Smash and grab Irons stat attack !

I have been looking at some football stats sites, you know the ones…FBref, footystats and  Opta

And they have thrown up some really interesting numbers.

The stats behind our sensational start to the season are quite remarkable. It hasn’t been backs-to-the-wall defending and smash-and-grab wins, but David Moyes has set his team up to allow their opponents domination of both possession and territory, before striking on the break.

Before our game against Luton last night, The Irons have averaged just 27.3% possession in their three games so far, the lowest share for any team in the top four flights of English football in 2023-24!

Our attacks have started closer to their own goal on average than any other team in the Premier League, at a distance of 35.1 metres up the pitch, while they have both attempted (278) and completed (228) fewer passes per 90 than any other top-flight side. Our pass success rate of 67.6% is the worst in the Premier League, too.

On average, our open-play sequences have lasted just two passes and 5.4 seconds – both are the lowest of all Premier League teams. They have strung together an open-play sequence of 10 passes or more on only four occasions all season, or 1.3 times per game.

Sounds like relegation material, but somehow it is working !

It might not be a style of play that many would call the most attractive, and it might not be enough to sustain anything like the form with which we started the season, but it is proving exceptionally effective for now.

Any team that thinks they are dominating a game against our Supremo’s side because they have seen more of the ball would do well to avoid complacency. Before they know it, West Ham will be up the other end of the pitch for a scoring opportunity.

We are choosing to do things our way. Whether it’s ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ doesn’t really matter; West Ham are flying high and rightly enjoying ourselves at the top of the table – well for a few more hours at least !

I suppose the acid test will be when Manchester City visit the London Stadium for our next game.