Dortmund got to the CL final averaging 45% possession

The 28th best in last seasons CL.

What does this mean?

Rodgers finally finding the light and ditching Possession football for counter attacking

That Pragmatism

It means they were exceptionally efficient in their use of the ball. Not a surprise for a team as technically excellent as that Dortmund team was.

Doesn't necessarily mean Barca's 70% possession and 90% pass rate is to be dismissed either. Similar stats won them multiple CL titles after all.

How are Ajax 6th with 54.6% despite having had Dortmund, Real Madrid and Manchester City in their group and scoring just four points?  

As i have always said possession means absolutely f*ck all.

It matters what you do with the ball, not how much of it you have.

Hope one day this bollocks can end.

Just means you don't need to play possession to win the CL. Dortmund aren't the only team ever to do that.

Art Morte wrote:How are Ajax 6th with 54.6% despite having had Dortmund, Real Madrid and Manchester City in their group and scoring just four points?  

They're just basically Swansea with a better history

Keeping the ball, for the sake of keeping the ball, is for me more boring to watch than parking the bus.

It doesnt mean anything.

Different styles, thats it.

They are effective with the ball, thats all that really matters.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:As i have always said possession means absolutely f*ck all.

It matters what you do with the ball, not how much of it you have.

Hope one day this bollocks can end.

This.

And even with 45% possession they were still the most entertaining team to watch in Europe. They created chances quickly and entertainingly with the small amount of time they had on the ball and were quite effective in doing so.

And the point of this thread is?

jibers wrote:And the point of this thread is?

Gil watches Whoscored, not the actual game.

I'm more fascinated that Schalke had more possession than Bayern

Oh, and Bayern were the card happiest team. Thugs.

There low possession count also came down to there style of play.

Dortmund play a counterpressing style (gegenpressing) so when they press aggressively and win the ball in the opponent's half they attack the opposition quickly and directly. A reporter asked Klopp why do they attack them quickly instead of looking for available spaces and make the correct pass while keeping possession of the ball, Klopp replied by saying '' As soon as the opposition loses the ball they are at there most vulnerable state, if you attack them directly they won't have as much time to react. There is no defense when things are done quickly and accurately.''

Marco Reus's goal vs Man city is a great example of this:



Dortmund aggressively press as a unit and as soon Reus gets the ball he runs directly too the net, which results in a nice goal.

And Dortmund's rivals Bayern Munich copied Klopp's counterpressing element and it made Bayern the best team in Europe . It helped them limit the oppositions attacks as well as being able to expose the opposition on the break.

But, Klopp wasn't the first coach to use the counter pressing system, Arrigo Sacchi also used it too great effect, making his Milan side one of the best teams of all time.

Imo we should scrap this old fashioned 'goal' system and take away goals and goalkeepers (Wtf is the point in those guys? Seriously? )


And introduce a new 'point' system.

For every 30seconds you're in possession you get a 'point'

And after 90 minutes the team with the most points wins.

Much more interesting tbh.

Possession....lol...meaningless.

The amount of times i've seen a team have over 70% of 'possession' and have still gone on to lose the game.  

The amount of times i've seen a team have less than 45% of 'possession' and have still gone on to lose the game.

Tomwin Lannister wrote:Imo we should scrap this old fashioned 'goal' system and take away goals and goalkeepers (Wtf is the point in those guys? Seriously? )


And introduce a new 'point' system.

For every 30seconds you're in possession you get a 'point'

And after 90 minutes the team with the most points wins.

Much more interesting tbh.

My team would be:

------------Gündoğan -----------
Busquets---Xavi---Wilshere---Dembélé
Allen --------Thiago-------Nasri
---Modrić---Schweinsteiger---Pirlo---

I think something else everyone is overlooking is that Dortmund doesnt waste any time with the ball. Whereas Barca for example will pass the ball between their defenders for 20 minutes per game, when Dortmund get the ball they straight away go for the jugular. Juve is also like this which explains why they are so low in the list as well.

Overall though, possession really doesnt mean anything. Its what you do with the ball, not how much you have it.

Casciavit wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:As i have always said possession means absolutely f*ck all.

It matters what you do with the ball, not how much of it you have.

Hope one day this bollocks can end.

This.

And even with 45% possession they were still the most entertaining team to watch in Europe. They created chances quickly and entertainingly with the small amount of time they had on the ball and were quite effective in doing so.

Aint that big of a suprise. If you only have 45% or less of possession, more than not it means that you will have alot of space to utilize when you do have it.

45% is only 5% less than equal possession.

Five percentage points less not five percent less.  

In my new footballing world, Dortmund would need to up their game ffs.

Who do you prefer to watch, Borussia or prime Pepcelona ?

Only Zeman football is more entertaining!