Skip to content
Insporta Book
en
EnglishРусскийDeutschEspañolEestiSuomiItalianoFrançaisPolski日本語한국어中文
FootballCricketFutsalTriathlonTennisGolfFigure SkatingBasketballMethodologyWhy it worksTake a test

Football · Level 7: Upper-Advanced · Sub-level 7.77

Pressing Intensity Metrics

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 12 October 2026 · markdown

Reading the numbers behind the press: PPDA in context, pressing clocks, pressures, counter-pressing, defensive height, territory, challenge intensity, running without the ball, dashboards and the traps in all of them.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1PPDA in contextTake a test

  1. Trainor's article presented passes per defensive action as a simple way to compare how intensely teams press.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · recall

  2. Game state changes behaviour: a side protecting a lead drops deeper, lets the opponent pass and so records a higher PPDA.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

  3. Turning the metric round shows how much pressure a team faced when it had the ball.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

  4. One match holds a few dozen defensive actions and one scoreline; a season average is far more reliable.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

  5. A side that defends a lot will tackle a lot; dividing by the opponent's passes shows how quickly it stepped in.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

  6. Fouls count as defensive actions in most versions, so more of them lowers PPDA without any extra pressing.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

  7. A side that keeps the ball gives the opponent few build-up phases, so its PPDA rests on a small and unusual sample.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

  8. The ratio only means something once it is compared across matches or teams.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

  9. The more a team needs the ball, the harder it presses; comfortable leads bring the press down and PPDA up.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

  10. A PPDA of 10 is ordinary where the average is 10 and aggressive where it is 13, so figures are compared within a league.

    Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing · applied

Test 2Rangnick's clocks: pressing by the secondTake a test

  1. Rangnick's sides aimed to regain possession within about eight seconds of losing it.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · recall

  2. The idea is to attack while the opponent is still disorganised from losing the ball.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · recall

  3. The clock made the seconds visible in training, so regaining and finishing quickly became habit.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · recall

  4. Seconds after a turnover the other team is spread out for its own attack; a few more seconds and it is organised again.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · applied

  5. Timing each loss-to-regain gap tests the principle directly, rather than guessing from other numbers.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. Winning the ball back quickly depends on distances at the moment of the loss, not just on effort afterwards.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · applied

  7. Once the moment has gone, the chase pulls players out of shape; the principle says drop into the block instead.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · applied

  8. The whole sequence is designed to happen in well under half a minute.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · applied

  9. Guardiola's Barcelona aimed to win the ball back within about six seconds, Rangnick's sides within about eight, and then to shoot within about ten.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · recall

  10. Eight seconds to win it back, then about ten more to finish the attack, is the rhythm Rangnick drilled.

    Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature · applied

Test 3Pressures and pressure successTake a test

  1. A pressure is logged when a defender closes in on a player receiving, carrying or releasing the ball, whether or not he wins it.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  2. Linking regains to the pressure before them shows which pressing actually won the ball.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  3. Success rate divides pressures that led to winning the ball soon after by all pressures.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  4. One player pressing alone forces passes but rarely wins the ball; regains come when the players behind close the options too.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  5. A side that defends for most of a match will press more often simply because it has more opportunities.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. Closing the ball while leaving passing lanes open produces pressures on the sheet and chances for the opponent.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  7. The best pressures do not always win the ball themselves; they push the pass where the next defender can take it.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  8. The pressure is credited even though a different player makes the regain.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  9. Winning the ball is best, forcing a hopeful clearance is next, and being played around is a failed pressure.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  10. A pressure needs only closing down from close range; it does not need contact or winning the ball.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

Test 4Counter-pressing numbersTake a test

  1. Pressures in the first seconds after a turnover are tagged separately, which lets analysts measure counter-pressing.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  2. The count needs both ingredients: turnovers to react to and a habit of reacting straight away.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  3. Fewer turnovers means fewer chances to counter-press; the rate after each loss is the fairer comparison.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  4. Dividing by possessions lost shows how often a team reacts, whatever its style.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  5. Quick regains depend on distances at the moment of the loss; compact teams win the ball back far more often.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. Regains close to the opponent's box turn into shots within a few passes, before the defence can reset.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  7. Committing players to the ball leaves space behind them if the opponent escapes the first seconds.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  8. The data captures the loss, the counterpress, the regain and the quick attack that follows.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  9. Each step removes a bias: style first, then where on the pitch the pressure happened.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  10. StatsBomb tags pressures within five seconds of a turnover as counterpresses.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

Test 5Defensive action heightTake a test

  1. The average distance of tackles, interceptions and other defensive actions from the team's own goal shows where it defends.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  2. Higher defensive actions mean the team meets the opponent earlier, a sign of a higher press or block.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  3. Line height comes from tracking the defenders' positions; action height from where defensive events happen.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  4. Even low-block sides make quick challenges where they lose the ball, which lifts their average a little.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  5. Defending high only works if the line and the press move together; otherwise a ball over the top beats both.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. A map of successful actions shows whether the team wins the ball where it plans to, not only how high it defends.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  7. Game state changes how high a side defends, so averages from lopsided matches need care.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  8. The further forward a team starts its pressure, the further from its own goal its defensive actions happen.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  9. The map turns event data into a picture of where the team really defends and wins the ball.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  10. Team B's defensive actions happen much closer to the opponent's goal, the mark of a higher press.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

Test 6Territory beyond field tiltTake a test

  1. Each pass or carry that takes the ball into the final third counts, a basic measure of territory gained.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  2. Getting into the final third is common; getting into the box is closer to creating a real chance.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  3. Few entries against means the opponent rarely gets out of its own half with the ball.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  4. If short passing is blocked, the opponent has to go long, often giving the ball back.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  5. A low completion rate for the opponent's first passes means the press is disrupting their build-up.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. A side can camp in the opponent's half and create little, while a counter-attacking side creates more.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  7. A team chasing a game naturally spends more time in the other half, which inflates its territory.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  8. Each step takes the ball closer to a real chance; not every entry leads to the next.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  9. Blocking short options forces a long ball, and winning it back turns the press into possession.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  10. The shaded area is the attacking third; every pass or carry into it is a final-third entry.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

Test 7Challenge intensityTake a test

  1. Dividing duels, tackles, interceptions and fouls by the opponent's time on the ball shows how aggressively a side engages.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  2. A team that rarely defends makes few challenges; per-minute figures show how intense it is when it does.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  3. PPDA divides passes by actions; challenge intensity divides actions by minutes, so the two can rank teams differently.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  4. Fouls count as challenges, so a high figure can mean clumsy aggression as well as good pressing.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  5. Intensity is about how often a team engages, not where; deep sides can be very combative in their own third.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. One number says how often a team engages, the other where; a high press shows up high on both.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  7. A new manager's approach, fatigue or injuries can all cut how often a team goes into challenges.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  8. The per-minute rate is what makes teams with different possession comparable.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  9. The more often a team goes into duels when the opponent has the ball, the higher the figure.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  10. Team B engages more often per minute of the opponent's possession, which is what challenge intensity measures.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

Test 8Sprints and high-speed running out of possessionTake a test

  1. Normalising by time out of possession lets a pressing side be compared with a side that simply defends a lot.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  2. SkillCorner's computer vision tracks the players visible in broadcast pictures, giving data for leagues without in-stadium systems.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · recall

  3. The camera follows the ball, so some players are out of shot and their positions must be estimated.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  4. Leading the press means repeated sprints at defenders and goalkeepers, which dominates their running data.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  5. A drop late in matches is a common sign the pressing plan cannot be sustained for ninety minutes.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. Lots of sprinting that wins no ball is wasted effort; the two sources together show effort and outcome.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  7. Some running is chosen pressing; some is being pulled around by a better team.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  8. Event data covers almost every professional league; broadcast tracking is spreading; a club's own vest data stays in-house.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  9. The sprint is only half the job; the angle of the run decides where the ball goes next.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  10. Broadcast tracking needs only the television pictures, which exist for almost every televised league.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

Test 9Reading a pressing dashboardTake a test

  1. The press is winning the ball; the problem is turning regains into shots.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  2. A team can hold a high block and cut lanes without making many actions, giving a high PPDA despite defending up the pitch.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  3. Regains high up only matter if they lead to chances, so the two are read together.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  4. A PPDA of 9 against a top passing side can mean more than a PPDA of 7 against a struggling one.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  5. An aggressive press trades regains for risk; the dashboard needs the chances conceded when the press fails.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. A five- or ten-match average smooths out the noise of individual games and shows real trends.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  7. A run against weak build-up sides can inflate press numbers without any real change.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  8. Context first, then effort, reward and cost; skipping the first step leads to false conclusions.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  9. Each question depends on the one before; a press can pass the first two and fail the third.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  10. The press already wins the ball high up often; almost none of those regains become shots.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

Test 10Where the metrics misleadTake a test

  1. PPDA measures how often a team steps in, not what happens when it is played through.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  2. Schedules differ; a run of poor passing sides inflates regains and turnovers.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  3. Playing with ten usually means sitting deep, and playing against ten means facing a low block.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  4. Definitions of pressures, duels and regains vary, so figures from different providers should not be mixed.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  5. A metric that becomes a target stops measuring what it was meant to; the press must serve the game plan.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  6. Intensity, height, outcome and cost each need a measure, and reading one alone misleads.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  7. If rivals stop playing short against it, there are fewer build-ups to press and fewer regains to record.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  8. Numbers are a starting point; video and context decide what they really mean.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  9. Sample size and context come before interpretation, and video confirms or corrects what the data suggest.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

  10. Low PPDA shows the pressing effort; the chances against show what happens when that press is beaten.

    Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions) · applied

Sources

IFAB Laws of the Game / FIFA & UEFA regulations and technical reports / Opta & StatsBomb definitions / coaching literature / peer-reviewed research

  • Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions)81
  • PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing10
  • Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature9