PPDA SHOULDN’T BE USED TO MEASURE THE PRESSING INTENSITY

Okay, maybe that title is too strong. I’m not sure. But I know that using a single data metric to value an off-ball action is incredibly vague and complex. Especially when we look at data, it’s so difficult to quantify pressing activities. So, in this article, I will tell you why I think PPDA isn’t the right metric AND should never be used alone to measure pressing intensity.

Pressing

Pressing is an important tactical aspect of football that involves one team actively trying to win the ball back from the other team. Pressing can take many different forms, from a high press in which the team presses aggressively and high up the field, to a low block in which the team sits deep and focuses on defending their own goal.

One of the main benefits of pressing is that it can disrupt the opposition’s attacking play and prevent them from building up momentum. By winning the ball back quickly and high up the field, a team can catch the opposition off guard and potentially create scoring opportunities for themselves. Pressing can also be effective at tiring out the opposition, as it requires a lot of physical and mental effort to constantly try and play through a press.

Pressing can also be an effective way to defend against teams that are strong in possession. By forcing the opposition to play quickly and under pressure, a team can reduce the time and space that the opposition has on the ball, making it more difficult for them to create scoring chances.

However, pressing is not without its risks. If a team presses too aggressively and leaves gaps in their defense, they may be vulnerable to counter-attacks. Additionally, if a team is not well-organized or does not have the physical fitness to maintain a press for an extended period of time, they may struggle to win the ball back and may be more susceptible to conceding goals.

Overall, pressing can be a valuable tactical tool in football, but it is important for teams to carefully consider the context of the game and the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents before deciding whether or not to press.

Data context

Context is important when working with data because it helps to provide meaning and interpretation to the data. Without context, data can be difficult to understand and may not provide a clear picture of what is happening.

Context is also important when comparing data from different sources or time periods. Without context, it may be difficult to accurately compare data because we don’t know if the data was collected in the same way or if it is relevant to the same issues.

In summary, context is important when working with data because it helps to provide meaning and interpretation to the data and allows us to accurately compare and analyse it. Without context, data can be difficult to understand and may not provide a clear picture of what is happening.

PPDA

PPDA (passes per defensive action) is a metric that is used to measure how aggressively a team presses or defends. It is calculated by dividing the number of passes that a team allows by the number of defensive actions (tackles, interceptions, etc.) that they make.

While PPDA can be a useful metric for measuring pressing, it is not sufficient on its own for several reasons:

1. It only measures the number of passes allowed, not the quality of those passes. A team could allow a high number of passes but still, be effective at pressing if they are able to force their opponents into making low-quality passes. The quality of the passes allowed is important because it can impact the success of the press. For example, if a team allows a high number of passes but those passes are all long balls that are easily cleared by the defense, then the press may still be effective even though a high number of passes were allowed. On the other hand, if a team allows a low number of passes but those passes are all short, accurate passes that allow the opposition to easily bypass the press, then the press may be less effective.
2. It does not take into account other factors that can impact pressing, such as the positioning of players, the speed of the press, and the overall tactics of the team. The positioning of players is important because it can affect the effectiveness of the press. For example, if a team has their defenders positioned too high up the field, they may leave gaps in their defense that the opposition can exploit. Similarly, if a team’s midfielders are positioned too far apart, they may struggle to effectively press the opposition and may be unable to win the ball back. The speed of the press can also be important. If a team presses too slowly, they may allow the opposition time to bypass the press and launch an attack. On the other hand, if a team presses too quickly, they may leave themselves vulnerable to counter-attacks if they are unable to win the ball back. The overall tactics of the team can also impact the effectiveness of the press. For example, if a team is using a high press, they may be more effective at winning the ball back in the opponent’s half of the field. However, if they are using a low block, they may be more focused on defending their own goal and may be less effective at pressing.
3. It does not account for the opposition’s attacking quality. A team may allow a low number of passes but still be ineffective at pressing if they are facing a strong attacking team that is able to break through their press. The attacking quality of the opposition can impact the effectiveness of the press because it determines how difficult it is for the pressing team to win the ball back. If a team is facing a strong attacking team with skilled dribblers, creative passers, and clinical finishers, they may struggle to effectively press and may be more likely to allow passes. On the other hand, if a team is facing a weaker attacking team, they may be more successful at pressing and may be able to win the ball back more often.
4. It does not take into account the context of the game. The score, the time remaining, and the overall strategy of the team can all impact how aggressively they press. For example, if a team is trailing late in the game, they may press more aggressively in an attempt to try and equalize. On the other hand, if a team is leading and is looking to close out the game, they may be more conservative and focus on defending rather than pressing. The overall strategy of the team can also impact their pressing tactics.

Final thoughts

PPDA is a data metric which can assist in measuring pressing in a game, but in isolation it doesn’t mean a lot. This is strengthened by the notion that off ball actions aren’t properly caught in data collection yet.