Is What Constitutes the Prototypical Forward Changing in the Premier League?

It had nothing to do with the Premier League at the time, but looking back, it could have applied if it had have been. 

“This is a copycat league,” Randy Wittman said last year, per ESPN, then head coach of the NBA’s Washington Wizards. “The success of Golden State has propelled coaches to play more small ball than maybe they even wanted to. More teams will push the envelope.”

The small-ball revolution Wittman was referring to hadn’t been started by Golden State, but they’d taken the concept the furthest. Replacing traditional big men with smaller, more explosive players across the floor, the Warriors had ridden a wave of buzzing energy, versatility and firepower to a landmark NBA championship. Glancing around back on this side of the Atlantic, it’s as though it’s caught on.  

Look around the Premier League right now, and other than a raft of peripheral, insular minds shouting I’ve-never-watched-football-outside-of-Britain cliches about unrivalled “intensity” and “passion,” what sticks out most is the array of diminutive, adaptable forwards commanding attention and driving their teams. 

Liverpool are the most striking example. Rather than using Daniel Sturridge or a traditional centre-forward, Jurgen Klopp is deploying Roberto Firmino in the central attacking role, flanked by Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho in an ever-interchanging front three. It’s a bit like unleashing three promiscuous Jack Russells at dog training in the park, but the Reds aren’t the only team whose men up top are the fleet, yappy variety. 

At Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has turned to Alexis Sanchez for the central role; at Tottenham Hotspur, Mauricio Pochettino is going with Son Heung-min; at Chelsea, Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 is allowing Eden Hazard to drift into similar areas; at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola made a statement by going for Kevin De Bruyne in such a role against Barcelona. 

Is what constitutes the prototypical forward changing in the Premier League, then?

Arsene Wenger sees a bit of Luis Suarez in Alexis Sanchez. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3FgEjnbJdL

— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) October 3, 2016

It’s still early, but the evidence is intriguing. Faster, smaller forwards aren’t anything new, but the extent of their deployment in this league might be. You only have to go back as little as four years ago to find a time when the forward setups of the English top flight didn’t look anything like the way they do right now. 

In January 2012, the new year round saw City tackle Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium with Edin Dzeko and Andy Carroll leading the lines. In the couple of days before and after, Fernando Torres held the position for Chelsea against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov formed Manchester United’s forward pair against Newcastle United. Robin van Persie spearheaded Arsenal’s attack against Fulham. Emmanuel Adebayor did so for Tottenham Hotspur against West Bromwich Albion. 

If you stood those men alongside many of the forwards now occupying their old positions, it would border on looking like that photo doing the rounds of Yao Ming …

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