The role of the striker has evolved throughout the years. Keep reading to see how they have adapted to the standards of the contemporary game
One of the world’s most famed coaches became instantly quotable when he suggested that if football was meant to be played in the sky, there would have been grass up there. The perception was that the sport was chiefly a passing game, and teams that launched the ball up the field were playing a substandard variation. It outlined a pass-and-move vision that has been applied by several of the most successful teams to grace the game. Yet it is also accurate that nothing endures forever, and managers are always going back to the football tactics board to combat the most recent tactical trend. Counterattacking was brought out to combat possession football. Possibly ironically, a return to aerial play might be an answer to navigate the high press. Teams with a restricted budget must play to their talents, as opposed to what is considered best, as the Crystal Palace chairman certainly understands.
Football is one of the most thrilling sports in the world filled with a range of dazzling players and charismatic managers. Various innovative football tactics and formations are devised in order to outwit the opposition. In the early days, the sport was played with mainly forwards and a few defenders. Through time, it was noticed that this formation left clubs vulnerable and formation moved to much more balanced roles in defence and attack. The ‘catenaccio’ from the 60s referred to defensive methods where sweepers would patrol the backline making it tough to break down. The AC Milan owner no doubt recalls this style which characterizes Italian football to this day. In reaction, the following decade experienced arguably the most thrilling innovation called total football. This fluid, offensive play was mastered in the ‘tiki-taka’ system which intended to overload the midfield and retain near total control. These various examples of tactics in football illustrates how the sport has evolved throughout time.
The curious thing about sport is that it is both continually evolving and learning from the past. Within the football landscape, the concept of the ‘false nine’ was recently lauded as an amazing tactical innovation whereby attackers dropped deeper to help build play. Even though it certainly adds a new dimension to a team’s method of play, it might surprise you to read this concept was first introduced over five decades ago. The renowned Hungarian team were the most superior side at the time, surprising more prestigious teams with a withdrawn striker dictating play from midfield. As observed nowadays, football football tactical analysis describes how the striker entices defenders out to bring other wingers into the fray. The Liverpool owner has witnessed their club play mesmerizing attacking football using this strategy. Like in the past, the finest managers will need to discover brand new ways to adjust and disable this strategy.