That is the chief difference between success and—if not failure—lack of success in soccer. As may be seen in Figure 36, teams such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City—the sides that we found to play a possession-based game—had a similar conversion rate ( goals from shots on target) to more direct sides; indeed, Stoke were actually more efficient in front of goal than Arsenal, whereas relegated Blackpool were roughly as effective as champions Manchester United. The difference is that Arsenal and Manchester United have 50 percent more shots every game than those teams.5
