Barcelona’s opponents complete 75% of their passes in build-up Today, Real Madrid’s accuracy in a neutral game state (at 0-0 and 1-1) was 87.6% 👏 Looking at all of Barcelona’s matches under Flick, only two opponents have managed to surpass that figure

Brighton were Iraoled. Their 85% overall build-up completion looks calm, but two early goals flatter it. Before the 2-0, under Liverpool's press, they completed 75%, about what the average Liverpool opponent manages

Last season Chelsea were in the 83rd percentile of the Premier League for attack and the 78th for defence. This season they have fallen to the 41st and the 46th. Yes, you can now download any team comparison on markstats.club as an image

Spurs were the better side in the first half, but Chelsea pressed less aggressively in the second. Spurs still had 67% possession, but at 0-0 after break, they were no longer creating more chances. Chelsea conceded from a corner just as the game was becoming more balanced

Arsenal were well prepared for Bayern’s press. Playing long and dropping Ødegaard deeper gave them a way out. They lost the ball near their own goal just 12 times, vs with an average of 26 for Bayern’s opponents. Bayern were forced to let Arsenal control possession and territory

To illustrate my previous tweet. Premier League npxGD and npGD: 25/26 from Carrick’s appointment vs 26/27 so far. United’s npGD per game: +0.94 → −0.14, with npxGD flat (+0.37 → +0.36)

Man Utd’s underlying numbers under Carrick haven’t changed at all. 25/26: +0.37 npxGD per game 26/27: +0.36 Their goal difference has: 25/26: +0.94 npGD per game 26/27: −0.14 Last season the finishing and keeping were running hot. This season it’s the other way round

United spent almost the entire first half in a negative game state, with just 36% possession. Como keeps the ball with ease, and United can’t win it back. No surprise: only 9 teams in Europe’s top five leagues force fewer turnovers in the opponent’s danger zone than Man United

FC Risk Aversion

Last season under Glasner, Crystal Palace had one of the seven best defences in the Premier League Seven games under Pierre Sage, they have the worst defence in the league, and it isn’t close NPxG allowed per game: 1.28 → 2.20 Deep completions allowed per game: 9.3 → 13.6

Liverpool after going 2-1 up: Cede possession to a 10-man opponent and lose the xG battle (0.07 vs. 0.31) Iraola’s Bournemouth showed the same pattern throughout last season. When not leading, they ranked 6th in the league for xG difference. When leading, they ranked 19th

New team metrics on markstats.club: GEGEN and OPPGEGEN GEGEN is the opponent's pass completion in the 10 seconds after they win the ball in their own half. Lower means a stronger counterpress. Brighton have the best counterpress in the Premier League this season

Deploying Bruno Fernandes on the right of a 4-2-4 press is a big mistake. The space between Dalot, Santos and Bruno is enormous. Atleti will exploit it repeatedly if they are brave

Tottenham won possession within 40m of United’s goal 11 times, the most by any team in a match this season

Florian Wirtz in one chart: Premier League best attacker at receiving progressive passes, average at creating open-play threat

The first 30 minutes were disastrous for United: 75% pass completion and just 10% of their touches in the final third. They had no answer to Spurs’ high press

After this game, I have more faith in De Zerbi’s Tottenham project than in Carrick’s United