Dispossessed: The Players Who Lose The Ball The Most At The Top Six Premier League Clubs

David Tully

3 years ago

Categories: Galleries, West Ham United News

Tags: Arsenal, aston villa, Chelsea, Everton, Leed, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Southampton, Spurs, West Ham, Wolves

Losing possession is a cardinal sin in modern football. Especially considering the quality of players, giving away the ball in the wrong area can quickly lead to a team conceding a goal.

It is usually the case, though, that the further up the pitch you go, the more risk-taking is needed to create chances, so it is usually the forward players who tend to be more wasteful.

In compiling today’s list, we have noticed that wingers and central midfielders are generally the ones most prone to losing the ball.

Press the next page as we look at each of the current top six Premier League clubs to see which player (on average) has given away possession the most times this season.

Sadio Mane (Liverpool) – 2.1 Times Per Game

The Senegalese international does like to take players on so it isn’t that surprising that he loses the ball so often.

It doesn’t really matter that much when Mane is giving away possession so high up the pitch but his erratic form does frustrate fans who feel he should be more consistent in the final third.

Phil Foden (Manchester City) – 1.8 Times Per Game

The Manchester City playmaker is good both in one-on-one battles with defenders, as well as making incisive passes to create chances for teammates.

Foden’s style of play means he does take a lot more risks than the average player, so he will lose possession more often as a consequence.

Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) – 1.8 Times Per Game

This one is somewhat more surprising as although Bowen is a winger, he is usually more well known for his work off the ball and winning back possession for his team.

Bowen does, though, like taking chances on the ball, trying to beat his man, as well as attempting to pick out teammates with crosses, so there are good reasons why he features on this list.

Nicolas Pepe (Arsenal)- 1.6 Times Per Game

To be honest, this was the least surprising name to be included. The Gunners’ record signing is notorious for miscontrolling the ball and giving possession away.

Pepe can come up with moments of magic but he was certainly not worth anywhere close to the £72m that Arsenal paid for him.

Paul Pogba (Manchester United) – 1.6 Times Per Game

The Frenchman is a maverick in possession. He had seven assists in his first four Premier League matches this campaign, but he is a very frustrating player to watch.

While Pogba should be commended for always trying to do something, he does lose the ball quite regularly, which can put his team in trouble.

Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) – 1.3 Times Per Game

For Blues supporters, the fact that the Spaniard is the player who has been dispossessed the most this season, won’t come as much of a shock.

Alonso can be lazy both in protecting the ball as well as passing, but he does produce moments of quality in the final third that make him a useful wingback.