SockMonster
Well-known member
Excuse my footballing ignorance and rather than just resorting to the web..........Garth Crooks hates them apparently. Trossard played as one on Saturday. I think i have a vague idea......Over to you NSC experts.
False Number 9 is a product of the same muppet factory that came up with High Press
False 9 is so last year.
What you have to worry about these days are the false 3 at Chelsea (Chilwell) and false 2 at Liverpool (TAA).
Someone playing upfront on their own.
Another piece of footballing terminology that has crept in!! My understanding, correct or not is to avoid having a striker playing in the recognised role of a traditional "No.9 " who would typically play right up against the back 4, primarily to engage the centre-backs. With the false 9, a player will drop deeper or into any number of positions meaning the Centre-backs have to decide whether to follow, leaving spaces or to stay, leaving a player unmarked creating an overload for the opposition midfield. It seems to work best with midfielders running from deep to fill the holes left by the false 9, making them more difficult to pick up. This is where it differs a little from a simple case of a No.9 dropping deep t get the ball e.g. Harry Kane. There maybe more technically accurate descriptions, but this is my basic understanding!!
It's a role that's been around for years and years and years.
I don't mind the term itself personally. They're not really just a striker and they're traditionally in the #9 position. So 'false nine'.
I like it