Data Viz - Scottish Long Ball Percentage of Play

[HamCam]

Only seen it on Twitter but Greenock Morton are comfortable winners of the long ball stats. The data is from the beginning of the season until 1 October defining it as a ground pass longer than 45m or a high pass longer than 25m.  We are top or if you prefer bottom of the table at 26% with Arbroath and Montrose our nearest rivals at 23%. No surprise Celtic are at the other end of the table at 6%. I accept we play pretty direct but never thought we are the outliers in Scottish football. At least it will be interesting on Saturday to compare the approach as Raith Rovers has the lowest number in our league at 16%. On the plus side, statistics mean hee haw when you note the Galacticos at Falkirk are right up there at 13%.

[SassenachTon]

Long balls are great.

Especially when there's someone on the end of it.

[Jamie_M]

 

[SassenachTon]

Beautifully put, Jamie

[TRVMP]

Long, direct passing - or if we want to wankify it slightly, "quickly changing the phase of play" - is brutally effective when performed well. So are slow passing moves. Horses for courses. The long ball has a bad name because it's all too often meant to mean either the aimless long ball, or the long ball to a lone forward who either struggles to bring it down and keep possession, or has nobody in support even when he manages it.

It's not synonymous at all with bypassing the midfield either. You can play a long ball game with midfielders pushed up, with midfielders coming in support for a cutback, and even start the move itself from midfield if you have a deep-lying playmaker (until recent years synonymous with Andrea Pirlo.)