What Does It Do? - The False Nine

By Luke - The Football Manager Addicts and Luke's Stories of An FM Addict

Welcome to the five blog of 'What Does It Do?'! My blog series was set up because I had been getting a growing number of requests to talk about how tactics work on Football Manager and insights into what I'm thinking when I'm making my wacky formations!

Today I'm going to tell you all about how best to deploy the player role 'false 9'.

Football Managers Definition.

 

'The False Nine, in some ways, similar to a more advanced attacking midfielder/playmaker role, is an unconventional lone striker or centre forward who drops deep into midfield. The purpose of this is that it creates a problem for the opposing central defenders who can either follow them - leaving space behind them for the onrushing midfielders, forwards or wingers to exploit - or leave him to have time and space to dribble or pick out a pass.'

 

My Definition.

 

The False Nine is a striker who is, pretty much, given a free role. The idea of a False Nine is to confuse the defenders: resulting in space to get in behind. However not all F9's are small, extremely talented footballers; they can also be your big bruising target men! If you deploy a more physical striker as a False Nine he will look to flick the ball on to his teammates, again exploiting gaps behind the defence.



Chalk and Cheese...

 

Andy Carrol or Lionel Messi? Sam Allardyce or Pep Guardiola? Tough choice, right? Well that's a decision you'll have to make if you want to use this intriguing role!

 

Here are two tactics I've made incorporating the False Nine...

 

Chalk

My first tactic for you guys is, well, chalky? It'll produce dull, mundane football but will grind you out results...

 

Who can beat a 4-3-3, eh?

This formation (although I've used it very little) works really well! The ethos of this tactic is very much 'smash and grab'!

 

Your players will boot it straight up field to your striker, who will flick it on and then your wingers (should) have a 2 v 1! Defensively your side will also compact and make it very difficult: you'll form a 5-2-3...

 

Cheese

Here's my second tactic...

 

Less Alardyce... More Pep!

This bad boy is more Barca then Stoke! The hole idea of the tactic is that you keep possession: with your False Nine roaming free!

 

Your False Nine and Shadow Striker will complement each other perfectly; one sitting and one pushing on! Your wide men are pretty standard, they will buzz up and down looking to either put the ball into the box or recycle the play!

 

Piece Of Cake!

 

That's all for now I'll be back next Monday at five!

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