English defences generous to a fault

"As the dust settles on the UEFA Champions League group stage, one statistic stands out when it comes to making sense of the English teams' efforts – namely, that between them, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC and the two Manchester clubs managed just three clean sheets in a combined 24 matches.

This was one of the stats flashed up on Sky Sports on Wednesday night as the studio panel mulled over the elimination of holders Chelsea, who joined Manchester City FC in exiting the competition, to leave just Arsenal and Manchester United FC standing.


Another stat of note was that Chelsea had bowed out despite finishing as the leading scorers in the group stage, yet this seemed somehow fitting. The last two seasons have featured the highest goals-per-game average in the two decades since the UEFA Champions League's conception but the evidence is that, at this moment in time, England's finest have not quite got the balance right.
The Sunday Times spoke recently of "the thrilling but rather reckless course that English club football is following" after another of the high-scoring games the Premier League has produced this term. It is a notable trend in the domestic game that the goals are flowing but defences are faltering and it seems no coincidence that the aggregate of 35 goals that England's representatives leaked in this UEFA Champions League campaign should by some distance be the highest number in a group stage featuring four Premier League teams. The previous worst was back in 2002/03 when they conceded 28 and then, at least, three of the four made it through.

Since United and Chelsea contested the UEFA Champions League final in 2007/08, the combined goals-against record for English sides has risen steadily. From 15 in 2007/08, it has gone from 18 the next season to 22, 23, 24 and now 35.


Of course, there are different factors involved in each case. Chelsea had John Terry available for only two matches, and he was badly missed. City, meanwhile, have lacked the defensive authority of last season and individual mistakes and inattention at set pieces cost them dear in several matches. Their campaign might have taken on a completely different complexion had they been able to defend a 2-1 lead for the last five minutes of their opening fixture at Real Madrid CF.
Their neighbours United were the only English group winners but they too have struggled at the back, where Nemanja Vidić (one appearance) and Rio Ferdinand (two) have been unavailable for significant stretches. Back in the Premier League, United's defensive record is no better, as Sir Alex Ferguson admitted this week when referring to the "Cartoon Cavalcade" of mistakes in the 4-3 win at Reading FC.

United have now kept two clean sheets in 18 games but keep coming back to win games. Arsenal, for their part, have kept three in their last 20 outings and had their own madcap match at Reading, that incredible 7-5 League Cup win at the end of October. In England, it is simply easier to outscore the opposition than in the UEFA Champions League, where mistakes are more likely to be punished.

The end product of it all is that the Premier League quartet won fewer games (ten) in this group stage and lost more (nine) than ever before – food for thought as the two survivors look ahead to the last-16 draw.

• For fellow stattos out there, the best combined defensive effort by a Premier League quartet in the group stage was in 2005/06 when Arsenal – who went on to reach the final – Chelsea, United and Liverpool FC conceded only eight between them, and kept 17 clean sheets. Indeed José Mourinho's Chelsea and Rafael Benítez's Liverpool shipped only one goal apiece."

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/blogs/blog=ucl_blog_england/postid=1905582.html

This seems to be a very bad trend occurring in English soccer and it's finally being noticed. There are a ridiculous amount of goals being allowed in the Premier League and in Europe, seeing how much English teams are spending on defenders these days. Any opinions on the issue?

Probably something to do with Premier League midfields neglecting the defensive side of the game for whatever reason, thus leaving more space for the vast array of offensive talent in the league to regularly attack an exposed backline.

Wingers don't track back in a lot of teams, either, which can lead to a lot of 2v1 situations against full backs.

The standard of set-piece defending has also declined massively.

By the way, as I happen to have stats of the major teams of the top 5 European league, here's the data sorted according to the defensive record in the CL / EL (red - league champions, black - CL contenders, purple - clubs in the EL). The English teams in the EL were not as bad as the ones in the CL, btw.

rwo power wrote:By the way, as I happen to have stats of the major teams of the top 5 European league, here's the data sorted according to the defensive record in the CL / EL (red - league champions, black - CL contenders, purple - clubs in the EL). The English teams in the EL were not as bad as the ones in the CL, btw.

True, but the major teams in CLshould not be letting in this many goals. They must improve the team's defenses considerably. BPL has lost any focus on defending for all out attack.

Seems like nitpicking to me. English teams get ripped on when they don't go through to the last 16. Then, when they do, they get criticized for letting in too many goals. Next year, when 4 English teams qualify and manage 19 clean sheets or whatever, they'll be criticized for the lack of tactics etc etc etc

It's like, who cares how many goals you concede in group stages? As long as you go through, right?

Lex wrote:Seems like nitpicking to me. English teams get ripped on when they don't go through to the last 16. Then, when they do, they get criticized for letting in too many goals. Next year, when 4 English teams qualify and manage 19 clean sheets or whatever, they'll be criticized for the lack of tactics etc etc etc

It's like, who cares how many goals you concede in group stages? As long as you go through, right?

No

English football is different. It is different from the international game as the NHL is to International Hockey. It is very attacking and fast and it is liked by a lot of people that like to see a lot of goals scored. It is also what the viewers of the English game want to see. It makes money, so I doubt anyone wants to change it. I watched English football almost exclusively until a few years ago, I liked it a lot. But I started watching La Liga and the Serie A and I found the style of play more entertaining, from a cerebral point of view, and more similar to what you see in International football (WC. Euros, Africa Cup of nations, asian Cup etc.) , which I like more than anything.

The teams have no identity so is it really all that surprising that there play against non EPL teams have been poor?

Chelsea fire there coach every other year and they are turning over the core of the team that had been together for the better part of a decade and we can see now that last years CL title was well deserved as they had the hardest path to the trophy but a little like when Greece won the Euro's while riding a good patch of form.

I mean it's like the first time in history the winners didn't get out of the group stage so that should tell you something.

Man U is the only team that actually plays a similar style week in and week out due to the best coach in the world and a top 5 player in the world in Rooney. But they can be beaten by almost any team.

City, well they can play donkey ball very well but the European game is a mystery to them. They have the talent to score 5 goals every game and can just as easily score 0. With no definitive playing style.

Arsenal used to have a style and now they are just struggling in a bad patch of form but they can score 4 one day and 0 the next or put 3 clean sheets together and then lose 3 in a row, there is just no consistency to there play.

When you don't have an identity it makes it very hard to keep your defense intact as the whole unit needs to move together as one to be a good defensive team.

Not to mention I think a lot of the defenders in England are suited for the EPL not Europe and have gotten used to playing donkey ball. A lot of there man marking skills and staying in front of players with great ball control has gone out the window.

Just like when Barca plays a big physical team we struggle a lot on set plays as our defenders are not cut out for that type of football.