Positional numbers

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · Jul 31, 2017

Back in the day players were numbered from 1-11. To the best of my knowledge the numbers(in the 80's and 90's - I can't comment on before then) corresponded to the following positions within a(n English) 4-4-2 formation.

1: GK
2: RB
3: LB
4: CM
5: CH
6: CH
7: W
8: CM
9: CF
10: CF
11: W

Now, despite everyone having squad numbers, it seems increasingly in vogue to describe players(well, midfielders and forwards at least) by the old 1-11 system. It started, IMO, with the 'false 9', then the 10 and now players are being described, or describing themselves, as 8's or 6's. I understand the 10. I understand the 9. But what's an 8 or 6? They're both used for midfield but they're also both used by and for players from various different countries and thus various different formations. Is an 8 just a standard central midfielder? A 6? That's a centre half! What's he doing in midfield? Is that a Beckenbaeur?

Basically what I'm asking is: Can someone fill me in on the new 1-11 positions and what each number is supposed to do? And what formation this 1-11 plays?

Thanks!

Ninja Elephant · Jul 31, 2017

Depends on the countries as well, in Brazil the number 6 is traditionally a left back which is why Roberto Carlos was parading around wearing it and in Argentina the number 5 is a holding midfielder.

whitelion · Jul 31, 2017

Garry Nelson's Left Foot said:
Back in the day players were numbered from 1-11. To the best of my knowledge the numbers(in the 80's and 90's - I can't comment on before then) corresponded to the following positions within a(n English) 4-4-2 formation.

1: GK
2: RB
3: LB
4: CM
5: CH
6: CH
7: W
8: CM
9: CF
10: CF
11: W

Now, despite everyone having squad numbers, it seems increasingly in vogue to describe players(well, midfielders and forwards at least) by the old 1-11 system. It started, IMO, with the 'false 9', then the 10 and now players are being described, or describing themselves, as 8's or 6's. I understand the 10. I understand the 9. But what's an 8 or 6? They're both used for midfield but they're also both used by and for players from various different countries and thus various different formations. Is an 8 just a standard central midfielder? A 6? That's a centre half! What's he doing in midfield? Is that a Beckenbaeur?

Basically what I'm asking is: Can someone fill me in on the new 1-11 positions and what each number is supposed to do? And what formation this 1-11 plays?

Thanks!

Completely wrong.

1 Goalkeeper
2 Right Back
3 Left Back
4 Right Half
5 Centre Half
6 Left Half
7 Right Wing
8 Inside Right
9 Centre Forward
10 Inside Left
11 Left Wing

Apologies if I misread your post.

Nixonator · Jul 31, 2017

8 is a box to box and 6 is the defensive/holding to my knowedge. 4 & 5 the centre halves. The rest you listed I would say the same.

I personally like when players conform to this standard and hate the favourite number thing and randomness. Wasn't it recently I saw a player with a 3 digit number on his back?

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · Jul 31, 2017

whitelion said:
Completely wrong.

1 Goalkeeper
2 Right Back
3 Left Back
4 Right Half
5 Centre Half
6 Left Half
7 Right Wing
8 Inside Right
9 Centre Forward
10 Inside Left
11 Left Wing

Apologies if I misread your post.

I think those positions are from further back in the day than my back in the day. I only go back to the 80's. I reckon right/left halfs and inside forwards were gone by then.

Seaber · Jul 31, 2017

I see it as:

1 GK
2 RB
3 LB
4 CM (usually a more defensive midfielder than #8)
5 CB
6 CB
7 RM
8 CM (usually a more attacking midfielder than #4)
9 ST (out and out striker)
10 ST/AM (could be any kind of striker, second striker or attacking midfield player)
11 LM

That's if you're playing 4-4-2, or similar. However, some people to swap the #4 and #6 around.

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · Jul 31, 2017

Nixonator said:
8 is a box to box and 6 is the defensive/holding to my knowedge. 4 & 5 the centre halves. The rest you listed I would say the same.

I personally like when players conform to this standard and hate the favourite number thing and randomness. Wasn't it recently I saw a player with a 3 digit number on his back?

Was 4 not central midfield? I could have sworn Dean Wilkins was no.4. If 4 and 5 are the centre halves then 6 and 8 become a lot clearer.

whitelion · Jul 31, 2017

Garry Nelson's Left Foot said:
I think those positions are from further back in the day than my back in the day. I only go back to the 80's. I reckon right/left halfs and inside forwards were gone by then.

You're probably correct.

Apologies.

Goring-by-Seagull · Jul 31, 2017

Nixonator said:
Wasn't it recently I saw a player with a 3 digit number on his back?

He must've been a wide lad!

Nixonator · Jul 31, 2017

whitelion said:
Apologies if I misread your post.

You did or failed to read it at all, he listed the numbers based on what he remembered from the 80's and 90's in a 442 and subsequently asked what they are now. Not what they were when numbers were first used.

AnotherArch · Jul 31, 2017

Garry Nelson's Left Foot said:
Back in the day players were numbered from 1-11. To the best of my knowledge the numbers(in the 80's and 90's - I can't comment on before then) corresponded to the following positions within a(n English) 4-4-2 formation.

1: GK
2: RB
3: LB
4: CM
5: CH
6: CH
7: W
8: CM
9: CF
10: CF
11: W

Now, despite everyone having squad numbers, it seems increasingly in vogue to describe players(well, midfielders and forwards at least) by the old 1-11 system. It started, IMO, with the 'false 9', then the 10 and now players are being described, or describing themselves, as 8's or 6's. I understand the 10. I understand the 9. But what's an 8 or 6? They're both used for midfield but they're also both used by and for players from various different countries and thus various different formations. Is an 8 just a standard central midfielder? A 6? That's a centre half! What's he doing in midfield? Is that a Beckenbaeur?

Basically what I'm asking is: Can someone fill me in on the new 1-11 positions and what each number is supposed to do? And what formation this 1-11 plays?

Thanks!

Let us get the starting point correct first. Using information from that well-known anthem, 'Number 8 was Peter Ward' - a midfielder he was not.
In those days one of the 4 or 6 was a defender and the other more attacking.. One out of the 8 or 10 was the second striker and the 'playmaker' was the other.
Nowadays it seems pot luck, sometimes even alphabetical.
Liverpool in the 70's were one of the first to put a number 5 on a midfielder (Cormack?) and before then. Tommy Docherty at Chelsea has previously started to mess around with the numbers to confuse the opposition.
Does it really matter?

Nixonator · Jul 31, 2017

Garry Nelson's Left Foot said:
Was 4 not central midfield? I could have sworn Dean Wilkins was no.4. If 4 and 5 are the centre halves then 6 and 8 become a lot clearer.

Somewhere along the line it changed I think but you are right it did used to be 4, with the CBs as 5&6 as you first stated. The modern acceptance though is 6 & 8 are the midfielders, at least that is my understanding.

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · Jul 31, 2017

Ninja Elephant said:
Depends on the countries as well, in Brazil the number 6 is traditionally a left back which is why Roberto Carlos was parading around wearing it and in Argentina the number 5 is a holding midfielder.

Now this throws the cat back amongst the pigeons. We should bin the numbers and just say positions. Slightly longer but clearer.

Nixonator · Jul 31, 2017

Garry Nelson's Left Foot said:
Now this throws the cat back amongst the pigeons. We should bin the numbers and just say positions. Slightly longer but clearer.

I don't know, I think most people would describe the CM we need as an 8, despite Jiri currently occupying it.

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · Jul 31, 2017

AnotherArch said:
Let us get the starting point correct first. Using information from that well-known anthem, 'Number 8 was Peter Ward' - a midfielder he was not.
In those days one of the 4 or 6 was a defender and the other more attacking.. One out of the 8 or 10 was the second striker and the 'playmaker' was the other.
Nowadays it seems pot luck, sometimes even alphabetical.
Liverpool in the 70's were one of the first to put a number 5 on a midfielder (Cormack?) and before then. Tommy Docherty at Chelsea has previously started to mess around with the numbers to confuse the opposition.
Does it really matter?

Wasn't Peter Ward numbers 1-11?

You're right, it's not the most pressing of matters but seeing as it's becoming increasingly popular to describe a player by a positional number I thought I'd try and find out what position those numbers correlate to. The alternative is talking about Trump or Brexit or the signings we've not only failed to make but no nothing of.

BensGrandad · Jul 31, 2017

BHA always played with 5 and 6 as CB in the mid to old days but changed when Gus was manager. No 5 was an Argentinian midfielder, whose names alludes me.Graham Cross wore No 6 when he was with us.

kevo · Jul 31, 2017

This is insane! Numbers 8 and 9 were the strikers (what number did Peter Ward wear?).

This is correct for 4-4-2 (think the classic Albion line up from 76/77):

1. GK
2. Right full-back
3. Left full-back
4. Centre midfield
5. Centre back
6. Centre back
7. Right wing
8. Centre forward
9. Centre forward
10. Centre midfield
11. Left wing

BensGrandad · Jul 31, 2017

Peter Ward wore no 8 but during Don Revies days at Man City I m sure they played with the centre forward and 2 inside forwards all wearing the no 9. This was known as the Revie Plan.

Finchley Seagull · Jul 31, 2017

Garry Nelson's Left Foot said:
Was 4 not central midfield? I could have sworn Dean Wilkins was no.4. If 4 and 5 are the centre halves then 6 and 8 become a lot clearer.

I always thought 4 and 8 were central midfield (as you say and the OP also did) and 5/6 were centre backs.

Seaber · Jul 31, 2017

BensGrandad said:
BHA always played with 5 and 6 as CB in the mid to old days but changed when Gus was manager. No 5 was an Argentinian midfielder, whose names alludes me.Graham Cross wore No 6 when he was with us.

Battipiedi, or something like that?

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