Manchester City and Chelsea styles of attack built with passes, while Bournemouth attack at league-topping speed and Watford press best from the front
Saturday 24 November 2018 12:10, UK
How does your team attack? We analysed advanced Opta data to find out...
Manchester City have scored more goals and completed the second-highest number of passes in the Premier League this season - epitomised by their 44-pass sequence leading to Ilkay Gundogen's goal in the Manchester derby.
But how does City's style of attack compare with other teams? We used Opta's advanced metrics to find out...
The data reveals Pep Guardiola's side are almost twice as intricate in attack than any other side - completing 101 attacks with 10 or more passes leading to a shot or touch in the box.
As a result, City's average progression upfield is a league-low 1.33m per second.
The graphic below reveals City's superiority for building attacks with passes at a slower pace, in contrast to the league-topping average progressions upfield recorded by Bournemouth, Cardiff and Everton - achieved by taking fewer passes.
The graphic's bubble sizes represent how many of the teams' attacks have had at least 50 per cent forward momentum, revealing the direct styles of City, Liverpool, Wolves, Bournemouth and Everton.
In contrast, Burnley have struggled to combine in the attacking third and have a league-low upfield momentum, while Newcastle, Brighton and Cardiff have also produced fewer attacks from intricate passing.
But there is another style, different from the passing approach of City and Chelsea. Javi Gracia appears to have imposed a unique style of attack at Watford - stealing possession in the attacking third and effectively taking shots on goal.
In these areas, the Hornets have broken down opposition sequences within three passes on 192 occasions - more than any other side - and hit a league-topping 13 shots from passing combinations starting close to the opposition's goal.
Huddersfield almost match Garcia's side for defending from the front - but have a polar opposite success rate of turning those actions into shots on goal, while Brighton appear to lacked defensive steel without possession further up the pitch.
The bubbles are sized by each team's average distance upfield when a passing combination is started - revealing how City and Liverpool initiate sequences high up the pitch - joined by Huddersfield, Everton, Chelsea and Watford.
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