Panagiotis Sourilas

“Does more ball possession lower physical demand?” ⚽️💡 🔍 Challenge the default: In many dressing rooms, “run more to win” is still the mantra. Our multi‑season work in LaLiga tested that belief with tracking data and a simple question: What really happens to physical demand when your team keeps the ball? Short answer: possession doesn’t simply reduce work; it reallocates it—and the with‑ball high‑speed actions are the currency that matters most. Key takeaways coaches and performance staff can use: 1️⃣ More possession → fewer metres overall Across matches and seasons, higher possession is associated with lower total distance and less medium/high‑intensity running. The effect is strongest in teams that already keep the ball and push it even further on the day. 🧭 2️⃣ Success tracks with with‑ball high speed, not total volume Teams that rank higher don’t necessarily run more; they produce more ≥21 km·h⁻¹ actions with the ball. Champions can post lower total distance yet win through decisive, on‑ball bursts that break lines. 📈 3️⃣ Match status changes the workload recipe When protecting a lead, teams tend to sustain longer, cleaner possessions (less chasing, fewer repeated high‑speed efforts). Chasing the game accelerates progression—more metres per possession and higher high‑speed cost. ⏱️ 4️⃣ Role‑specific shifts In very high‑possession contexts, attackers (CM/WM/CF) often show lower per‑minute metres across bands; don’t misread this as “low intensity.” You still need timed with‑ball spikes. Full‑backs can carry more transition load when possession plans require width and repeat supports. 🧩 5️⃣ Effective time matters Possession profiles influence how much the ball is actually in play. Reading loads per effective minute avoids false comfort from clock time alone. 🧪 🗺️ The graphic attached condenses this into a + / − cheat‑sheet: each row states a possession factor (e.g., raise possession in this match) and the expected change in physical demand. 🧠 Why this matters This programme is about disciplined curiosity: take a tradition (“run more to win”), treat the pitch as a living lab, and let data confirm, challenge, or refine it. That mindset turns conditioning minutes into competitive advantage. Research led by the Football Intelligence & Performance Department at LALIGA. Complementary literature echoes the same signal: possession style shapes demands, and with‑ball speed—not kilometres—separates efficiency from excess. 🎧 Podcast: https://lnkd.in/d66kyrCw 📄 Peer‑reviewed article (DOI): If you want to explore each peer‑reviewed paper behind this cheat‑sheet in depth, please visit: https://lnkd.in/dMz9riZX

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💡 Not every fan wants an algorithm deciding what they see. 🎯 Yes, personalisation is a major opportunity in sport both in terms of fan engagement and optimising revenue. But with AI and, in particular Agentic AI, entering the sector, don't assume that every fan wants everything chosen and served to them via an algorithm. ⚙️ With recent reports finding that as little as seven per cent of what we see on social media comes from accounts we follow, we are beginning to see the first truly digitally fatigued generation, and the dentsu Sports Analytics data in our AI-themed Trends report would appear to back this up. From last week's event which we co-hosted with the European Sponsorship Association (ESA), entitled: ✨ Creativity & Code: AI’s Impact on Fandom and Why Humans Still Matter. 🙏Thanks to all of you who joined us and for the great contributions from fellow panellists, Kevin Farrar and Hugo Sharman. 🎙️Thanks also to my colleague Lauren Webb for moderating an enjoyable conversation. ▶️ You can watch the full session here: https://sponsorship.org/ 📘 You can download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e8RqCXCE

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How can we measure the value of a player's actions in football? Hudl Statsbomb's On-Ball Value (OBV) model scores each action a player takes in terms of the positive or negative impact it has on the probability of their team scoring and conceding. Learn more ▶️ https://lnkd.in/gjxeT9h9 #HudlStatsbomb #AdvancedAnalytics

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