[Football] What is a false number 9?

[BBassic]

That's Jonathan Wilson. His book on the history of football tactics is highly recommended. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inverting-...-Tactics/dp/1474609295/ref=asc_df_1474609295/

He wrote this excellent piece last year on the press. Something that obviously Potter is also very taken by. As is Klopp.
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ng-tactical-forefront-germany-jonathan-wilson

I've been slowly working my way through his other book Angels With Dirty Faces: The Footballing History of Argentina

I say slowly because as much as I love football I'm actually finding the most interesting parts are the bits of non-footballing history he's peppered in.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Leon Best was a false 9.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I am, according to my wife

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Gegenpress

 

[Elbow750]

Gegenpress

I've got one their dishwashers. Expensive but very good......

 

[rogersix]

Sometimes I hanker for:

A schemer
A nippy winger
A big man up front
A sweeper (a bit foreign, though, that)

and the most important of all.....

A clogger.

point of order, A big lump up front, or up top

soz!

 

[Doonhamer7]

If he hates false nines what does he think of the others - up front you can have a advanced forward (sturridge) deep lying forward (Messi), target man (Duncan Ferguson), poacher (Liniker) , complete forward (Kane), trequartista(maradonna) false nine (Firminho)
Either side you can have a inverted winger (salah), ruamdeuter (pascal Gross) wide target man (Bendtner at Arsenal)

In midfield apart from the obvious you can have a mezzalla (modric), carrilero (Fabinho) anchor man (khedria), regista (pirlo) half back (Xabi Alonso)

 

[Machiavelli]

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!!

Despite your modesty, I'd say that this is one of the better descriptions.

 

[Machiavelli]

It's basically an unconventional lone centre forward. Typically, it'll be a player with attributes more commonly associated with an attacking midfielder. Rather than acting as a target man, the false 9 will drop deep, thus drawing out the centre backs and creating space.

Think Cesc Fábregas for Spain, Foden for Man City or Trosssard for Brighton

Think also Firmino who, for me, is the master of that particular art. As others have said, it's not just about the position itself, it's about how it's integrated alongside other players, and also about making the opposition make (uncomfortable) decisions.
In terms of the former and staying on the theme of Firmino, the beauty and ruthlessness of Liverpool's system is that while Firmino is dropping deep and finding pockets, Salah and Mane stay higher up the pitch and wider. This disrupts the defensive organisation of the opposition, especially those playing a flat back four; it means that their CBs have the (uncomfortable) decision of whether to go wide to challenge and/or counteract Salah or Mane thereby 'splitting the CBs' (which the defensive team wants to avoid) or to retain their defensive shape.

 

[Machiavelli]

That's Jonathan Wilson. His book on the history of football tactics is highly recommended. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inverting-...-Tactics/dp/1474609295/ref=asc_df_1474609295/

He wrote this excellent piece last year on the press. Something that obviously Potter is also very taken by. As is Klopp.
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ng-tactical-forefront-germany-jonathan-wilson

Agreed. If you want to follow football tactics and formations, no-one is better at it than Jonathan Wilson. Good writer too.

 

[Machiavelli]

If he hates false nines what does he think of the others - up front you can have a advanced forward (sturridge) deep lying forward (Messi), target man (Duncan Ferguson), poacher (Liniker) , complete forward (Kane), trequartista(maradonna) false nine (Firminho)
Either side you can have a inverted winger (salah), ruamdeuter (pascal Gross) wide target man (Bendtner at Arsenal)

In midfield apart from the obvious you can have a mezzalla (modric), carrilero (Fabinho) anchor man (khedria), regista (pirlo) half back (Xabi Alonso)

Keep 'em coming.

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

False 9?

Pah. What you need is a Raumdeuter

Calling Pascal......

 

[Dorset Seagull]

If he hates false nines what does he think of the others - up front you can have a advanced forward (sturridge) deep lying forward (Messi), target man (Duncan Ferguson), poacher (Liniker) , complete forward (Kane), trequartista(maradonna) false nine (Firminho)
Either side you can have a inverted winger (salah), ruamdeuter (pascal Gross) wide target man (Bendtner at Arsenal)

In midfield apart from the obvious you can have a mezzalla (modric), carrilero (Fabinho) anchor man (khedria), regista (pirlo) half back (Xabi Alonso)

OK we get it. You play Football Manager

 

[Whoislloydy]

False 9 is a striker who comes deep to receive the ball, thus drawing defenders higher up the pitch and creating space in behind. Roberto Firmino is the best example of this

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

What was Lamps when he come on?

Was he a mild mannered janitor?

 

[Machiavelli]

What was Lamps when he come on?

Was he a mild mannered janitor?

Easy. A joyful Mighty Mouse.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Easy. A joyful Mighty Mouse.

Crumbs

 

[Doonhamer7]

OK we get it. You play Football Manager

Right back to championship manager 2

 

[Sirnormangall]

Leon Best was a false 9.

…and Chuba Akpom. I suspect we could think of more…

 

[albionfan37]

pivot

Low block