On Tuesday, Bayern Munich had 69% possession, and failed to score against Real Madrid.
On Sunday, Liverpool had 73% possession, and failed to score against Chelsea.
So is possession overrated? We’ve been through this season’s Premier League stats to find out.
Of the nine teams to have an average Premier League possession of over 50%, only one was outside the top half of the table - Swansea.
Only Stoke and Newcastle had a possession rate of over 50% and were in the top half of the league.
Only teams with an average possession of over 50% had a goals per game ratio of over 1.5. No team with 55% or more possessions averaged under 1.42 goals per game.
Liverpool turned the most possession into goals, scoring a goal per 20.63% possession, and got a point for every 24.75% possession.
Man City scored a goal for every 21.45% possession, and a point per 25.91% possession.
Everton score a goal for every 34.7% possession, and a point for every 28.7%
Newcastle have managed a goal for every 45.23% possession (the 4th worst in the league), and a point for every 38.35% possession.
Team | % Pos | Games | Goals | Points | Points per game | Goals per game | Pos % per goal | Pos % per point |
Southampton | 59 | 36 | 52 | 52 | 1.44 | 1.44 | 40.85 | 40.85 |
Swansea | 58 | 36 | 51 | 39 | 1.08 | 1.42 | 40.94 | 53.54 |
Arsenal | 57 | 36 | 65 | 73 | 2.03 | 1.81 | 31.57 | 28.11 |
Man City | 57 | 35 | 93 | 77 | 2.20 | 2.66 | 21.45 | 25.91 |
Chelsea | 55 | 36 | 69 | 78 | 2.17 | 1.92 | 28.70 | 25.38 |
Everton | 55 | 36 | 57 | 69 | 1.92 | 1.58 | 34.74 | 28.70 |
Liverpool | 55 | 36 | 96 | 80 | 2.22 | 2.67 | 20.63 | 24.75 |
Man United | 55 | 35 | 60 | 60 | 1.71 | 1.71 | 32.08 | 32.08 |
Tottenham | 55 | 36 | 52 | 66 | 1.83 | 1.44 | 38.08 | 30.00 |
Newcastle | 49 | 36 | 39 | 46 | 1.28 | 1.08 | 45.23 | 38.35 |
Stoke | 47 | 36 | 39 | 44 | 1.22 | 1.08 | 43.38 | 38.45 |
Norwich | 46 | 36 | 28 | 32 | 0.89 | 0.78 | 59.14 | 51.75 |
Sunderland | 46 | 35 | 37 | 32 | 0.91 | 1.06 | 43.51 | 50.31 |
WBA | 46 | 35 | 42 | 36 | 1.03 | 1.20 | 38.33 | 44.72 |
Cardiff | 45 | 36 | 31 | 30 | 0.83 | 0.86 | 52.26 | 54.00 |
Hull | 45 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 1.06 | 1.03 | 43.75 | 42.57 |
Aston Villa | 44 | 35 | 36 | 35 | 1.00 | 1.03 | 42.78 | 44.00 |
Fulham | 43 | 36 | 37 | 31 | 0.86 | 1.03 | 41.84 | 49.94 |
West Ham | 43 | 36 | 38 | 37 | 1.03 | 1.06 | 40.74 | 41.84 |
Crystal Palace | 37 | 36 | 28 | 43 | 1.19 | 0.78 | 47.57 | 30.98 |