The absence of Premier League forwards among the leading contenders for this year's Ballon d'Or has reignited scrutiny of English football's identity, even as early signs this season suggest a possible shift back towards more attacking, open football.
Of the 16 forwards named on the shortlist, only Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City's Erling Haaland represent the English top flight. Notably absent is Cole Palmer, a nominee last year, after a season disrupted by injury. Arsenal, crowned champions, contribute three names to the wider list, but all are defensively oriented players — Gabriel Magalhães, Declan Rice and William Saliba — rather than attacking talents, despite the club's title success.
Injuries limited the fluency of Arsenal's attacking trio of Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka last season, and the team's title was built more on defensive solidity than admired attacking play. That approach also drew criticism in Europe, where questions were raised about Arsenal's caution after taking the lead against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. PSG went on to win a second successive European crown, seen by some as a triumph of expansive football over the pragmatic, physical style associated with the Premier League.
England's own campaign reflected similar concerns. Thomas Tuchel's side, built around Premier League physicality, were unable to find fluency and were eliminated by Argentina at the World Cup. Notably, no England attacker based in the Premier League last season scored at the tournament until Anthony Gordon's goal in that semi-final defeat. Gordon, who has since left Newcastle for Barcelona, remarked on the contrast between leagues: "Spanish football demands a different level of tactical and technical intelligence. In England, sometimes intensity can cover up mistakes. You can miscontrol the ball and still recover by winning the next physical battle."
Critics have pointed to an overreliance on set pieces, congested midfield play and persistent timewasting as reasons the division became less entertaining last season. However, data from the opening weeks of the new campaign suggests change may be underway. New directives — including a five-second countdown on goal kicks and throw-ins, a 10-second limit for substituted players to leave the pitch, and trial rules around tactical timeouts for goalkeeper injuries — appear to be having an effect.
According to Opta, average ball-in-play time has risen from 55 minutes 23 seconds to 57 minutes 14 seconds compared to the same stage last season, while average delay time has dropped from 29.2 to 26.7 seconds. Goals from set pieces, excluding penalties, have fallen from 27.5% to 23.5% of all goals scored. Games are also showing more fast breaks — up from 1.94 to 2.27 per match — along with more shots and goals stemming from transitions.
Several clubs appear to be embracing a faster, more expansive approach. Chelsea, now managed by Xabi Alonso, have looked transitional and entertaining. Liverpool's switch from Arne Slot to Andoni Iraola has brought more counterpressing intensity, while Newcastle under Matthias Jaissle have leaned on the pace of Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga. Arsenal's meeting with Chelsea earlier this season, a breathless affair with only four minutes of stoppage time added across both halves, was cited as an example of this shift, with Ødegaard given more freedom to influence play going forward rather than relying primarily on defensive solidity.
The broader concern remains player retention. Attacking talents such as Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Díaz left English clubs for Bayern Munich, while Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior have never featured in the Premier League. Florian Wirtz, previously prolific under Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, has struggled to adjust to the pace of the English game since joining Liverpool.
Whether the early-season shift toward faster, more attacking football continues will likely shape not just entertainment value but also the Premier League's ability to attract and retain the sport's most gifted attacking players.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.