In the top half of the current Premier League table, six teams average less than 50% possession. One of those teams, Hull City, average only 33%. And while the top three sides have dominated the ball, the standout performance among them was Brighton’s 3-0 win over Arsenal, a pressing masterclass in which Fabian Hurzeler’s team recorded only 40% possession.
This may shake out over time. It’s only been six games. Hull may recede to the lower reaches. Tottenham (19th, 59%) usually clean up and stumble home in 17th, like a functioning alcoholic. But the early success of low-possession sides is more than a random quirk, and follows a trend in which the close relationship between points and possession is weakening.
