Football is undergoing significant changes. The top tier of men’s football has evolved greatly in the past decade. Several aspects of football have vanished, including lively atmospheres, community spirit, and the feeling of being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of football available to watch. However, there are measurable changes as well. Here are some things that are no longer common in football, or at least not as prevalent.
1) The classic 4-4-2 formation is a rarity now. In the past, it was the default way of setting up a team, especially in English football. Two full-backs, two center-backs, two wingers, two central midfielders, and two strikers formed the backbone of the game. However, its usage has steadily declined, from 43.9% of starting line-ups in 2009-10 to just 6.5% this season. Most teams now opt for variations of the 4-2-3-1 setup.
2) The traditional “in the mixer” corner has been replaced by short corners. The old-fashioned approach of crossing the ball into the box has become less efficient. Only 3.5% of corners result in goals. To improve the effectiveness of corners, managers have turned to short corners. In the past decade, the percentage of short corners has increased, reaching 20.6% this season. While it’s difficult to determine whether this trend has resulted in more goals, there has been a slight increase in the percentage of corners resulting in goals.
3) Long shots are becoming less common. Teams are taking fewer shots from outside the penalty area. In the 2009-10 season, 45% of shots were from long range, compared to 32.6% this season. This decrease is due to the lower goal-scoring probability of long shots. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean fewer goals are being scored from outside the box. The number of goals scored from long range has fluctuated over the years, but it remains a significant part of the game.
Overall, football tactics and strategies are evolving, and certain aspects of the game are becoming less prominent. However, football is a cyclical sport, and old ideas may resurface in the future. Short corners, new formations, and a decrease in long shots are just a few examples of the changing nature of football.