I might be downvoted for this opinion. I'm an avid hog+zap user at 3300 trophies level 8 F2p. The cannon nerfs actually nerf hog-cycle users. The cornerstone to MOST hog decks is the cannon because it stops counter attacks that come after a hog freeze combo (8 elixir for no troop damage, hypothetically allowing for the opponent to mount an 8 elixir advantage counter attack).

The cannon is in my opinion the card that is currently enforcing the current meta. The reason why cards like hog and elixir collectors are so popular at the moment is because cannon allows players to deflect large attacks with less elixir. The cannon only costs 3 elixir to play, but there is no 3 elixir card in the game that can destroy the cannon. Infact the cannon can deflect cards/pushes that cost more than 3 elixir. At proportionate levels, the cannon completely nullifies the 4 elixir hog. And with the back up of additional cards, the cannon remains extremely elixir efficient against any type of ground push. Rhe cannon can hold its own against pushes that cost more than what is being played. This card by itself amplifies your defense so much, that you can afford to play cards such as elixir collector or hog that put you at a elixir or board disadvantage, because your cannon allows you to nullify pushes from opponents that have elixir advantages as high as 3-4.

The game is still extremely favorable towards defensive play. That's why you see elixir collectors and cannons. It's inherently advantageous to wait for opponents to push and fight them with crown tower damage advantage. People bank their elixir by playing collectors so that they do not have to attack first, then when the opponent tries to press a 5 elixir advantage, the cannon gets played and the defensive opponent is allowed to stagnate the push until his elixir collectors create usable value. Then the opponent can play cards such as Hog + freeze without being punished. Because A) He has reached the point where his double/triple elixir collectors have given him more elixir than you. and B) his reactive cannon is too efficient at stopping your attempts at punishing his 8 elixir dip for playing hog + freeze. The hog is actually the best "attacking" troop to run in a defensive deck, because it doesn't rely on other units to mount a viable attack run. You can devote the rest of the deck to very strong defensive cards, hence why the meta hog deck at the moment has a lot of defensive options. Valk, Cannon, Arrows, Collector, Skeletons, are arguably all cards that encourage defensive/reactive play. You wouldn't play any of these cards as the centerpiece of your offense, the hog is there for that. You play these cards to defend against big attacks. Defensive.

If you need any more proof as to how favorable towards defense the game is, the instinctive response to someone spamming cannons against your hog is probably hog + minion horde, which gets easily countered by throwing arrows on top of your cannon. 6 elixir for 9. That's one elixir of practically giving them their freeze spell for free. All they had to do was wait for you to get desperate to eliminate the cannon.

I'm just glad supercell actually has people smart enough to realize that the cannon is the reason the meta is stale, and not the hog.