Premier League and Defense: Offensive Power is our Defense

The Premier League in the 90s and early 2000s was lauded on the physical nature and rough-n-tumble style of play that made it so difficult for teams to play against one another. The lads from the pub would also become regular professional footballers and we got to see exactly how they would defend the opposition. They did it with tough and grit; taking fouls and smacking attackers in the hopes of not getting a red card. We used to applaud guys like Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand for their defensive prowess. In the 2010s and now 2020s, defense has all gone out the window. More teams in this summer's transfer windows haven't signed a single defender, save Man City's security of Ruben Dias from Benfica. They have all been desperate to boost their attacking power rather than solidify the backline. Just look at the transfers completed this window and you'll notice there is a significant cause for concern. 

The EPL is now at a crossroads in identity. It is still considered the most physically-demanding and has some of the toughest playing conditions to work through, but somehow that hasn't exactly deterred any players from joining (even Lionel Messi would rather move to England than continuing to stagnate in Spain). The English pride themselves on this kind of football, only now we aren't seeing it as much. English football is now turning into an offensive, possession-based game. Premier League defenders are not regarded as elite as much as they used to be. Maybe it's just a generational gap but the top five center-backs in Virgil Van Djik, Aymeric Laporte, Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweiald, and Caylar Soyngcu are perfect examples of this offensive transition. The common trait among all these defenders is they have great ball skills. They can dribble upfield with ease and have an excellent passing vision as well. They can defend nicely too but they aren't going to foul attackers intentionally unless they have no other alternative to stopping them. This lack of talent in the back end is not going to help any club. Look at Chelsea. They spent over $290 million in the transfers window, all on forwards. Their backline is like Swiss cheese; it's the one flaw in the team that's holding the Blue Lions back from becoming a legit title contender. At least they tried to mend the hole in net with Eduoard Mendy's arrival, but they didn't even consider buying a defender in the window. There's plenty of young center-backs in the Premier League pipeline, and we'll probably see more guys like Tyron Mings and Ben Mee develop into top-flight talents, but at the moment the Prem is becoming all offense, no defense. It's the reason we've seen such lopsided results with Tottenham's 6-1 win over Manchester United and Aston Villa's 7-2 win over Liverpool, you know that team with Virgil van Djik. If this is what we should expect in the coming months, then I suppose it's ok, the goal-scoring is entertaining but if teams want to get results, they will need a more solidified defense.