By Martin Graham
The sight of two goalless encounters in a single weekend has reignited the debate over entertainment levels in the Premier League. With 16 games to go, the campaign has already produced more 0-0 results than the entirety of the previous season, reaching a total of 17.
That number has fueled claims that the show is being sacrificed, even though ratings remain relatively strong. The goals are still averaging 2.74 per game, which puts the current season above the long-term norm when viewed against league history since 1992-93.
The criticism, therefore, appears less about the volume of objectives and more about the perception. An increasing number of tight and sticky contests have fans wondering if risk-taking has been replaced by moderation.
Former Manchester City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart believes economic realities are shaping behaviour. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, he argued that avoiding defeat has become a priority because the cost of relegation is simply too high.
Historical context and return of defensive balance
Although goalless draws are more common this year than in the previous two campaigns, similar patterns have been seen in the past. At the same stage in the 2022-23 season, there had been one more 0-0 result.
Looking further back, the current trend is still well below all-time highs. The 1994–95 season, won by Blackburn Rovers, produced 51 clean sheets, a record that looks unlikely to be threatened given the remaining games.
Several seasons in the 1990s saw more than 40 games finish without a goal, helped in part by a bigger league format. At the time, 22 clubs meant a total of 462 games instead of the current 380.
The proportion of matches ending 0-0 peaked in 1998-99, when almost 13% of matches failed to score a goal. Since 2018, however, the general management had been on the decline, reaching a low of just 11 such results two seasons ago before climbing again.
Financial pressure and evolving game strategies
Hart, who recorded 127 clean sheets in 340 Premier League appearances, has noticed a change in collective mentality. He suggests teams are now encouraged to establish stability first, rather than embrace open contests that could expose them to costly losses.
According to the former goalkeeper, previous cycles saw promoted sides willing to engage in head-to-head battles, accepting losses as part of development. That approach, he says, is now seen as imprudent by decision-makers focused on long-term survival.
This cautious philosophy is no longer limited to teams at the bottom. Hart notes that leading clubs have also taken measured approaches, relying on discipline and patience rather than constant aggression.
Improved conditioning and team depth have reinforced this trend. Players are able to maintain high levels of performance in matches, reduce errors and limit opportunities created by chaos or fatigue.
Set-plays, fine margins and creative challenges
A greater emphasis on dead ball situations has accompanied this tactical evolution. Only 64.5% of goals this season have come from open play, a figure surpassed in rarity only by the 2009-10 campaign.
Observer correspondent Rory Smith argues that parity between teams has pushed teams to marginal advantages. With opponents evenly matched, success often depends on corners, free kicks and rehearsed routines rather than fluid attacks.
Arsenal exemplify this approach. With a seven-point advantage at the top, they have registered 14 set-piece goals, not counting penalties, more than any other team. Their hiring of specialist trainer Thomas Gronnemark underlines the seriousness with which these details are taken.
Newcastle United have also benefited from dead-ball efficiency, but their recent 0-0 draw with bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers highlighted the drawbacks. Despite completing 94% of their passes in the first half, they were unable to test the goalkeeper, prompting Eddie Howe to question his side’s sharpness.
similar frustrations have arisen elsewhere. After a run of four consecutive defeats at the start of the season, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admitted his side were struggling to break down defensive formations, acknowledging that the opponents’ cautious game plans had proved effective.
