Reading, Stoke City and Newcastle United are the three Premier League teams that are most likely to punt the ball long judging but the 2012/13 season stats so far.
While winning is ultimately the most important thing for any football team, playing good football is also high up the priority list for supporters and Newcastle fans in particular like to see their team keep the ball on the deck and play it around.
However, in a league table of passes that are 35 yards in length, Newcastle are in third position, behind infamously direct Stoke and newly promoted Reading.
This would indicate that Newcastle are often pumping the ball long to either Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse or Shola Ameobi and looking for flick ons.
With such physically imposing forwards it is no surprise that Newcastle frequently look to this tactic, but I am disappointed they are doing it so often and are at risk of becoming a ‘long ball team’, as suggested by Everton’s Leighton Baines.
While Alan Pardew has, on the whole, got the Magpies playing good football, sometimes the midfield is bypassed and Newcastle go from back to front too quickly, with even Yohan Cabaye dropping into a quarterback-style position at times.
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The player in the team with the most flair, Frenchman Hatem Ben Arfa, needs to given the ball, as he is the player who can unlock defences and gets the St James’ Park crowd on their edge of their seats.
Here are the six Premier League teams with the highest percentage of 35-yard plus passes…
Reading – 17.65%
Stoke – 17.29%
Newcastle – 16.26%
West Ham – 15.35%
West Brom – 14.35%
Sunderland – 14.29%
What is disappointing here is that the Magpies play more long balls than West Ham, who have former Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce at the helm who is renowned for playing long-ball football.
You will also notice that none of the ‘big clubs’ feature, which is no coincidence, as the best teams play the best football.
While you could argue there is a difference between long balls and punting the ball up the field, as shown by Cheick Tiote’s chipped assist to Ba against Reading, Newcastle need to shorten their passes, which hopefully should be aided by the return of ball-playing centre back Fabricio Coloccini against Sunderland.
Do you think Newcastle look to go long too often?
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Frustrating but this doesn’t surprise me
Suprising to see West Brom in the list too, they used to be well known for their pass and move style.
As for us I’m not suprised at all, we’ve not played anywhere near as good as football as last season. Pards will blame Europa league for that but is it really?
We need all our first 11 fit especially defenders before we’ll see better quality football. 4-3-3 would also be nice, stick Ba out wide or rotate with Papiss but let’s get it done.
What really gets on my nerves, every set piece is aimed towards Williamson , does my eff’g nut, nothing has ever come good from it and nothing ever will!
We have been rubbish attacking and defending set plays this year. The coaches need to get this sorted asap.
‘With such physically imposing forwards it is no surprise that Newcastle frequently look to this tactic’
Stoke have ALWAYS had this…..
What’s wrong with long passes? Too many people get wound up about dum statistics. Goals scored and points gained is what counts. If we beat Sunderland with a long pass goal. I won’t be complaining!
All good football teams play on the ground, it’s a well known fact! But sending a long ball every now and then isn’t always a bad thing, the midfield and defensive players just need to recognize that long balls don’t need to be played everytime the boys go forward, problem solved