Is the ‘false 9’ position a real thing, or is it some sky sports pundits made-up nonsense?

I have a memory of Robbie Savage pulling the phrase out of nowhere (I know where, but I am to polite to say) about 4 years ago after he sat next to Thierry Henry for an entire afternoon and had nothing of real value to say. But I can’t ever recall hearing the phrase before then.

So do actual real Premier League managers and professional footballers use it, or is it just some made up nonsense used by sky sports pundits to try and sound intelligent?

  • Circ_Diameter@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I think this is meant to be a parody of the “I never heard the term ‘low block’, did that come from the USA?” post

  • Otherwise_Archer_914@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Tell me you’re young without telling me you’re young haha. The term resurfaced back when Messi repopularized the role in 2009.

  • o_mesmo_pensador@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Hey there! The ‘false 9’ position is a real thing in football tactics. It’s not just some made-up nonsense by pundits. It’s about a forward dropping back into the midfield, messing with the opposing defenders.
    Sure, the term got a bit more attention in recent years, but it’s been around in football discussions and coaching for a while.
    I get the skepticism, though. It might sound like pundit jargon on TV, especially the way they toss it around.
    But real managers and players use and understand it. However, I agree with you - in today’s football, the false 9 doesn’t always fit every team’s style. It’s all about what works for each manager and their strategy. The game’s always changing, and tactics need to evolve with it.

    Hugs from Portugal! 🇵🇹

  • Hristianm@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    False 9 is actually a SS (Shadow Striker) but in a formation without a ST/CF. Bit more advanced than the AM, does the same work and ocupies almost the same position

  • Rich-Act-4761@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Its absolutely TRUE and one of the best examples is Karim Benzema when he was at Real Madrid. He was too good in Linkup Play helping Cristiano Score and later on creating Good Chem with Vini Rodrygo

  • -ishootblanks-@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    The Hungarian national team utilized a false nine all the way back in the fifties and sixties, plenty of examples have already been given as to more modern iterations on the concept, but it’s certainly nothing new.