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#3 Chelsea - 927 pressures
Despite enduring some hiccups in the Premier League, Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea have done fairly well for themselves. They are currently in second position and are leading third-placed Liverpool by a solitary point, having played a game more than the Reds.
Thomas Tuchel’s 3-4-2-1 system is heavily dependent on pressing. The Blues love to win back possession as quickly as possible, which is evident by the number of presses they have attempted in the Premier League this season.
Out of their 2976 pressing attempts, 793 have come in the attacking third, hinting at their knack for winning back possession in the opposition half. Overall, they have won 927 presses, attaining an accuracy of 31.1 percent.
Chelsea have heavily benefitted from the energy of Reece James and Mason Mount this season. So whenever the duo don't feature, Chelsea’s intensity and shape take a massive nosedive.
While Mount should be a regular in Tuchel’s team over the remainder of the season, James’ hamstring tear could rule him out for weeks.
The Blues are currently assessing the situation and could even look for a capable deputy in the winter transfer window.
#2 Crystal Palace - 932 pressures
Former Arsenal star Patrick Vieira has taken it upon himself to turn Crystal Palace’s fortunes around.
Palace, who are 11th in the table, are still far from being one of the Premier League’s elites, but the early signs seem to be quite promising.
Crystal Palace’s brand of football has starkly improved and they have evolved into a lean, mean pressing machine. They have attempted the most presses in the Premier League this season (3126), completing 932 of those.
As expected, a big chunk (1116) of those presses have come in the defensive third, but that’s hardly embarrassing for an up-and-coming mid-table team.
#1 Leeds United - 951 pressures
Marcelo Bielsa’s football philosophy was enough to conquer the Championship for Leeds United. Unfortunately, the Premier League has turned out to be a whole different ball game for the Argentine mastermind.
Leeds United’s football is still one of the most entertaining in the division, but their high-pressing is leaving them vulnerable against the top dogs.
The 16th-placed team may be lagging behind in the most important metrics, but they can surely take heart from their pressing statistics. The Whites have won 951 of their 3118 attempted presses in the Premier League this season, which puts them at the very top of our list.
If they can just find a way to plug the holes in their defense, they could at least guarantee another season in the English top-flight.
