Premier League tactical revolution, decoding the five new trends that will shape the league in the new season

After Guardiola's pass-by dynasty was ended by Slotte's all-round football, the Premier League is entering a new era of hundreds of tactical schools of thought. So, in the upcoming 2025/26 season, what new tactical trends will determine the ownership of the championship and the pattern of the league?

Fullback Retro Revolution

Unlike the popular adduction full-back in previous years, the more impactful traditional full-back is returning. They were asked to constantly hang along the sidewalk, providing width and crossing. Liverpool's newly introduced Krkz and Flynnon, Newcastle's Hall and Livramento are all outstanding representatives of this trend.

Midfield retreat

As each team increasingly adopts 4-4-2 man-marking defense, the space in the middle is greatly compressed. Therefore, letting a midfielder retreat between two centre-backs and organize the offense from a deeper position is becoming a new trend. Tonali of Newcastle and Bernardo Silva of Manchester City are all the best in this role.

Setting balls return to nature

tactics are returning to their original origins. Last season, 60% of the Premier League corner kicks were directly sent into the penalty area, which is far higher than 41% of the 2018/19 season. At the same time, the Powerful extra-ball tactics have become increasingly popular, and Brentford scored 6 goals last season.

3-4-2-1 Formation Return

After the 4-3-3 formation ruled for many years, the three-guard system, especially the 3-4-2-1 formation, is quietly returning. Manchester United's Amorin and Crystal Palace's Glasner are both loyal fans of this formation. This system can use two No. 10 players to form a local numerical advantage in the offense. The victory of the counterattack in the Premier League is becoming more and more like the Bundesliga. A quick counterattack is no longer a patent for weak teams. Last season, the number of goals scored by quick counterattacks (112 goals) was set a seven-year high. Among them, the three top teams that scored the most were Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal.

The Premier League is getting faster, more direct, and more emphasis on physical confrontation. This indicates that the 2025/26 season will be a more exciting, more unpredictable and more intense tactical battle.