The evolution of the modern striker
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2023
- Try The Athletic for FREE for 30 days: www.theathletic.com/tifoirl
📗 Tifo's new book, "How to Watch Football" is now available internationally: linktr.ee/tifobook
Football has seen a trend in recent years, where the striker of most teams has changed physically.
While Lionel Messi can be argued as the greatest forward of all time - we are seeing less and less of his type, and more imposing forwards of a huge physical stature
But why is this? Sam Tighe is here to explain the tactical evolution of the modern striker
Follow Tifo Football:
Twitter: / tifofootball_
Facebook: / tifofootball
Instagram: / tifofootball_
Listen to the Tifo Football podcast:
Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/TifoFootPod
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/06QIGhq...
About Tifo Football:
Tifo loves football. We create In-depth tactical, historical and geopolitical breakdowns of the beautiful game.
We know there’s an appetite for thoughtful, intelligent content. For stuff that makes the complicated simple.
We provide analysis on the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, World Cup and more.
Our podcasts interview some of the game’s leading figures. And our editorial covers football with depth and insight.
Founded in 2017 and became a part of The Athletic in 2020. For business inquiries, reach out to tifo@theathletic.com.
Music sourced from epidemicsound.com
Additional footage sourced from freestockfootagearchive.com
#premierleague #messi #haaland #goals 
Спорт
Messi was such a good goalscorer that he put actual 9s on the wings.
And Messi made sure even they blossomed in their new role..
Villa, Pedro, Sanchez etc were all brilliant for Barça
hahaha ok mate it was already a long established tactical role despite what this clown-like video claims
@@wavell14 Yes we all know that.
@@wavell14 Pretty much. They english always seem to not know history. False 9s and inverted wingers were a thing since the 1920s.
@@vb2388 having Messi at 9 is probably better than having a traditional 9, he can drop deep and create chances for wingers, help the midfield keep the ball, and get in the box and score goals, not just score goals but score more than most actual 9s would. I mean no striker has 6 golden shoes.
I would watch 8 hours straight just watching tactical analysis of Bobby Firmino. His peak at Liverpool was absurd. People seem to forget he led the champions league is goals and assists on their way to the final as a FALSE 9!! Unreal player, just a genius.
Haaland better
@@Misosam123just not relevant tho
As a City fan, I can say the Liverpool player I always respected and feared the most was Firmino. That trio of Salah/Firmino/Mane was one of the deadliest I’ve ever seen in the PL and Firmino was the key that made it work. So crafty and technical and, unlike a lot of modern Brazilian forwards, clinical in front of goal (especially in big moments in big games)
Nobody forgot
False nine? How was he false nine? Because he shadowed the DM?
A return to the Drogba mould of striker... who was doing all those great things, link play, back to goal work, channel running, occupying defenders from the mid 2000s for about 10 years
Yes but drogba was unique at the time. Now they're popping up everywhere.
@@cogitoy7692 That's why Morinho wanted him .
Yeah but he wasn’t as clinical as strikers need to be
@@prometheustv6558 Theirs Lampard . Most players arn't the perfect striker like Haaland . They come with a drawback .
@@kokokouyoumijian goalscoring midfielders are out of style that’s why strikers like Drogba don’t pop up. Midfielders are expected to control possession and create for the attack rather than making runs into the box.
The way he summarised Leicester City’s triumphant premier league win in a couple sentences is so amazing.
and also complete bollocks, Pep, Klopp and Poch were nowhere near their primes when Leicester won the league. I don't think pep was even in the prem. Season before Leicester won was Mourinho at Chelsea, another counter attacking team. Crap analysis
@@jakekaye6749 Yeah Pep wasnt
@@jakekaye6749I would take his analysis over "what I see as the best managers weren't in their prime yet"
It's insane how Messi was creating and setting the standard for a whole new style of football, while being both the greatest goalscorer and the greatest playmaker statistically in the history of football. Messi in his prime really should be impossible. Who sets the record for the most assists in a calendar year ever, then next season, breaks the all time goalscoring records for both a season and calendar year, while still having the most assists in the world that season and year? Before Messi, this would have been thought of as impossible, nobody has come within miles of breaking those kind of records simultaneously.
Couldn’t have put it better myself. GOAT. Nobody comes close
He's so much better than MLS, he would score double, hattricks every weekend if he wants.
he deserves to just relax in a farmer's league after all he's done@@HaiLeQuang
I was really confused as to who Kuba was... never heard him called that before. Jakub Błaszczykowski BTW for those wondering as well.
Why on earth did he put Kuba instead of Blaszcykowjskcoszkowskowkszczykowksi?
@nicolinzini520 Haha, because it's his name. I get why, just never heard him called that 😆
That was his nickname at dortmund
"Kuba" is shorthand in Polish for "Jakub". Basically a diminutive version of the name. But yes, I'm sure it's there because it would probably be misspelled otherwise lol
@@GamingRobiotor/woosh
5:09 At his peak, Coentrão was a good player, it just not lasted long, but he was a very good player at that time.
peak Coentrão was better than any current 30 million english player. And Harry Maguire...
Loved Sam’s presentation style. Succinct, excited, and informative.
What about Harry Kane, he is like a 9 and a 10 in one player, can link the midfield and attack like Firmino but can also get in the box and score goals. Also Greizmann for France plays in more of a deep role now, dropping into the midfield like a 10 but still able to get on the end of chances
there's always many examples though, sure, i expected kane too, but the others also work
I can’t even begin to express how useful this video is. I’m coming back to soccer as a fan after a childhood as a player, and I’m trying to better understand different tactical strategies. This video to me is the history and evolution of tactics over the past decade or so. Really great stuff, and very helpful for new fans to appreciate where we are and how we got here. Keep it up!
*football
Loving Sam on Tifo IRL recently, please keep his videos coming!
Is Harry Kane not like a perfect analogue for all of these positions except false 9?
Son makes more runs in behind than Kane.
Kane doesn’t really play off the shoulder of the defenders. He drops down and creates cause Spurs have no creative players in midfield. Also Kane is not really that quick, so his runs off defenders usually come inside the box, but Kane is also the carrying the ball up there. He’s the best n 9 in the world, but not really a modern kind of n 9
@@filipnielsen1000 I was suggesting more that over his career he's had to evolve his game to incorporate the new concepts that come though. He ran off the last defender A LOT under Pochettino
Under Mourihno he was essentially playing the Benzema role, playing Son into the inside channel. Conte made him stitch play together but play more advanced.
What Postecoglu will want from his striker will be much more modern, more similar to Pochettino with a high press and able to move the ball quickly.
What do you mean? He's one of, if not the best false 9 in the world!
@@xandermartins8044 Yep... so that's the Benzema role.
I feel like its a bit unfair you didn't mention Mourinho.
His chelsea team might not have been free scoring, but Drogba sacrificed his own play all the time, to occupy defenders, run channels, link up play and bring in the wingers and midfielders (frank lampards goal stats really were monstrous and Gundogan gets far more praise for having achieved far less) . He was way ahead of his time in that regard.
Drogba is more like a creative target man
Gundogan won 5 PLs and Lampard won 3 not to mention the titles he won at Dortmund. So how did he achieve less
@@prometheustv6558 Yes your right, achieve is the wrong word. What I meant to say is that Lampard and other midfielders around him were able to achieve incredible numbers because of drogbas unselfish play and that his output far exceeded what someone like Gundogan has done, despite the latter receiving so much more recognition that Lampard ever really did.
@@ondank Im sure Lampard would prefer Gundogan’s output if it meant more trophies
@@prometheustv6558 you are entirely missing the point
loved the video. Explained really well. Good job Sam
How has Harry Kane not gotten a mention in this one? In the lead up at 9:00 I was genuinely shocked you said Haaland and not Kane there.
Me too honestly. That was him, word for word. Given he had to play as a False 9/CAM 8 last season when Bentancur got injured and still score goals.
I was waiting for that too, he secured the Golden Boot and the playmaker award IN THE SAME SEASON!
because it doesnt fit the pep is the greatest narrative around the video
Because Kane rarely does runs behind the defence (he rather drops very deep) and isn’t fast, which is one of the defining traits of the modern striker. He fits more into the false 9 role of the last decade (similar to Benzema). That doesn’t mean that his play style isn’t up to date anymore but he is not like Osimhen, Haaland or Muani.
Yeah, Haaland is not the guy who goes back and makes the link up play. He is an amazing player but he is just not that. And the stats back it up, dude barely touches the ball lmao.
As a Liverpool fan, I feel Gako and Nunez will give us the best of both worlds. We have one who can play a false 9 when teams sit deep and a more traditional St against the high press.
While I agree they can do the roles you say, the biggest issue is that they're just not quite top-tier standard. The Salah-Mane-Firmino strike force was the best in the league for a few seasons, I just don't see Gakpo-Nunez-Salah (possibly with Jota/Diaz to come in) as being at that same level.
Nunez needs to work alot on his finishing
@@nicolinzini520 I guess, time will tell. The previous front 3 were top tier.
Nah they are mid af
U won’t win any big titles with them
Amazing vid. This vid is also a great crash course of the progression from early to late 2010s football
TIFO.. at 2:52, this Messi False 9 role.. "we haven't really seen it before (hence to Messi false 9 role)". Even in your own earlier videoes you referer to the example of Totti playing the False 9 from 05-07 (and later again), and Guardiola was as well a part of a team that used the exact same weapon. Barcelona 'Dream Team' in the 90s, where Michael Laudrup played the same role just in the 3-4-3 diamond, where Laudrup went deep and played through passes to Txiki Begiristain over and over again (a little the way David Villa was used in the wing) - and the rest of the team. And it can even be seen used back to the Austrian national team in the 30s and the Hungarian national team in the 50s.
I'm aware that you have a 15 years timeline on the video (which is fair) but come on that statement.. I usually feel that your level of understanding and explaining football is the top top top. That statement puts it down a lot, especially because it also makes you seem unaware of your own earlier content.
The football tactics (and especially strikers) are a circular evolution where it changes to where there is most space to attack. We even saw that in the Barcelona 'Dream Team' in the 90s, when they changed Laudrups false 9 to Romarios Fox in the box striker, to run behind the defense.
The biggest difference between then and now is that most teams are moving in the same direction because of the possibility to see and analyze the other teams - which has become much more available.
Great comment. It's why people on about how pep has revolutionised EVERYTHING annoy me ignoring that stuff he does has been done before.
Didn’t know people with actual ball knowledge still existed in the world 👏 thought it was all fifa boys now
Laudrup played in midfield
Exactly! Same goes with Tifo's recent hype towards the box midfield as a new invention. Pep Guardiola used to play that exact system in the '90s under Cruyff. In many cases, e.g. Ferrer inverted next to him, forming a double pivot with two midfielders higher up the pitch. It's not a new thing at all but perhaps less applied in the UK.
Tbf to Tighe, Guardiola-Messi POPULARIZED the concept. It's true Totti, Hidegkuti etc were false-9s but most people didn't appreciate the concept then. The term was probably not even coined in English then. Till Messi and Guardiola did it. When Tighe said "WE hadn't REALLY seen it before", it rings true for most people today. Same can be said for how Stones is being used by Guardiola (he's practically used Fernandinho the same way before). Or even how Guardiola is essentially using the W-M now (he's used it heavily in the recent past too albeit in a different manner). It's semantic but Tighe's use of 'we' I believe refers to the modern football fan because, like you mentioned, Tighe knows enough about the history of the sport
Nice analysis but there is a bit of contradiction.
the Klopp, Pep pressing system that made teams to start copying with the backline playing almost in the midfield line actually happened AFTER Leicester's title triumph not before.
There's also the fact that Man City won two Premier League titles without playing a 9 after this switch had supposedly happened.
This was a brilliant video. Well done guys
Great video. Truly educational. Impressive.
This channels analysis of football is the best ive ever seen online, well done!!
The complete striker description sounds like peak Drogba if you ask me. Except in his day, he had to do so much because Chelsea didn't want anyone else not defending.
De Stefano too
@@stefankatsarov5806Di Stefano was slightly different. He was unlikely to run in behind the defence. Instead he was more of a Christian Eriskon, dropped incredibly deep(sometimes getting the ball from his center backs) and dictated play. He was less a false 9 than he was a shadow 10( if that makes any sense).
The Drogba/Lampard duo is still my favourite of all time
Amazing tactical analysis
Great video!
So nicely explained
Really enjoyed this analysis
The part that is crazy about all this is, when you look at how the striker position has evolved, its almost as if the striker is giving way for the more explosive wingers (ie Salah, CR7, Mane) to wreak havoc on the spaces available. Most of the wingers became top scorers in the systems they played, and strikers became playmakers. Makes it crazy how Messi was able to bridge both roles. He perfected that role by his sheer talent, and I doubt there will ever be a false 9 like Messi.
Lol, mature Messi could recover the ball, dribble half the team and score and for 90 minutes...
Sadly it was not as effective as many would think. So he decided to just focus on attacking middlefield.
Great video buddy 👌
One of the best videos on football I have ever seen❤❤❤❤
I reckon that's your best ever video, loved it
Love that point of view at the end
Amazing video❤
what an awesome video! that why i love you gus
Really good video and presenter!!
I would watch an hour of this but about the evolution of football tactics in general around the world.
There's a debate that the tactics initially adapt to the players, not the other way round
Messi is a great example of this, Messi is a great passer and playmaker he can create chances very well but he is also an amazing goalscorer so what does Pep do. Put him in a role where he can do both.
One of the best Tifo videos to date
I'm glad to have seen the back of the tiki taki play. Tedious to watch.
think this is my favourite tifo video, loved it!
I remember Messi having played as a false 9 with Eto‘o and Henry as some hybrid of wingers and left/right striker. Especially I remember Messi rotating with on paper No. 9 Eto‘o to put the goat in that central false 9 position.
Great content 👌
Does each striker evolution have a knock on effect on the nature of the winger then? The false 9 dictated quick clinical inverted wingers like CR7 and Salah. While the traditional more poacher like striker requires a more creative old school winger that can cut inside and shoot and also beat a fullback and put in a cross (Grealish Kvaratskhelia etc)
Unreal video, any link between the CM’s becoming the press instigators, slowly leading to that becoming a Cm/Cdm who controls all team actions across the pitch? (Rodri, Bellingham, Rice, Bruno G etc?)
Probably not a main factor but I’m interested to see how much these players dictate the actions of a team moving forward as Guardiola deploys different positions in that pivot role, always fascinating to see who progresses the ball and keeps a team regulated..?
Let me know your thoughts? 👀
That 2012 spain was wild, that was a 2-8-0 formation
That Coentrão shade, like he was some Harry Maguire...
This video forgets the 90s saw emergence of strikers like Cantona, Ronaldo, Romario, Weah, Raúl that played outside the box.
That's 30 years ago. Might as well bring George Best and Maradona at that point.
You’re also missing the point. This isn’t that new of trend
the line “football is all about space” must be etched in stone and hung up in a museum
one of your best videos
I think a lot of these fluctuations at the highest level, apart from being tactically motivated, are also influenced by the player pool available. There was a 5-6 period where no top stikers appeared at the highest level. Also, really doubt that Haaland is a trend, and not just a complete outlier.
Amazing everything! (Except for the chopchopnoodle bg music from somewhere bland..)
Man why did you have to do Haaland that dirty on the thumbnails lol, looks like Big Brain or Cone heads 😂😂
Football is just like life, what you think is "modern" is just a cyclical trend.
Busi , Xavi , Iniesta and Messi diamond is a gift from the football gods
You had me right up until 9:00 genuinely thought you were talking about Kane there. Haaland, from what I've seen anyway does pretty much all of his work inside the box and very little build up play.
Part of the reason why Haaland is in the box more than other strikers is because City suffocates their opponents in their own half, the people who call him a tap-in merchant clearly didn't watch him at Dortmund. Kane is an outstanding forward, but he doesn't fit the kind of "modern-day striker" mold that's being talked about here
@@Flash4MLHaaland is rarely involved in link up play though. Regardless if he is making runs or playing as a traditional poacher he is not a player that will go back to link up with the midfield. Actually, I feel Julian Álvarez does that a lot more than Haaland.
@@auguschm Again, imo the reason for this is more down to the system than Haaland's capabilities, though his greatest attribute certainly is his ability to score. City plays possession football high up the pitch and Haaland has been used in that system as the wrecking ball up front, mostly in the box, and 52 goals later, who can fault him? However, in the 4-1 game against Arsenal, to pick one example, he played a much more involved role, creating interplay with KDB which Arsenal simply couldn't handle. I think Haaland has the ability, or at least the potential to develop it, it's just that his raw goalscoring ability simply outweighs the benefits he would offer in a more supportive role
Things usually come full cycle e.g Defensive Fullbacks are kind off having a comeback, the classic 9 is back.
Wanted to learn more about how pep made gundogan and Silva goal scoring machines
I can’t wait to see which position gets revolutionized to change up the game. My current shout is modern wing backs who are just as good as wingers but need to defend.
The premier league ain’t ready for Nicholas Jackson
Agree, Vardy - The human whippet and teams never seemed to adapt to that fact.
The big difference is: Big + Fast so can link, target man for long ball, do what Vardy was doing ie rabbit through the defence etc.
That said apart from rocket pace, as others said, Drogba already had all these qualities and was skillful and could defend. His heading was almost as good as Shearer's. With that said Haarland does not have great technique now, I'm sure he'll end up getting more headers in the future due to his size and improving his technique.
Osimhen is more of a speed plus reflexes player, his poaching is a combination of faster reflexes and speed and wiry limbs for dinking the ball and he can jump and hang in the air for headers very well.
As ever, a lot of what is possible reflects the attributes of the given players available. Messi is still a nightmare with that low centre of gravity making him almost impossible to tackle, then his speed of pivot-rotation and then finally his short-backlift preventing the goal-keeper reading his short soon enough with his accuracy.
Horses for courses.
In modern football, still a fan of a speedy striker, as mistakes by defences or playing out from the back or deep press can all be punished by such a player and that is an enormous threat/distraction/potential goal source no matter how good a team is. Bayern seem to have tried to go this route with some of their young speedsters (multiple)?
With that said, I think the striker who is a dead-eye marksman in the box and has speed and if possible like Haarland has size, it takes so much pressure off the rest of the team, almost doubles options to break down a team and score: Individual solo virtuoso effort or elaborate team tactical masterclass in coaching combo effort.
Vardy is the perfect 9 for a counter attacking side.
@@prometheustv6558 I think it was the season before Leicester won? Anyway I saw Vardy do his human whippet goals several week-ends in a row and I thought to myself: Who is this guy? He's dangerous! Proved to be a real talisman. Whatever anyone says, goals can turn football on its head.
With your comments on Haaland looking at how the team performed in semi final vs Real Madrid and inter final captures what you said. With Haaland being focal point it enables team to carry you better game plan with mostly two defenders on Haaland.
Thing is City were the highest scorers without Haaland coming in but he does bring more than goals which make him invaluable as decoy…
@@Saeroye I was really surprised he did not get a goal in the SF or the F: Over 3 games he had numerous chances so it was surprising he did not get one of those high value chances either heading or striking in the box at the end of a move. Additionally as you say he took a lot of focus from the central defenders and pushed back both Real and Inter in the final making it easier for City to cross or progress thus indirect contribution.
It will be interesting to see the stats going forwards for him. Pep really learnt imho: He used to be "total midfield" but I think he learnt that heavy defence with a focal striker and the rest all adept in offence and midfield provides more effective attacking and more effective defending for those crucial marginal moments to tip the balance City's way. Think last season proved that. And Haarland was a critical piece in that puzzle.
@@commentarytalk1446 Exactly. This is what Sir Alex Ferguson said with defence winning you titles whilst attack wins you games. Pep falling in love with proper defending, incoming potential signing of Guvardiol will build on this defensive solidarity. Guvardiol’s defence splitting passes and overall attacking talent will probably see him do what Stones did but with more devastating effect.
The constant evolution we are seeing with Peps team being distinct is remarkable. It is noticeable with the profile of players changing in size yet technically talented but physical side to the game has evolved too from small players in the paste. Pep is true master of the game.
Wish Tifo would do a video appreciating drogba
Great video, well presented and explained….But can we also bring back the Scottish lass with the sari every now and again?
JJ Bull is better (the guy who did the Fabinho vid)
@@txlmu JJ is best, followed closely by the goblin king.
I feel like the world in every way is going from analogue to digital. That feel and impressiveness of skill from analog footballers is gone and we now just have machines running the field
lmaooo
@@ImaybeNormalstill no one is close to ronaldo, Messi or any other greats in this generation. Even haaland is not that impressive despite scoring goals like machine.
Anyone already typed the massive list of players who'd played as withdrawn strikers/false 9s going back decades before Pep is bizarrely given credit for inventing something that goes back to Eastern European teams as far back as the 30s?
Mentoning complete strikers and forgetting to mention Harry Kane is actually mind blowing
Who is that ? Did he won anything?
What about Suarez??
Suarez won the treble at Barcelona@@salvadorgrimaldo2127
Based on this analysis... Nicolas Jackson is definitely one to watch this season
Had the same thought, in the opener against Liverpool he kept their back line honest.
Question is…where does the game evolve to next? Does Wengers new offside rule change things? If so, how??
Such a pleasant material. Thank you for it!
Well when you put it like that.....
The price tag might just be worth it
False 9 has been done before 2010 spain, but i guess he didn’t want to give a history lesson.
There’s been complete strikers also. For example
R9, Henry, Rooney, shevcenko, Eto’o etc etc
Imagine these guys making a career mode game with proper game development
The thumbnail on this is a freakin jump scare
I understand how this video was set up but I am amazed that there is no mention of harry kane
Messi straight up walked on the pitch and scored 91 goals dude is a freak, fan or not just mad respect for him.
He scored 74 goals in one season for Barcelona
shearer, Rooney, tevez, Totti, Cantona, Henry, Ibrahimovic, Trezeguet, Ronaldo 9, Baggio, rivaldo, etc. name your striker from any time except the peak 09-2014 Barcelona/spain years and the most expensive players on the planet were "complete strikers" who excelled at linking play, running channels, goalscoring, etc. Haaland, Kane, et al aren't some new kind of freak, they're just a return to the norm.
Benzema pivoting from a false nine-like role, to a more traditional nimbler 9 role and then winning the ballon d’or… 🤯🤌🏿
how does Kane not get mentioned here just baffles me?
Tifo hates Spurs, or atleast nit interested to talk about them. The description of a Complete striker fits more on Kane, then anyone else mentioned.
Arguably they dont deserve it, but in the market we use, that is the value og their skilset
Lukaku would have thrived had it not been for his bad judgment and commitmment issues. He's fast. He's strong and although he has a bad first touch, he can actually pass well when he has the ball at his feet.
Belgium really use his strengths really well, it's a shame most teams tried to make him fit the way wanted in their system and not come to a compromise that would work for both club and Lukaku
Ronaldo, Romário and Van Basten did all the things that modern strikers do.
Romário was boring.
Van Basten short career
Ronaldo was brilliant
Like the new guy!
Essentially Drogba is the modern striker
Also van nistelrooy always going wide linking with midfielders and always creating space beckham or giggs and then going back to box and score a goal
The fact that Ronaldo was a side note in this video is just mind boggling.
Are traditional 9s coming back 👀
Great video but Harry Kane deserved a mention.
Then there’s Harry Kane who can do any role as a striker that you need him to
Man did a 10+ min strike revolution video and didn’t mention Harry Edward Kane…
Even kane too
Bring the Miroslav Klose style back
But where are we going next?
And the next evolution is that these do everything strikers become so expensive and actually aren't amazing at their jobs, that we return to a hold up striker working with a true number 10.
How are you this wrong?
This modern 'striker' role begins back with Shevechenko at AC Milan
Messi was an inside right at most like
Wtf is this
What about Kane and Suarez?
Haaland combination game isnt as good, so i wouldnt say he is the complete striker. Some one like Eto, would could score, dribble, assist, pass and pass is a complete striker.
We saw a bit of this in Haaland at dortmund, but not so much at man city... Still has many years though...
This man scares me! 😅
Ranks FC represent!
Adriano: the emperor
Messi had a dream that he was as good as Haaland but then he woke up
Remember when Sam used to put out silly articles for clicks, he’s come a long way
2013 wasn't lewy last season at bvb youre confusing him with gotze