One aspect of modern football that captivates me is the apparent diminishing value placed on effective defending.
In recent years, the Premier League has increasingly adopted a possession-based style, which has inadvertently limited both individual and team defending, as the focus on playing attractive football takes precedence.
Advertisement
This is why I admire Mikel Arteta’s approach at Arsenal. While their attacking prowess is impressive, he emphasizes the importance of foundational stats, recognizing that successful teams are built from a solid defensive base.
Similarly, Tottenham’s transformation under Thomas Frank reflects this philosophy, seeking equilibrium between scoring and preventing goals. Both managers appreciate the significance of a well-structured team, whether in possession or not.
This Sunday’s match might not feature the high-scoring antics we’ve come to expect from recent north London derbies—averaging over three goals per game in the last five seasons—but, given the nature of a derby, anything is possible!
Defensive skill may not always receive the recognition it deserves from fans, yet if you glance at the league table, the importance of a sturdy defense is evident. Before this weekend’s matches, the top six teams had each conceded an average of one goal or less per game.
[BBC]
I value this statistic because, during my early days in management, I believed a clean sheet was worth twice as much as scoring a goal.
To clarify, maintaining a clean sheet averaged 2.4 points per game, while scoring one goal typically yielded 1.1 points.
This held particularly true for Stoke during our challenging start in the Premier League, as we aimed to solidify our place in the division.
From the 2008-09 to 2010-11 seasons, we recorded 35 clean sheets—12 in our first season, 14 in our second, and 9 in our third—resulting in a total of 83 points, or an average of 2.37 points per game.
With that perspective, one clean sheet was akin to scoring three goals for us back then. And even today in the Premier League, while the value of a single goal may have diminished, the significance of a clean sheet remains robust.
In fact, as goal tallies rise within the league, and clean sheets become rarer, each clean sheet actually holds more value now than it did back in 2008.
For instance, in the past, 70% of clean sheets led to a win, whereas today that figure has increased to 83%.
It’s perplexing that not more people are leveraging this data to appreciate the importance of defending. Instead, there is a prevalent emphasis on a specific style of play, which many believe ties into the increase in goals scored in the Premier League compared to a decade or more ago.
The rise of possession football has significantly influenced English football, deeply affecting young coaches, teams, and players.
Many have been led to believe that this is not merely ‘the right way’ to play, but ‘the only way.’ However, this mindset can lead to various pitfalls, in stark contrast to my priorities throughout my career.
Winning matches hinges on excelling in all aspects of the game, but my core principle has always been that both final thirds carry the most significance.
Modern football has deviated somewhat from the traditional English style I grew up with, which emphasized direct passing. This approach encouraged more entries into the final third but yielded less midfield play, focusing instead on direct action in both penalty areas.
Now, possession football has become an obsession, with teams often risking playing out from the back to align with the notion of playing football ‘the right way.’
Advertisement
Defenders seem to spend more time exchanging passes amongst themselves than actually defending. In some respects, the quality of defending has regressed, as an increasing number of coaches fixate solely on possession.
Defenders Aren’t Just Ball-Players
As of the 2025-26 season, Thomas Frank’s Tottenham has allowed only two teams to concede fewer goals in the Premier League, a significant improvement from the previous season with Ange Postecoglou.
Ball-playing defenders aren’t a new phenomenon. The finest I observed were Mark Lawrenson and Alan Hansen from Liverpool’s legendary 1980s team.
During that era, I was a player and defender—though not one known for my ball-playing skills! I realized that while Lawrenson and Hansen were exceptional on the ball, their defensive capabilities were equally outstanding.
Advertisement
If you have defenders as skilled as those two, playing from the back is a viable strategy. Otherwise, it can spell trouble, as statistics would indicate.
Throughout my managerial career, I was fortunate to have exceptional defenders at each club, most of whom had solid ball-handling skills.
However, I also possessed incredible playmakers like Matthew Etherington, Chris Brunt, and Yannick Bolasie. I preferred getting the ball to them quickly, as they had the talent to create scoring opportunities.
My teams focused on advancing the ball quickly through the pitch—be it via short or long passes—rather than playing deep and inviting pressure.
Advertisement
Under Frank, Tottenham appears to have adopted this more pragmatic approach, contrasting with the previous season’s gung-ho style under Postecoglou—where the balance between offense and defense was often missing.
Now, they spend less time in their own half, resulting in fewer chances and goals conceded, and I believe these changes are correlated.
The statistics thus far indicate that Frank has successfully instilled a more measured approach, helping propel his squad to a promising position in the standings.
Successful teams invariably maintain a robust defensive foundation, essential for accumulating clean sheets and building a pathway to success.
Advertisement
Frank’s primary challenge will be replicating the balanced approach between defense and offense that Arsenal currently showcases. I’m confident that, with the time Arteta has had at their fierce rivals, Frank will also discover this equilibrium.
Arsenal has achieved stability under Arteta since 2019, creating a squad capable of playing scintillating football while being defensively sound enough that opponents struggle to penetrate their line.
Arsenal recorded the fewest goals against them in the previous season and have continued this trend into the current campaign [Getty Images].
High Turnovers Come with High Risk
Football has its fundamentals, and at its core, a team must score in one goal while preventing goals against the other!
Advertisement
I often observe post-match analyses where pundits dissect what the winning team did right and what the losing team did wrong.
They comb through the matches with meticulous attention, yet the reality is that outcomes are typically determined by defensive errors or exceptional play in the final third—both of which lead to scoring opportunities.
These opportunities have proliferated. Premier League goals surged slightly between 2010 and 2020, but the rise has been much more pronounced in the last five years.
This escalation aligns with a remarkable increase in goals conceded, primarily stemming from teams losing possession in their own half.
Advertisement
As I’ve shared, I was reluctant for my teams to take such risks by attempting square passes at the back—but they still needed to be prepared to defend when necessary.
At the elite level, players possess the speed needed for rapid counter-attacks, making it crucial not to allow opponents to penetrate swiftly through a couple of passes after gaining possession.
Every player I coached, from my early days in the lower divisions to the Premier League, can attest to my insistence on maintaining team structure, regardless of possession.
I relished coaching 11 versus 11 on the training pitch and likely frustrated many players with my emphasis on team shape.
Advertisement
Each player I worked with understood they played a pivotal role in the team’s success, and during countless hours of training on organization, one focus area was always setting up effectively behind our attacking efforts.
If we maintained our shape, we could regain possession and thwart opposition counter-attacks, which, as statistics indicate, can result in severe repercussions.
Defending Set-Pieces is Essential
As I previously discussed in another column, goals from set-pieces are on the rise, indicating that coaches ought to devise effective defensive strategies to counter attacks from corners, free-kicks, and throw-ins.
Advertisement
Shockingly, this seldom occurs. I’m astonished that today’s set-piece coaches receive praise for goals scored but face no criticism for goals conceded from set-pieces.
While both Arsenal and Tottenham have sought to address this in the current season, Arsenal continues to struggle with the percentage of goals conceded from such situations.
In many matches I observe, it is almost comical to see how players defend set-pieces, with numerous defenders failing to even track the ball during delivery.
Most games I watch reveal that referees could—and should—award penalties for fouls against attacking players, illustrating that fundamental principles of one-on-one defending are often overlooked.
Advertisement
This reflects a lack of individual knowledge and, in many cases, a deficit of courage among defenders to challenge forwards, which is crucial in reducing the number of goals conceded during set-pieces.
Solid Defence Can Ensure Survival
[BBC]
This season, Arsenal boasts a premier defensive record, underscoring the importance of solidity, not just in title contention.
In the last two seasons, the promoted teams faced immediate relegation due to their poor defensive stats.
This season, Sunderland ranks as one of the top teams for goals conceded, securing a mid-table position, while Burnley sits 18th, and Leeds has one of the highest goals conceded, reflecting their current table positions.
Advertisement
It’s clear that teams with the poorest defensive records will likely hover near the bottom come the end of the season—confirming that finding the right balance between offense and defense is essential, whether pursuing a title or fighting relegation.
Tony Pulis spoke with BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.