Chart shows Tottenham’s pressing game is leading the Premier League
Data MB’s metrics show that Tottenham Hotspur are in a class of their own in the Premier League when it comes to the intensity and effectiveness of their pressing.
Teams struggling to live with Spurs
Almost every team that has come up against Tottenham so far this season has struggled to cope with their pressing and the intensity of their play. The only exception was Brighton in the second half earlier this month.
While the results have not always gone Spurs’ way, the underlying metrics behind their performances suggest that Ange Postecoglou has built an elite side.
The latest figures released by DataMB serve as further testament to that, showing that Spurs are miles ahead of other Premier League sides when it comes to winning the ball high up the pitch and in chance creation.
Tottenham’s mind-blowing numbers
DataMB have plotted the pressing per defensive action (PPDA) on the Y-axis and expected goals (xG) on the X-axis in their latest graph.
PPDA refers to the number of opposition passes allowed divided by the number of defensive actions by the pressing team outside of their own defensive third. The lower the number, the more intense a team’s pressing
Tottenham’s PPDA stands at just above seven, which is significantly better than all of their opponents. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s xG per 90 stands at around 2.3, which is also comfortably better than the next best.
Promising stat but lacks context
These numbers are certainly very encouraging and what makes it particularly impressive is the fact that despite pressing so high up the pitch and creating so many chances, Tottenham are also not giving away as many chances as they were last season.
However, we should perhaps refrain from reading too much into these numbers in the early stages of the season as there are still significant differences in the quality of opposition that each side has faced.
Tottenham’s PPDA numbers will likely drop a little when we play the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, who are quite effective in playing through the opposition press.
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