What does it mean to be a possession based team?

I just spoke to my mate and he was like: "If I became a manager I want my team to play possession football..."


Now what does that mean. Now if Barcelona and Spain are the standard for possession teams what does thata mean?

- Not a direct team?
- Just uses short passes but players still have righht to try tricks?
- Volume of passes?
- % of possession?

I mean what does possession football really mean?

I mean the way that team possession is calculated is flawed and is calculated accoding to volume of passes rather than the actual amount if time you spend with the ball, so for me that is a rubbish indicator.

People are saying Juventus are a possession based team, but what makes them that? ARe they not quite direct? Can you have both? I mean people say Madrid are a direct side but they have more 'ball possessio' than most teams. United have quite high ball possession so what are we?



O and no talk of the word 'tiki taka' here please. That is some BS media name that has no meaning

Great Topic

I think Possession based team can be identified by outlining their goal, which is to severely limit opposition chances of scoring and maximize your own chance creation by guaranteeing large amount of possession and not risking losing the ball when it could easily be retained.

I think Possession based teams have the patience and will to rather make a short safe pass than a potential long-chance creating risky pass...

But it is kinda hard to understand, because as you said, many teams could come under both categories, mainly United, Madrid and Bayern...

I think its simple. You dont have to measure it with possession, amount of passes or whatever. The eye test with do.

I think when people say it, like your friend, what they mean is basically Barcelona. The entire gameplan being about keeping the ball for the two fold advantage it has.

However, to me, I only reserve the title for teams who aim to keep this method regardless of the opponant.

Madrid are going to have 60% of the ball vs La Liga midtable teams because they are just too damn good not to. They have better players, who pass the ball more accurately, have better awareness and are more skilled. The opponants cant match that and their gameplan usually is to forget about winning that battle and focusing on defence.

However, I wouldnt call Madrid a "possession based team" because having the ball for as much as possible isnt what they are trying to do. It just happens in those small games. In the bigger games it doesnt happen, that isnt their gameplan.

The Franchise wrote:I think its simple. You dont have to measure it with possession, amount of passes or whatever. The eye test with do.

I think when people say it, like your friend, what they mean is basically Barcelona. The entire gameplan being about keeping the ball for the two fold advantage it has.

However, to me, I only reserve the title for teams who aim to keep this method regardless of the opponant.

Madrid are going to have 60% of the ball vs La Liga midtable teams because they are just too damn good not to. They have better players, who pass the ball more accurately, have better awareness and are more skilled. The opponants cant match that and their gameplan usually is to forget about winning that battle and focusing on defence.

However, I wouldnt call Madrid a "possession based team" because having the ball for as much as possible isnt what they are trying to do. It just happens in those small games. In the bigger games it doesnt happen, that isnt their gameplan.

What about Juventus and Bayern? By that definition only Barcelona and so help me God swansea fit the bill to be honest.

To me, being a possession based team means tactically using possession as your primary tool. You can have more possession but if you don't tactically use it, it might as well be circumstance. In order to use possession as a tool you're going to need players that know how to keep the ball under pressure, you're going to need to exert pressure on all lines, you're going to need a lot of short passes (since they're safer than otherwise), and you're going to need a patient style. But these are all symptoms of a larger ideology, and perhaps teams can devise how to play possession style without some of these. I don't think playing direct and being a possession style are mutually exclusive, but you need the right players for it.

Well then so be it, those two and Spain are the only 3. I think there are probably more who try and play this way though, but I dont see all the teams in the world to know.

I think its just a tag, it doesnt mean much either positively or negatively.

Bayern I would maybe call a possession based team though. If they played Barcelona I dont think they would try and defend, I think they would try and have as much of the ball as they can..and that would play right into our hands. But thats a story for another day.

Juve I am not sure of. It seems they want to play possession football. There is no law in my book saying if you want to called a possession team you cant play aggressively. I wouldnt call them direct, I would say when in the final third they are very aggressive. But Juve are a hard team to judge in all aspects really because they only played in Serie A. Would they change their plan for other teams?

Another one is Manchester City, you could make the arguement this season just gone they have tried to be. At least to an extent. But I dont know.

I am very strict with it I guess. I think teams like Juve and City perhaps are using some principles which benefit them without committing fully to it. Barcelona commit to it fully, they turn down chances to counter attack for it. I think thats the difference.

The level of commitment to the strategy.

meaningless passes to frustrate the opponent

If it frustates the opponant, it already isnt meaningless.

passes to frustrate the opponent

I would call Van Gaal's Bayern a possession-based team. I haven't really watched them much since those days, but from the occasional CL match I would say they retain that identity. I agree with Dani in that if they played Barca they would try to retain as much possession as they can.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I would call Van Gaal's Bayern a possession-based team. I haven't really watched them much since those days, but from the occasional CL match I would say they retain that identity. I agree with Dani in that if they played Barca they would try to retain as much possession as they can.

Hmmmm....his Ajax, yes, but Bayern? That team was ridiculously gung ho. Thas why they conceded so many goals under him. His possession recycling with Ajax was great thoughh. Its to hard to define what it is isnt it. I mean where woulkd you class Juventus?

Passing the ball and keeping it. Not rushing attacks etc.

In terms of stats, at least around 60% of the ball every game.

mtfootball wrote:Passing the ball and keeping it. Not rushing attacks etc.

In terms of stats, at least around 60% of the ball every game.

By that definition Barcelona arent a possession team, Madrid held them toalmost 50 50 and so did United in 09.Possession stats are innacurate anyways. They measure volume of passes rather than actual amount spend on the ball.

Real Madrid are one of the top possession sides in Europe. Usually dominate against most sides.

Tiki Taka in my opinion are the amazing build up plays that literally are within a second of one another in the final third ala Barca style.

I hate watching passes go from midfield to defence x10

The Franchise wrote:I think its simple. You dont have to measure it with possession, amount of passes or whatever. The eye test with do.

I think when people say it, like your friend, what they mean is basically Barcelona. The entire gameplan being about keeping the ball for the two fold advantage it has.

However, to me, I only reserve the title for teams who aim to keep this method regardless of the opponant.

Madrid are going to have 60% of the ball vs La Liga midtable teams because they are just too damn good not to. They have better players, who pass the ball more accurately, have better awareness and are more skilled. The opponants cant match that and their gameplan usually is to forget about winning that battle and focusing on defence.

However, I wouldnt call Madrid a "possession based team" because having the ball for as much as possible isnt what they are trying to do. It just happens in those small games. In the bigger games it doesnt happen, that isnt their gameplan.

I would agree, but when dani says "regardless of the opponent", my question is, would a possession based team also fall under these guidelines regardless of there results? Clearly every team plays to win but I think it would also help to look at less successful teams that can still be called possession based (if any) just to get a better idea of the definition even if it is a bit subjective.

For me it's a team that takes as little risk as possible in passing. Making that work in your advantage depends entirely on the quality of players, Swansea for example wont be creating as many chances per game as Barcelona would. LvG Bayern (Apart from Schweinsteiger) didn't have the passing accuracy across the entire team to be as dominant as Barca have been.

barca 2011 wrote:

The Franchise wrote:I think its simple. You dont have to measure it with possession, amount of passes or whatever. The eye test with do.

I think when people say it, like your friend, what they mean is basically Barcelona. The entire gameplan being about keeping the ball for the two fold advantage it has.

However, to me, I only reserve the title for teams who aim to keep this method regardless of the opponant.

Madrid are going to have 60% of the ball vs La Liga midtable teams because they are just too damn good not to. They have better players, who pass the ball more accurately, have better awareness and are more skilled. The opponants cant match that and their gameplan usually is to forget about winning that battle and focusing on defence.

However, I wouldnt call Madrid a "possession based team" because having the ball for as much as possible isnt what they are trying to do. It just happens in those small games. In the bigger games it doesnt happen, that isnt their gameplan.

I would agree, but when dani says "regardless of the opponent", my question is, would a possession based team also fall under these guidelines regardless of there results? Clearly every team plays to win but I think it would also help to look at less successful teams that can still be called possession based (if any) just to get a better idea of the definition even if it is a bit subjective.

You have lost me a bit here.

Less successful teams would still try tht way, even against more skilled opponants. Like Swansea do.

Possession-based means minimizing risk.

When you build from the back and reach the final third and find there are no plays available, then you fall back and look to build again.

When you do this in every game regardless of the opponent, then you can be called a possession-based team.

So essentially what Phritz and Dani said.

Possession teams are those that want to dictate the (pace of) the game by owning the ball at all times. The build-up is patient, mainly using safe passes (at least in 2/3 of the pitch) and riskier actions such as long balls, frequent dribbling and even crossing at times are discouraged.
To gain possession, one must gain it first. This involves pressuring the opponent in their own half and having a high defensive line to compensate.
Teams that play this kind of football: Barcelona, Espanyol, Swansea, Real Betis, Bayern and Arsenal.
Manchester City are definitely wannabes in that area.
Arsenal are a possession-based team, as in they are very good at keeping the ball but they certainly will not turn down the chance to counter. Their attacking nature makes them perform more risks than the likes of Barcelona in the final third.
Madrid are not a possession-based team, as were none of Mourinho's teams i.e. possession means nothing if it is deemed more beneficial if you can get to the goal quickly with 3 passes. Their superiority in possession in matches is mainly because they are often lined up against largely inferior teams, not because they necessarily want to keep hold of the ball.
Also contrary to popular belief, possession based football is not necessarily an attacking strategy. And it does come with its problems.

BTW, I just found this:



So passing accuracy-wise, Bayern isn't far behind Barca.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11731/7436000/Pass-masters

Bayern Munich played Madrid 55 to 45 ball possession home and away, that is possession football.


We had more possession than any team we played this season, that is possession football.

nothing comes next after Barcelona, in terms of possession football and to me it's no two way things, possession football simply mean being able to keep possession.

Keep passing the ball around and patiently waiting for the opposition to make mistakes so you can capitalise on it.

a team that plays a lot of short passes with the handbrake on for a lot of the game, which rules out a lot of short passing teams such as arsenal for example who are less "shy" to attack, and place them in the "direct" category.

By most peoples definition Barcelona in 09 were not a possession team. I would simply say a possession team is a team that gives itself multiple passing options for the players. Thats simple enough.

jibers wrote:By most peoples definition Barcelona in 09 were not a possession team. I would simply say a possession team is a team that gives itself multiple passing options for the players. Thats simple enough.

By your definition, every team is possession based.