There has been a notable shift in the style of play in the Premier League this season.
From possession, passing and slowly building chances to a more direct approach bolstered by set-pieces and the return of the long throw.
After 210 Premier League matches this campaign, Opta recorded an average number of 873.3 passes per game, the lowest since 2012-13 (868.7).
At the same point in the season, 166 of the 587 goals scored were from either corners, free-kicks or throw-ins – a huge 28.3%.
The number of long throws has also risen to an average of 3.97 per game, more than double the previous five seasons.
Do these trends point to a regression in tactics by Premier League teams, who now favour physicality and directness over technical prowess?
“With how physical English football is, teams have had to recruit powerful athletes to match up which at times may be at the expense of high-end technical quality,” added Irfan.
“For some, this gives them fewer solutions in attack as well as leaving them underprepared to defend against impressive technical ability on the ball, having seen it less often.
“This is not to say that the likes of Bayern Munich aren’t physical, they are, but with world-class players, who are able to refine their attacking schemes and improve their technique week-on-week, there is a clear challenge for Premier League sides to bridge the gap.”