All five Premier League matches this weekend that did not involve one of the ‘Big Six’ ended in victory for whichever team held the minority of possession.
Newcastle United, Southampton, Fulham, Bournemouth, and Burnley all won by playing on the break, enduring long periods without the ball before counterattacking to victory.
Of these, only Brighton vs Bournemouth was a marginal possession difference and three of the visitors’ goals were scored on the counter.
One of the most distinctive tactical trends of 2018-19 has been clubs deliberately seeking a counterattacking strategy in response to the emergence of attack-v-defence encounters in the Premier League.
The financial disparity between the ‘Big Six’ and the rest has left most of the other 14 investing in players and systems that work best when the ball is largely kept out of reach.
The most prominent example of this is Bournemouth’s transformation over the last 12 months, while Fulham’s steadfast possession game has sent a clear message to the rest of the division: attempt to play on the front foot at your peril.