# Pressing Intensity Metrics · Football Level 7: Upper-Advanced

Football · Level 7: Upper-Advanced · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/football/level-7/pressing-intensity-metrics/)

Pressing Intensity Metrics in Football (Level 7: Upper-Advanced) on Insporta: 100 sourced facts behind 10 tests. Covers: ppda in context; and more.

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.

## Test 1: PPDA in context

- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- The ratio only means something once it is compared across matches or teams. (Source: PPDA (Colin Trainor, StatsBomb, 2014) and later analytics writing)
- 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)
- 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)

## Test 2: Rangnick's clocks: pressing by the second

- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Timing each loss-to-regain gap tests the principle directly, rather than guessing from other numbers. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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)
- 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)
- The whole sequence is designed to happen in well under half a minute. (Source: Ralf Rangnick's pressing principles (Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig); coaching literature)
- 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)
- 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)

## Test 3: Pressures and pressure success

- 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))
- Linking regains to the pressure before them shows which pressing actually won the ball. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- Success rate divides pressures that led to winning the ball soon after by all pressures. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- The pressure is credited even though a different player makes the regain. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))

## Test 4: Counter-pressing numbers

- 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))
- The count needs both ingredients: turnovers to react to and a habit of reacting straight away. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- Dividing by possessions lost shows how often a team reacts, whatever its style. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))
- Committing players to the ball leaves space behind them if the opponent escapes the first seconds. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- The data captures the loss, the counterpress, the regain and the quick attack that follows. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- Each step removes a bias: style first, then where on the pitch the pressure happened. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- StatsBomb tags pressures within five seconds of a turnover as counterpresses. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))

## Test 5: Defensive action height

- 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))
- 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))
- Line height comes from tracking the defenders' positions; action height from where defensive events happen. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- Game state changes how high a side defends, so averages from lopsided matches need care. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))

## Test 6: Territory beyond field tilt

- 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))
- 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))
- Few entries against means the opponent rarely gets out of its own half with the ball. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- If short passing is blocked, the opponent has to go long, often giving the ball back. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- Blocking short options forces a long ball, and winning it back turns the press into possession. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))

## Test 7: Challenge intensity

- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- The per-minute rate is what makes teams with different possession comparable. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))

## Test 8: Sprints and high-speed running out of possession

- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- Leading the press means repeated sprints at defenders and goalkeepers, which dominates their running data. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))
- Some running is chosen pressing; some is being pulled around by a better team. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))
- Broadcast tracking needs only the television pictures, which exist for almost every televised league. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))

## Test 9: Reading a pressing dashboard

- The press is winning the ball; the problem is turning regains into shots. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- Regains high up only matter if they lead to chances, so the two are read together. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- A run against weak build-up sides can inflate press numbers without any real change. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- Context first, then effort, reward and cost; skipping the first step leads to false conclusions. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- The press already wins the ball high up often; almost none of those regains become shots. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))

## Test 10: Where the metrics mislead

- PPDA measures how often a team steps in, not what happens when it is played through. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- Schedules differ; a run of poor passing sides inflates regains and turnovers. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- Playing with ten usually means sitting deep, and playing against ten means facing a low block. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- Definitions of pressures, duels and regains vary, so figures from different providers should not be mixed. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- Intensity, height, outcome and cost each need a measure, and reading one alone misleads. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))
- Numbers are a starting point; video and context decide what they really mean. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- Sample size and context come before interpretation, and video confirms or corrects what the data suggest. (Source: Football analytics literature (StatsBomb, Opta, SkillCorner definitions))
- 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))

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

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