A number 10

Is it just me that doesn't really understand what 'a number 10' is or even where the saying came from?

I'd not heard it until recently, but now every team in the world has one, apart from it seems, Saints.

AKA playmaker

Is it just me that doesn't really understand what 'a number 10' is or even where the saying came from?

 

I'd not heard it until recently, but now every team in the world has one, apart from it seems, Saints.

Charlie Austin?

"10 is one of the most emblematic squad numbers in football, due to the sheer number of football legends that used the number 10 shirt; playmakers, second strikers and attacking midfielders usually wear this number. Lionel Messi displaying his squad number (10), as portrayed on his FC Barcelona jersey."

Second striker really, the one who will create

"10 is one of the most emblematic squad numbers in football, due to the sheer number of football legends that used the number 10 shirt; playmakers, second strikers and attacking midfielders usually wear this number. Lionel Messi displaying his squad number (10), as portrayed on his FC Barcelona jersey."

That's as maybe, it's Number 7 for me.

I'm sure it was just created by the kids who play FIFA who want to look cultured

Nah, No. 10 is inside left, No. 7 is right wing.

I may not be up to date with this new-fangled stuff mind.

No10 in the modern world is a little different to the traditional no10, who was more of a second striker who's role was more of a playmaker, loading the bullets for the no9. Nowadays the no10 operates between the midfield and defensive line of the opposition, trying to find space to create for the one or two strikers ahead of him. In Poche and Koeman's 4-2-3-1, he is the central of the 3 behind Rickie/Pelle. In Puel's diamond, he is at the tip. Dusan, so far. Main role is to create for Long and Redmond.

Le Tiss would have been a perfect no10 in the modern world but he played in an era when 442 was the only option. So he got shunted between wing and up front, until Bally put him in central midfield and sacrificed the workload. It was only when Hoddle took over that we really started to use 4-5-1, or 4-2-3-1 as it now seems to be called, but that was too late for Matt.

Is it just me that doesn't really understand what 'a number 10' is or even where the saying came from?

 

I'd not heard it until recently, but now every team in the world has one, apart from it seems, Saints.

A little bit of advise pal, when you hear someone describe someone as a "number 10" or a "false 9" or anything like this then it means they are a complete and utter crumpet and you shouldn't engage any further with them on any subject. The term came straight for the helmets who also invented terms like False 9 and say things like "tekkers". What it is is an attacking midfielder.

A little bit of advise pal, when you hear someone describe someone as a "number 10" or a "false 9" or anything like this then it means they are a complete and utter crumpet and you shouldn't engage any further with them on any subject. The term came straight for the helmets who also invented terms like False 9 and say things like "tekkers". What it is is an attacking midfielder.

Or a second striker who plays just behind the number 9, "in the hole" if you like. So sometimes a number 10 can be described as more advanced than an attacking midfielder.

A little bit of advise pal, when you hear someone describe someone as a "number 10" or a "false 9" or anything like this then it means they are a complete and utter crumpet and you shouldn't engage any further with them on any subject. The term came straight for the helmets who also invented terms like False 9 and say things like "tekkers". What it is is an attacking midfielder.

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] that was the other one I was going to mention; 'false 9'. WTF is a false 9?

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] that was the other one I was going to mention; 'false 9'. WTF is a false 9?

Tissue padded bra?

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[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] that was the other one I was going to mention; 'false 9'. WTF is a false 9?

A striker who can't shoot?

Is it just me that doesn't really understand what 'a number 10' is or even where the saying came from?

 

I'd not heard it until recently, but now every team in the world has one, apart from it seems, Saints.

A quick scan of any thread on here would show that there are plenty of people who don't understand an awful lot. Full stop. It is this week's "category two, three or four club" or hang up with the "diamond". All highlight more what is clearly not know, then what is.

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] that was the other one I was going to mention; 'false 9'. WTF is a false 9?

Not sure but he must have good feet (for a big man).

Alan Shearer is the star at the top of the Christmas Tree.

That made sense.

The rest of it is a load of namby pamby foreign hipster rubbish.

Mate, I don't understand what a bloody no 1 is in these days of techno jargon, never mind a number 10....!

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That's as maybe, it's Number 7 for me.

 

I'm sure it was just created by the kids who play FIFA who want to look cultured

Seeing as it was a phrase in the 80s (and probably beforehand), I'm going to say "no".

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] that was the other one I was going to mention; 'false 9'. WTF is a false 9?

It's most often used for a striker who doesn't play in the front line, and drops deep. The "false" is the idea that they would appear to be playing the "number 9" position, but they're actually playing deeper, in attacking midfield. It's been going on for ages, but it wasn't so obvious as when teams played with two strikers, because one of them would still (arguably) be in the "number 9" role, i.e. furthest forward striker.

Sometimes it's also used for midfielders playing more advanced in a formation without any real strikers (eg a 4-6-0) but I'm not having that.

Here's a definition: http://thefalse9.com/2013/09/football-tactics-for-beginnersthe-false.html

FWIW my opinion on the other term is that anyone who doesn't know what a "number 10" role is shouldn't really be sharing their "wisdom" on a football forum.

A little bit of advise pal, when you hear someone describe someone as a "number 10" or a "false 9" or anything like this then it means they are a complete and utter crumpet and you shouldn't engage any further with them on any subject. The term came straight for the helmets who also invented terms like False 9 and say things like "tekkers". What it is is an attacking midfielder.

Completely disagree re: False 9 and tekkers being from the same group of people. False 9 is a legit footballing coaching term used by boring tactics types, whilst "tekkers" is a load of old toss corruption of actual words extracted from the tiny bit of a footballer's brain used for talking, and then regurgitated endlessly by Soccer AM helmets who think doing fancy keep-ups is a useful football skill and have posters of Mr Wu-wannabes in their smelly bedrooms. See also "top bin" and "worldy".

And people wearing coloured boots.

So let me get this straight. Alan Ball who use to wear the 7 shirt was, a winger, a 10 who played defensive midfielder and one of our most creative attacking midfielders as well.

I knew he was great for us but, didn't know he was that great!

Should be on the banner, surely?

The 'oldies' definition of a team's set up.

1. Goalkeeper/Custodian - Max 6', often shorter.

Played in a green roll neck sweater knitted by his Gran.

Wore his Mum's gardening gloves and a flat hat to keep off the chill or the sun, dependent on the season.

Used to get thumped regularly by the opposition centre forward during the game (especially if playing against George Kirby)

Often used to let the full backs take his goal kicks as probably suffering from concussion after the first 10 minutes of the game

2. Right Back

Never used to stray beyond the halfway line.

Sometimes passed the ball sideways to his right wing half, otherwise belted it forward towards the attackers.

Spent a lot of time kicking the opponents left winger or passing the ball back to his goalie who could then pick up the ball before he was assaulted by the big centre forward (see George Kirby)

3. Left Back

Same duties as Right Back but generally sporting a left foot and baggier shorts.

4. Right half

Often a small, terrier like player (Billy Bremner/Nobby Stiles/Brian O'Neill).

Accepted passes from his full back.

Ran around the field a lot kicking ankles and knees and shouting at the ref.

Couldn't kick the ball very far and rarely scored a goal

5. Centre Half

Normally between 5'11" to possibly 6'1" tops.

Could head a ball well.

No passing technique.

Often wandered round in a daze as a consequence of heading the heavy leather football too often or suffering an (accidental) elbow in the face from George Kirby.

6. Left Half

Generally taller than the Right Half but shorter than the Centre half and more defensively minded.

Often had to pair up with the Centre Half to overcome the gentle aggressiveness of George Kirby

7. Outside Right

Nippy right footed winger with good pace and a decent body swerve and could arrow crosses onto the centre forwards head

Once he had beaten his full back there was no other defender likely to apprehend him

Sometimes tracked back.

Occasional efforts at tackling.

Didn't often win the ball but developed great technique in the skill of 'ankle tapping' to the annoyance of the opponents overweight and balding left back.

8. Inside Right

Generally a 'poacher' who would stand talking to the centre forward around the halfway line mark for most of the game with occasional forays into the opponents penalty area.

Not likely to wander back to his own area to defend a corner or indeed perform any defensive duties.

9. Centre Forward

Almost always 6'0" ish and able to head the ball pretty well.

Not so good with his feet and not possessing a great deal of pace.

Never penalised by the Ref unless he actually de-capitated the opposing goalie (and in the case of Peter Grummit, George Kirby got away with it)

10. Inside left

Often a left footed midfield player able to orchestrate play until such time as he was eventually scythed down by the opposing right half after which he spent the rest of the game hobbling on the left wing and getting in the way of the left winger

11. Left Winger

Opposite of the right winger but possibly quicker and not so skilful.

Never tracked back or tackled.

Quite good looking unless you were Jimmy Leadbetter of Ipswich Town who was the spitting image of Old Man Steptoe.

Think of Sheringham and Shearer for England.

Shearer no.9, Teddy no.10.

Simple.

False 9 is basically the creative player playing in the striker position, but deeper in a 4-3-3 with wide wingers. The false 9 tends to drop deep more and looks to play the wingers in. An example would be Tadic being there in a 4-3-3 as he would play the position very differently to someone like Austin.

As for number 10. It's an attacking midfielder or support/second striker that's central. It doesn't have to be the most creative player, number 10 is a position behind the centre forward. They tend to have more defensive duties these days. In the past they usually had no defensive duties at all. Imo number 10 can also be in the diamond system, ie Tadic for us. Basically the central attacking mid, or if you have a central support striker behind a centre forward.

This is my take on it anyway

We basically play a false 9 in a 433 now, with Tadic as the false 9.

I've always liked a good 'number 2'

A striker who can't shoot?

No. He's the fellow who gives a perfect pass .....to the striker who can't shoot.

I saw Tadic in the false 9 against Watford at times and other times more of an attacking midfielder behind 2 strikers in a 442 diamond. When Long and Redmond split wide early in the first half against Watford for a while and Tadic was central that was a 433 with Tadic in the false nine for me, but it was ditched fairly quickly in favour of the diamond 442.

It's most often used for a striker who doesn't play in the front line, and drops deep. The "false" is the idea that they would appear to be playing the "number 9" position, but they're actually playing deeper, in attacking midfield. It's been going on for ages, but it wasn't so obvious as when teams played with two strikers, because one of them would still (arguably) be in the "number 9" role, i.e. furthest forward striker.

 

Sometimes it's also used for midfielders playing more advanced in a formation without any real strikers (eg a 4-6-0) but I'm not having that.

 

Here's a definition: http://thefalse9.com/2013/09/football-tactics-for-beginnersthe-false.html

 

FWIW my opinion on the other term is that anyone who doesn't know what a "number 10" role is shouldn't really be sharing their "wisdom" on a football forum.

I'm inclined to agree with the last sentence. I think those that don't understand these sort of terms (number 10 etc) haven't done much research about the game in terms of tactics, formations and so on.

When I started watching Saints as a young kid decades ago I'd just follow the ball. As a result you only notice great dribbles, great strikers, big tackles, goal scorers or killer passes. You miss the tactical battle between the two sides. You also don't see the solid, quiet, sound tactical performance that might have been put in by a defensive player that was very important. Nor do you understand the role of the holding mid for example if you just follow the football. Or defending and attacking as a team and so on. I think if you're following the game properly you understand the two systems and how each teams and player wants to play within the first few minutes of the game. You are assessing everyones roles and their positioning. You can see if a player should have put the ball into the box early, or waited (e.g. against Watford we kept putting the ball into the box too early against 10 men, and shooting on sight unnecessarily)

I could go on, but you should get the point. Basically some of us understand and assess the tactical side of the game and how each player is performing in the system, we can assess things like decision making etc. Whereas others follow the game much like a child would and just follow the ball about the park (and imo these types are the types that don't understand technical terms and may mock them) and these types of people see and notice a lot less of the game.

I'm inclined to agree with the last sentence. I think those that don't understand these sort of terms (number 10 etc) haven't done much research about the game in terms of tactics, formations and so on.

 

When I started watching Saints as a young kid decades ago I'd just follow the ball. As a result you only notice great dribbles, great strikers, big tackles, goal scorers or killer passes. You miss the tactical battle between the two sides. You also don't see the solid, quiet, sound tactical performance that might have been put in by a defensive player that was very important. Nor do you understand the role of the holding mid for example if you just follow the football. Or defending and attacking as a team and so on. I think if you're following the game properly you understand the two systems and how each teams and player wants to play within the first few minutes of the game. You are assessing everyones roles and their positioning. You can see if a player should have put the ball into the box early, or waited (e.g. against Watford we kept putting the ball into the box too early against 10 men, and shooting on sight unnecessarily)

 

I could go on, but you should get the point. Basically some of us understand and assess the tactical side of the game and how each player is performing in the system, we can assess things like decision making etc. Whereas others follow the game much like a child would and just follow the ball about the park (and imo these types are the types that don't understand technical terms and may mock them) and these types of people see and notice a lot less of the game.

and the winner of patronising post of the year goes too...... FRIENDLYSAINT

For his claims that people who hear stuff on the telly and repeat it verbatim on mongboards in a desperate attempt to appear they know what they are talking about and anyone that doesn't deeply analyse tactics, positions and formations has no greater knowledge of the game than a small child. Excellent work sir and well desrved.