2015-02-15

Non-Sequitur Soccer Statistic

The oft (generalized) comment I get critiquing Italian soccer (I've even read the same tag against Germany) is that it's 'defensive'.

The same thing was said when Serie A was using Europe as its playground during its dominant years in the 1990s. But when we consult the numbers we realize it has less to do with Serie A being uniquely defensive and more with an overall trend that took over in Europe particularly among the 'Big Four'. It's just that Italian clubs and the national team made playing defense into an art form is all and played it better than most. There's inherent beauty in playing defense properly. In any event, it was nowhere near as defensive as the 1970s and 1980s.

Anyhow. Notice the league averages. The highest goals per game recorded was 1.49 in Germany with the lowest at 1.10 in Spain where La Liga also had the lowest GPG of the four leagues. You'll never hear Liga be called defensive despite the lowest total of the four.

Its national team during its period of dominance (c. 2008-2012), contrary to popular perception, wasn't an offensive juggernaut by any stretch of the imagination (its World Cup win in 2010 was the lowest goal tally (eight in seven games) of any champion). Rather, it was actually a system of play rooted in fit play through relentless pressure, solid mid play - and defense.

Serie A and EPL, in fact, were roughly on par with one another.

Regardless, a GPG of under 2 is low.

SERIE A        LIGA            EPL        BUNDESLIGA

90-91: 1.15          1.10            1.38            1.45
91-92 :1.14          1.20            1.27            1.31
92-93: 1.40          1.26            1.33            1.46
93-94 :1.20          1.22            1.29            1.46
94-95: 1.26          1.27            1.29            1.50
95-96: 1.32          1.35            1.30            1.36
96-97: 1.32          1.38            1.28            1.49
97-98: 1.38          1.10            1.34            1.44
98-99: 1.38          1.10            1.26            1.42
99-00  1.25          1.31            1.39            1.45           

AVG: 1.28          1.23             1.31            1.43

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