Watford are competing in the vital factor alongside Southampton and Sunderland, but it implies….
HIGHLIGHTS
- Possession has been a key factor in the success of teams in the Championship this season, with the top-ranked teams also dominating in ball possession.
- Watford stands out as an exception, with a high possession percentage but a low position in the league table.
- Watford’s struggle to convert possession into goals is holding them back, as they have scored fewer goals than expected based on their shot attempts. They need to improve in other areas to turn their possession into points.
A very noticeable trend has emerged in the Championship this season linked to possession.
Indeed, so far in the 2023/24 Championship campaign, the teams that have dominated the ball, generally, are the ones occupying the higher positions in the table.
Eight of the top ten teams in terms of possession so far this season, for example, occupy a place in the top half of the table.
| 2023/24 Average Possession in the Championship so far, as per FBRef | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Club | Avg Possession (%) | Current League Position |
| 1 | Southampton | 64.5 | 4th |
| 2 | Leicester City | 63.5 | 1st |
| 3 | Sunderland | 57.7 | 8th |
| 4 | Watford | 57.4 | 16th |
| 5 | Leeds United | 55.5 | 3rd |
| 6 | Blackburn Rovers | 54.9 | 10th |
| = 7 | Hull City | 54.5 | 9th |
| = 7 | Middlesbrough | 54.5 | 12th |
| 9 | Coventry City | 53.9 | 20th |
| 10 | Ipswich Town | 53.1 | 2nd |
| Stats correct as of 08/11/23. | |||
Looking at those statistics, though, one team sticks out like a sore thumb in terms of how much they dominate the ball compared to where they are in the league table – Watford.
Watford mix it with the best in the league in terms of possession
Indeed, so far this season, Watford have averaged 57.4% possession in the Championship.
As you can see above, that means only three teams have dominated the ball more than them; Southampton, Leicester and Sunderland.
Worryingly, all three of those sides are either well inside the top six, or just on the cusp, whereas Watford find themselves in a dreary 16th place.
| Championship Table (As it stands November 6th) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 17 | Norwich City | 15 | -4 | 17 |
| 18 | Millwall | 15 | -4 | 17 |
| 19 | Plymouth Argyle | 15 | 1 | 16 |
| 20 | Coventry City | 15 | -2 | 15 |
| 21 | Huddersfield Town | 15 | -13 | 15 |
| 22 | Rotherham United | 15 | -12 | 11 |
| 23 | QPR | 15 | -16 | 9 |
| 24 | Sheffield Wednesday | 15 | -16 | 6 |
