Forward (association football): Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

[[File:Football in Bloomington, Indiana, 1996.jpg|thumb|The forward (no. 10, in red) is past the [[Defender (association football)|defender]] (no. 16, in white) and is about to take a [[Shooting (association football)|shot]] at the goal. The [[goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] will try to stop the forward from scoring a goal by preventing the ball from passing the goal line.]]

 

 

==Centre-forward==

==Striker==

[[File:Omar Batistuta.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Gabriel Batistuta]] holding his old number 9 [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]] jersey. The number most associated with the position, he was an out and out striker.]]

 

Good strikers should be able to [[Shooting (association football)|shoot]] confidently with either foot, possess great power and accuracy, and have the ability to link-up with teammates and pass the ball under pressure in breakaway situations. While many strikers wear the number 9 shirt, such as [[Alan Shearer]], an out and out striker, the position, to a lesser degree, is also associated with the [[Squad number (association football)|number 10]], which is frequently worn by more creative deep-lying forwards such as [[Pelé]], and occasionally with numbers 7 and 11, which are often associated with wingers.<ref name="sports.yahoo.com" />

==Second striker==

[[File:Wayne Rooney 144855.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Wayne Rooney]], shown wearing the number 10 [[Kit (association football)|jersey]], was used at [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] as a second striker on many occasions, playing behind the number 9.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704454304575081233778123888 |title=Wayne's World: Rooney Leads the Field |work=The Wall Street Journal |last1=Clegg |first1=Jonathan |date=23 February 2010 |access-date=21 January 2020 }}</ref>]]

 

The second striker position is a loosely defined and most often misunderstood description of a player positioned in a free role, somewhere between the out-and-out striker, whether the player is a "target man" or more of a "poacher", and the number 10 or attacking midfielder, while possibly showing some of the characteristics of both. In fact, a term coined by French advanced playmaker [[Michel Platini]], the "nine-and-a-half", which he used to describe the playing role of his successor in the number 10 role at Juventus, Italian playmaker [[Roberto Baggio]], has been an attempt to become a standard in defining the position.<ref>{{cite web |title=AdTech Ad Roberto Baggio:&#124; 'Allenare l'Italia? Non si sa mai' |url=http://www.calciomercato.pro/news/roberto-baggio-allenare-l-italia-non-si-sa-mai-826328 |website=Calciomercato.pro|date=May 2011 |access-date=12 January 2015}}</ref> Conceivably, a number 10 can alternate as a second-striker provided that the player is also a prolific goalscorer; otherwise, a mobile forward with good technical ability ([[Dribbling#Association football|dribbling]] skills and ball control), acceleration, vision, passing, and link-up play, who can receive the ball and retain possession, in addition to being capable of scoring goals and [[Passing (association football)|creating opportunities]] for a less versatile centre-forward, is more suited to playing in the second striker role. This player should also be able to position themselves well in order to receive passes and subsequently either create or finish off a goalscoring opportunity. They should also be capable of finishing well with either foot as well as their head (which is less common, seeing as many second strikers are diminutive creative players),<ref name="alla Zidane"/> as this will lead to a good scoring percentage on attempts on goal and give their team an advantage offensively. Although they are often deployed in a free role, and given "licence to roam", and either run forward, or drop further back in order to pick up the ball in deeper areas, giving them more time and space in possession, second or support strikers do not tend to get as involved in the orchestration of attacks as the number 10, nor do they bring as many other players into play, since they do not share the burden of responsibility, functioning predominantly in a supporting role as [[Assist (football)|assist]] providers.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4197254.stm |title=Positions guide: Behind the striker |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=21 June 2008 |date=1 September 2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.football-italia.net/96186/rise-seconda-punta |title=Rise of the Seconda Punta |publisher=Football Italia |last1=Murray |first1=Greg |date=29 December 2016 |access-date=9 January 2020 }}</ref> In Italy, this role is known as a "rifinitore", "mezzapunta", or "seconda punta",<ref name="Platini: Baggio, Il Fu Nove E Mezzo">{{cite web|url=http://www.eatsport.net/2012/roberto-baggio-il-nove-e-mezzo/ |title=Platini: Baggio, Il Fu Nove E Mezzo |language=it |access-date=16 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604152313/http://www.eatsport.net/2012/roberto-baggio-il-nove-e-mezzo/ |archive-date=4 June 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://dizionari.corriere.it/dizionario_italiano/M/mezzapunta.shtml |title=mezzapunta |work=Il Corriere della Sera |language=it |access-date=21 May 2020 }}</ref> whereas in Brazil, it is known as "segundo atacante"<ref>{{cite web|last1=Guimarães|first1=Levy|title=Segundo atacante: uma posição em desuso|url=http://doentesporfutebol.com.br/2013/06/segundo-atacante-uma-posicao-em-desuso/|website=Doentes por Futebol|access-date=13 August 2016|date=2 June 2013|archive-date=27 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227011038/https://doentesporfutebol.com.br/2013/06/segundo-atacante-uma-posicao-em-desuso/|url-status=dead}}</ref> or "ponta-de-lança".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://footballsgreatest.weebly.com/second-strikers.html|title=The Greatest Second Strikers / Inside Forwards of All Time|access-date=5 January 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206074856/http://footballsgreatest.weebly.com/second-strikers.html|archive-date=6 February 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==False 9==

[[File:Leo_Messi_v_Granada_2014.jpg|thumb|[[Lionel Messi]] (front, no. 10) has been a proponent of the false 9 position to much success in recent years.]]

 

The first false 9 in a World Cup was [[Juan Peregrino Anselmo]] in the [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay national team]], although he could not play the match against [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] in the [[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930 World Cup]] due to injury. [[Matthias Sindelar]] was the false 9 of the ''Wunderteam'', the [[Austria national football team|Austria national team]], in 1934.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1641699-building-the-ideal-false-nine-for-the-modern-era |title=Building the Ideal False Nine for the Modern Era |publisher=Bleacher Report |date=16 May 2013 |access-date=14 May 2014}}</ref> In South America, in 1941, River Plate's [[La Máquina]] team started using the left winger [[Adolfo Pedernera]] as a man of reference. When Pedernera transferred to [[Club Atlético Atlanta|Atlanta]], a young [[Alfredo Di Stéfano]] took his place.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/news/pedernera-the-twinkle-toed-engine-driver-2604360 |title=The engine driver of La Máquina and El Ballet Azul |publisher=Fifa |last1=Tighe |first1=Sam |date=12 May 2020|access-date=17 April 2022}}</ref> A false 9 was also utilised by [[Hungary national football team|Hungary]] at the beginning of the 1950s, with striker [[Nándor Hidegkuti]] acting in the role as a deep-lying centre forward.<ref name="false9History">{{cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1385356-9-best-false-nines-in-world-football-history |title=9 Best False Nines in World Football History |publisher=Bleacher Report |last1=Tighe |first1=Sam |date=26 October 2012 |access-date=17 April 2022}}</ref><ref name="false9Best">{{cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1802653-complete-guide-to-the-false-9-and-who-plays-it-best |title=Complete Guide to the False 9 and Who Plays It Best |publisher=Bleacher Report |last1=Tighe |first1=Sam |date=8 October 2013 |access-date=17 April 2022}}</ref> In 1953, English football was astounded by the [[Hungary national football team|Hungarian]] team which beat [[England national football team|England]] [[England v Hungary (1953)|6–3]] at [[Wembley Stadium]]. The [[Revie Plan]] was a variation on the tactics used by the Hungarians, involving [[Don Revie]] playing as a deep-lying centre-forward. Revie started attacks by coming into the centre of the field to receive the ball, drawing the opposing [[centre-half]] out of position. The role can also be compared to the false role in which Hidegkuti operated. The system was first implemented by the Manchester City reserve team, who using the system went unbeaten for the last 26 games of the [[1953–54 in English football|1953–54]] season. Before the start of the [[1954–55 in English football|1954–55]] season, Manchester City manager [[Les McDowall]] called his team into pre-season training two weeks early to try the new tactic. Manchester City lost their first game using the system 5–0, but as the players became more used to the system it started to become more successful. Using the system Manchester City reached the [[1955 FA Cup Final]], but lost to [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] 3–1. The following year City again reached the final where they played [[Birmingham City]], this time winning 3–1.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/name/93/post/1841124/headline |title=A change of formation |publisher=ESPN FC |last1=Smith |first1=Rory |date=19 February 2014 |access-date=17 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/may/13/manchester-city-don-revie |title=The Revie final: how the Don glowed quietly for Manchester City |newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 May 2011 |access-date=1 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/latest-leeds-united-news/30-years-leeds-united-legend-don-revie-remembered-pictures-480907 |title=30 years on - Leeds United legend Don Revie remembered in pictures |work=Yorkshire Evening Post |last1=Hay |first1=Phil |last2=Urquhart |first2=Joe |date=26 May 2019 |access-date=17 June 2020}}</ref>

One approach to stop false 9s has been to create congestion in the midfield by bringing several players back into a more defensive role in an attempt to deny them space needed to create plays, notably in [[José Mourinho]]'s "parking the bus" strategy.<ref name="thefalse9.com"/>

 

 

==Target forward==

{{commons category}}

 

[[Category:Association football positions]]

[[Category:Association football terminology]]