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.
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[Football] What is a false number 9?
- Thread starter SockMonster
- Start date
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 Cesc Fábregas for Spain, Foden for Man City or Trosssard for Brighton
Frankworthington
Well-known member
If it annoys Garth Crooks i am all for them
Sid in the Sharknado
New member
Eric Youngs Contact Lens
Well-known member
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!!
Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 70,236
False Number 9 is a product of the same muppet factory that came up with High Press
Brighton & Love
Banned
- Jul 25, 2021
- 208
Someone playing upfront on their own.
Pevenseagull
Anti-greed coalition
- Jul 20, 2003
- 19,643
pivot
Jim Van Winkle
Well-known member
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).
What you have to worry about these days are the false 3 at Chelsea (Chilwell) and false 2 at Liverpool (TAA).
Brighton & Love
Banned
- Jul 25, 2021
- 208
You're forgetting how dangerous a team can be when they've got a quarter-back pulling the strings.
Return of the Rev
Well-known member
Ask the gaffer
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
Pretty much how I understood it. You can't call them a 10 because a 10 implies a 9 playing in front, hence the term 'false 9' has come in because actually it's basically a 10 playing without a 9 in front of them.
AmexRuislip
Trainee Spy 🕵️♂️
Isn't it an upside down Adam Virgo 
SockMonster
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #17
Thanks everyone.
el punal
Well-known member
What is a false number 9? An upside down number 6 of course. 
Cheshire Cat
The most curious thing..
It's an upside down number 6
(late again
)
(late again
)
rogersix
Well-known member
- Jan 18, 2014
- 7,904
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
as do i, all these terms maybe be described as "jargon", but they all exist to keep us all reading of the same hymn sheet, and save us all some time; what's not to like?