Champions League: What went wrong for the Premier League teams in the round of 16?

There has been a noticeable shift in the style of play in the Premier League this season.

From possession, passing and slowly building chances to a more direct approach supported by set pieces and long throw returns.

After 210 Premier League matches this season, Opta have averaged 873.3 passes per game, the lowest since the 2012-13 season (868.7).

In the same period of the season, 166 of the 587 goals scored were from corner kicks, free kicks or throw-ins – a whopping 28.3%.

The number of long throws also rose to an average of 3.97 per game, more than double the previous five seasons.

Do these trends indicate a decline in tactics on the part of Premier League teams, who now favor physicality and directness over technical prowess?

Irfan added: “Given the physical strength that characterizes English football, teams had to employ strong athletes to confront it, which could sometimes be at the expense of high technical quality.”

“For some, this gives them fewer options in attack, as well as leaving them unprepared to defend against great technical ability on the ball, having seen it too often.

“That’s not to say the likes of Bayern Munich aren’t physical, they are, but with world-class players, able to improve their attacking plans and improve their technique week after week, there is a clear challenge for Premier League teams to close the gap.”