Though you can't really give an accurate comparison I think it's fair to say overall the skill level has increased since the 'oldgen' days and the meta has also changed. Though there has been a bit of a plateau and perhaps decrease recently. Basically what Stark said.
That's also my opinion. It's hard to put statistics behind it obviously but to me, with the departure of many players who never got replaced, the competitive side of NW tightened and the average skill level simply became slightly higher.
I don't talk a lot about myself in these kinds of argument because I am simply irrelevant as a player nowadays though, I played two editions of the FRA in the early years and top-scored the two most important matches of both these editions (the semi-final lost against NL and the grand-final lost against the UK) whereas, after 2015, I wouldn't even make it to the bench of the French team. The comparison has its limits because even during my prime, I was nowhere near the top-players but I still played at the highest instance of NW competitive, and outperformed players which were arguably far better than myself. I know I would have never been able to do it after 2015, would I have tried.
Then why you flaming me you little peanut!
Because to answer Fotin's idiotic post, you bring an even more idiotic argument. If you were a cretin, I would let it sink but since I take you for someone rather smart, I find it saddening.
Tardet called me smart! 
I swear I knew you wouldn't only care about the last bit.
