From Foz : Can the pressing game win the Premier League?
Much has been made of the pressing game for the last few seasons. Of the managers in the PL currently, Pep and Klopp are probably the most notable for this type of game having won league titles with Barca/Bayern and Dortmund with this approach.
Spurs’ Pochettino also plays the same way but, as opposed to Pep and Klopp, has not won any trophies so far, but came close in the PL last season only to falter in the end.
Given the recent surge in form of Conte’s Chelsea and the slight dip of City and L’pool, it made me wonder whether the pressing game can actually work for a whole season and bring in the PL title given the huge physical toll this can take.
Going back to Pep’s Barca and Klopp’s Dortmund teams, I honestly think there are two key things that made it possible for their pressing game to bring success in the Spanish and German leagues.
First, both the Spanish and German leagues are weaker than the PL. Both Barca and Dortmund (or any of the other 2-3 top teams in those leagues) are able steamroller more than half their leagues, unlike the PL when bottom half teams fight harder, play more direct and cause upsets almost every other week.
Second, both leagues have a mid-winter break, allowing a crucial period of recovery and for the teams to tackle the business end of the season with fresher legs than PL teams.
It remains to be seen in what shape City and Lpool wind up after a whole season of playing with such intensity.
Looking back on the approaches used by former and recent PL title winners, there is little evidence of such a pressing game. Last year, Leicester mostly sat back and countered with devastating effect.
The three Chelsea titles of Mourinho were never based on such relentless pressing, but more a disciplined approach to team shape and keeping clean sheets. Same could be said of City’s titles under Mancini and Pellegrini.
For me, City and Lpool under Pep and Klopp will suffer in terms of title wins in the PL despite their teams’ ability to show several moments of brilliance along the road.
Conte’s Chelsea look solid and more able to cope with the demands of the PL – I’d argue with or without Europe – given their more economical style of play. If Mourinho can turn around Man U and sort himself out, I reckon he will also be a contender.
Arsenal have the best team they have had in a long time in terms of maturity and experience in key positions – Cech, Koscielny, Coquelin/Xhaka, Ozil, Alexis give the team and great spine.
But can Arsene’s teams make less mistakes than this Chelsea side going forward?
Myles says: Energy is cheaper than skill.