{"id":605445,"date":"2022-01-05T12:49:24","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T17:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=605445&preview=true&preview_id=605445"},"modified":"2022-01-05T12:49:24","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T17:49:24","slug":"manchester-citys-use-of-the-false-nine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2022\/01\/05\/manchester-citys-use-of-the-false-nine\/","title":{"rendered":"Manchester City’s Use of the False Nine"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Manchester City’s<\/a> use of the false number nine feels almost like a Pep Guardiola obsession.\u00a0Combined with an almost Arsene Wenger-like dedication to recruiting certain types of players.
With a passionate predilection for passing and passing.\u00a0But it is working, as it nows looks certain that City will retain their Premier League<\/a> title primarily\u00a0using that false number nine tactic.<\/p>\r\n

Manchester City\u2019s Successful Use of the False Nine<\/h2>\r\n

Recruitment the Key<\/h3>\r\n

Guardiola has formed a team of quality players all good on the ball and able to pass and move.\u00a0From the very competent Ederson in goal, through a classy backline to a set of formidable midfielders.\u00a0Which include a high-class set of ‘number tens’.<\/p>\r\n

They all fit criteria that adhere to the Spaniard\u2019s vision of how football should be played.
In some ways, the culmination of the Dutch ‘Total Football’<\/a> of the 1970s.\u00a0Pass and pass, and if you lose the ball retrieve it quickly.\u00a0And then repeat.<\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s a formula that mesmerises fans and defeats most opponents.\u00a0Even though the feeling is that City are sometimes trying to score the perfect goal.<\/p>\r\n

Unusual, but Not Unique\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n

Is the use of the false number nine a\u00a0variation on a theme or something revolutionary?\u00a0Don Revie was famous as the coach of a very successful Leeds United<\/a> team.\u00a0And less so for a notorious period as the England coach.\u00a0But in the 1950\u2019s he was a key part of the so-called \u2018Revie Plan\u2019<\/a>.

This was a tactic that involved then Manchester City centre forward (Revie) acting as a deep-lying distributor rather than a traditional frontman.\u00a0It was, in fact, modelled on the Hungarian system<\/a> as adopted by Sandor Hidegkuti, which\u00a0in two legendary matches contributed to the Hungary national team trouncing England.\u00a0Of significantly less renown is the disastrous 4-6-0 formation as chosen by Craig Levein when he was Scotland coach.

So the tactic is not new but it is rare.<\/p>\r\n

Where is the Central Striker?<\/h3>\r\n

Somehow the lack of a recognised striker confounds many sensibilities, particularly\u00a0when most titles have been won with a central goalscorer.\u00a0At the Etihad Manchester City usually have to overcome packed defences, who\u00a0watch as Guardiola\u2019s side pass it around in front of them.<\/p>\r\n

This is why when you talk to the locals they would love to see someone like Erling Haaland upfront to\u00a0finish off the many chances those superb midfielders create.\u00a0Even when Gabriel Jesus plays he is not always positioned as a central striker.\u00a0The implication is that he is not considered at the same level as the departed Sergio Aguero.\u00a0But then again Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Kevin de Bruyne and co. can all score goals.\u00a0As witnessed by their 7-0 demolition of Leeds United.<\/p>\r\n

Consider the Opposition\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n

What opposition?<\/p>\r\n

As it now seems Manchester City have a stranglehold on the title race.\u00a0They are heavily odds-on to retain their crown, especially\u00a0with both Liverpool<\/a> and Chelsea<\/a> stumbling in recent weeks.\u00a0And the team from Anfield will be particularly affected by key players being absent at the Africa Cup of Nations.\u00a0Whereas City, with their considerable resources, will probably only lose Algerian Riyad Mahrez.<\/p>\r\n

Manchester City Will Win the Premier League With False Nine Tactic<\/h3>\r\n

Many would declare it no contest if City secured Erling Haaland in the next transfer period.
But that looks unlikely.\u00a0So City will often continue playing without a recognised central striker.<\/p>\r\n

On that basis, for those of us who have been watching football for decades, it does feel like something is missing,\u00a0However, they are still strongly favoured to win the title.\u00a0Though it seems unlikely other teams can or will emulate those tactics.\u00a0So, thankfully, it is far too early to announce the demise of the traditional striker.<\/p>\r\n

Main Photo<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>