Maresca warns Premier League’s individual marking may hit its limit

Enzo Maresca, the new Manchester City manager, told The Athletic that the Premier League is undergoing a fundamental shift: individual marking now dominates, set‑piece rehearsals have expanded, and the game has become noticeably more physical.

Positional roots under pressure

For decades the English league served as the world’s benchmark for developing positional football, with coaches worldwide looking to its structures for guidance. Maresca noted that this legacy is now being challenged by a trend that seeks to dismantle those very frameworks.

The rise of individual marking has freed space for attackers, intensified one‑on‑one duels and injected a higher level of physicality into matches. Teams are no longer content to protect zones; instead they shadow specific opponents across the pitch.

Set‑piece plays reshape preparation

Rehearsed set‑piece routines now occupy a larger share of weekly training, a change Maresca highlighted by comparing today with three years ago. “At that time you couldn’t say it wasn’t a physical league. It was still strong. Set‑piece plays are the big change, and now everyone marks individually,” he said.

Guardiola promises to be in the stands against PSG amid Manchester City chaos

This emphasis on individual marking forces defenders to abandon their original positions to follow attackers, even if it means leaving a zone temporarily. The consequence, is a profound alteration in how English teams construct attacks.

Traditional positional concepts relied on rational space occupation – an open full‑back, a midfield link and a winger creating overloads that forced defenders to choose between covering space or a player. Aggressive individual marking erodes that decision‑making, allowing a defender to simply track his opponent.

PSG provides a vivid illustration of the new paradigm. Maresca explained, “You need your players to create numerical superiority against who is marking them. PSG is so good because all teams mark individually and they have Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, both excellent in 1‑v‑1, plus wingers and midfielders who can beat their markers and drive forward.”

When an opponent follows each player, winning a single duel can unravel an entire defensive shape, giving dribblers a heightened impact. Maresca warned, however, that this reliance on individual marking may soon meet its own limit, hinting at a possible reversal in the coming seasons. Em and Se are the next words to watch as the league evolves.