Tactical trends: Inverted full-backs and fewer crosses

Adrian Clarke examines some of the tactical changes and developments that have caught his eye so far this season. 

Crosses are quality over quantity

The Premier League is on course for a new low in the number of crosses attempted from open play.

The current average stands at only 22.4 such deliveries per match.

There is, however, quality over quantity. An impressive success rate of 21.7 per cent puts the division en route for the highest accuracy percentage recorded in 19 years. Indeed, this season's success rate is already 2.2 per cent above the average across the previous 10 seasons.

Open-play cross accuracy compared

*After seven Matchweeks

Individually, several players have excelled at their crosses this season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro leads the way, with 10 successful open-play deliveries, while Antonee Robinson has picked out a Fulham team-mate with a third of his 27 crosses, one of which included a fine assist for Adama Traore at Ipswich Town.

Robinson's assist v Ipswich

Anthony Gordon is the most accurate among the most prolific crossers, finding a Newcastle United player with nine of his 18 attempts, or 50 per cent.

Has this surge in accurate crosses brought about more headed goals? As it stands, no.

However, it is no coincidence that the current average of 4.09 headed shots per match is the highest it has been since the 2011/12 season.

Headed shots compared

*After seven Matchweeks

Top four inverting their full-backs

Full-backs are becoming increasingly prominent players within Premier League starting XIs.

Most head coaches now demand a three-fold approach from them.

Full-backs need attacking prowess, defensive acumen and the technical quality to receive and make passes in tight central-midfield spaces.

This is certainly the case for sides currently in the top four.

Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca wants to move both full-backs into midfield during the build-up phase, as do long-term advocates of this tactic, Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola.

New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is also asking Andrew Robertson to regularly invert, rather than just demanding as such from Trent Alexander-Arnold on the other side.

Right now, it is interesting to note that the top four are the only clubs to have an average distance of less than 40 metres between their full-backs.

Manchester City (35.7m) are the narrowest, followed by Arsenal (37.6m), Chelsea (37.8m) and Liverpool (38m). You can see how they compare in the below graphics from Opta Analyst.

The full-backs are positioned more central to create overloads in possession, as well as to help their side exert control.

Another reason behind this tactic is to provide defensive protection in the centre of the team if play breaks down.

So much is asked of their respective full-backs, both mentally and physically.

Incidentally, the division’s widest full-back pairings can be found at Fulham (49.7m), Aston Villa (47.9m), Brentford (47.7m) and Everton (47.6m).

Widest ave. distance between full-backs

Not that long ago it was far more common for full-backs to be the go-to players for supplying width, with inverted wingers all the rage among head coaches.

That tactic is gradually going away, with more wide forwards instead stretching play and full-backs providing them with service from behind on the inside.

Typical patterns of play have changed quite dramatically over the last five seasons.

Whose full-backs are most progressed?

Maybe unsurprisingly, Man City also have the "highest" full-backs in the Premier League, with an average height of 60.1m. This is a sign of their dominance against low blocks.

An adventurous Tottenham Hotspur side rank second (59.4m), with Crystal Palace (58.8m) and Southampton (56.4m), who both use wing-backs, next in line.

It is also interesting to note that Manchester United (46.9m) and Chelsea (46.8m) have the "lowest" full-backs in the division. Their respective head coaches have implemented new ideas in recent months, bringing them infield on a more regular basis. This has impacted their ability to fly forward down the wings.

Goalkeeper quality increasing

One of the standout takeaways of the season so far has been the quality of goalkeeping.

Leicester City’s Mads Hermansen made an incredible 13 saves against Arsenal in an outstanding display in Matchweek 6.

We have also seen wonder stops from 'keepers including David Raya and Andre Onana, winners of the August and September Premier League Save of the Month awards respectively.

The best measure of any goalkeepers shot-stopping ability is their save percentage, and in that respect they have started the season extremely well.

Eight of the 14 goalkeepers who have started every match so far boast a save success rates of 70 per cent or better.

Putting that into perspective, in 2023/24 only three of the 15 goalkeepers who made 25 or more starts ended the campaign with a record of 70 per cent or higher. This points towards an improvement in standards.

Five 'keepers currently have save ratios in excess of 80 per cent, which is ahead of last season’s star performer Arijanet Muric, who recorded 79.7 per cent across 10 appearances.

Save percentages 2024/25

*Minimum two starts 

Premier League goalkeepers are also faring better when facing penalties.

Three of the 12 taken so far this season have been saved, by Manchester United's Onana, Chelsea's Robert Sanchez and Jordan Pickford of Everton.

Watch Sanchez's penalty save

A record-breaking 90 per cent of penalties were successfully converted last season, while 2017/18, with 70 per cent, is the only one across the previous 10 seasons to dip under 75 per cent.

It feels as if top-flight goalkeepers are bouncing back from last season’s frustrations in this department.

Conversion rates for penalties compared

*After seven Matchweeks

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