do Stoke have less possession than most teams but they also concede possession more regularly via fouls. It seems Stoke, under Tony Pulis sought to make the game a series of set-pieces. In 2011-12 they were in the top-5 when it came to conceding fouls. They topped the charts last season.
It will be interesting to see if Stoke under Mark Hughes play differently to the way Stoke played under Tony Pulis. There will be plenty of people interested. As an article in this week’s edition of The Economist magazine shows, more and more people are tuning into the numbers game.
It will be interesting to see if Stoke under Mark Hughes play differently to the way Stoke played under Tony Pulis. There will be plenty of people interested. As an article in this week’s edition of The Economist magazine shows, more and more people are tuning into the numbers game.
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