Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has highlighted a major tactical shift across the Premier League, with teams becoming more direct and physically aggressive in their play.

Recent stats show passes per match have dropped to a 15-year low, as sides increasingly rely on long balls and throw-ins to create chances. “This is the evolution of football,” Emery told Sky Sports. “The game is becoming man-to-man all over the pitch.”

He explained that teams now press more individually, mirroring the approach used successfully in England and Italy. “Newcastle are consistent with man-to-man marking, and others are adding it too. That means more duels, less passing time, and more chances to attack in behind.”

Emery credited Italian coach Gian Piero Gasperini for inspiring this trend through his work with Atalanta and Roma. “Everything is quicker, more direct, with fewer passes,” he said.

The Villa boss also pointed out the rise of long throw-ins, once seen as old-fashioned but now a common Premier League weapon. “Set pieces are evolving fast,” he noted. “Brentford started it, and now many teams, even Arsenal, use them. We do it sometimes too — it’s effective.”

Emery believes the physical nature of English refereeing encourages this approach: “In England, you can block or challenge the goalkeeper. In Europe, that’s a foul.”

Despite these trends, Emery insists Villa will only tweak their setup slightly: “You must adapt tactically and learn quickly, but we’re keeping our core identity. We’re just adding new ideas where needed.”

As Villa prepare to face Tottenham, Emery praised opposing boss Thomas Frank as one of football’s most inventive tacticians. “Frank is very creative — he changes systems and adapts his press. Against PSG in the Super Cup, we saw how flexible he can be. It makes facing his teams a real tactical challenge.”