Who's for a 'False 9'

[JDV]

Not wining anything this season - best hope is recruitment much better next Summer

At least your consistent with your profile name. We'll be fine, just need more time to get used to the adjustments. KDB being injured plus a Rodri red card has put in a very tough position.

 

[Bill Walker]

At least your consistent with your profile name. We'll be fine, just need more time to get used to the adjustments. KDB being injured plus a Rodri red card has put in a very tough position.

Absolutely agree. No need to panic about anything. All will be well, we have the best manager in the world. I think we win the CL and EPL this season.

 

[Chi-town blues]

“ false 9” sounds like a cock enhancement pill ad you see on tv during odd late night hours.

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Don’t worry, just for 8 easy payment of only $69 , you can have your “ false 9” cock booster snake oil at your door step. Pick up the phone and call now”

 

[I'm With Stupid]

The problem we've got is that we've lost so many players capable of delivering the sort of ball that Haaland thrives on. De Bruyne, obviously, but compare Walker and Gvardiol crossing it to Cancelo doing the same. Mahrez was also capable of a wicked cross when he could be arsed. And then when it comes to through balls and intricate play around the box, we've still got the skillful players (Doku, Grealish, Bernardo), but other than Foden, I'd argue we don't really have that vision to spot the pass and execute it that Gundo had. Arguably Rodri is now our best player in that deeper creative role, which means when he's out, you're not just losing the best defensive midfielder in the league, you're also losing a lot of our deeper creative play. Him being out means that someone like Bernardo has to play deeper, meaning we're losing one of our biggest threats in the final third. Stones made a huge difference when he came on yesterday in terms of positive passes, and he's a defender playing out of position.

Basically, we're playing with four CBs now, and that means we lose a lot of support going forward. And that's fine when you have world class midfielders and forward players. But when you creative outlets are Kovacic and Nunes in a new team, a 21 year-old kid in a new league, and a second striker (as well as he's done) basically learning the position, and you're away from home against the second best team in the league, you might struggle to create chances. And if you struggle to create chances, Haaland won't do a lot. The other issue is that if there are a lack of legitimate goal threats elsewhere on the pitch, then defences can focus on Haaland. When you have Gundo, De Bruyne, Mahrez and Foden running at you, it's hard for defenders to put all of their focus on Haaland, because someone else will score. When you replace two of those with Lewis and Kovacic, even with the addition of Alvarez, it suddenly becomes a bit easier to focus on marking the two strikers.

But let's be honest, we lost 1-0 away to our main rivals from last season when we had a fair few injuries, and they scored from a stuffy goal and had not a lot of other clear opportunities. We were shite yesterday, but I wasn't watching them and thinking I was watching the champions-elect or something.

 

[Pubteam Lomas]

Agree with @I'm With Stupid
We've lost a lot of creativity.
Pep is also trying to shoehorn Alvarez and Foden into same set up. Now that'll work with Rodri but yesterday it nullified Foden, particularly, because he was required inside.
Also with both Kovacic and Bernardo on early bookings they needed more help as they couldn't make another tackle.
Result big gap between midfield on forwards an isolation for Haaland.

 

[Derek Parlane]

When it's not working for you through the middle go out wide taking 2 players with you and creating space for others....easy and worrh a try

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

We won the treble with a no.9 and people prefer the false 9 return?

We won the treble with a no.9 who had a supply line….

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Let's drop the premier league top marksman what a masterplan

You say ‘drop’, but maybe we could give him a game where he doesn’t play. Maybe call it a ‘rest’ or ‘rotation’. Try some different tactics (what tactics have worked recently in the Prem?) and bring him on, which will get the crowd up and will bring a different dimension depending on how the game’s going… just for one game against Brighton. Maybe even rest him full stop against Brighton, if it’s going well.

Doesn’t have to be a false 9, mind. Play Álvarez up front from the start.

Then when we start Håland away at United, maybe we could actually pretend he’s on the pitch and play some sort of football that involves him.

Bang in his prime, when he was actually going for the City scoring record in 2017-18, Agüero was rested/rotated in four Prem games (Stoke, West Brom, Leicester and United) and two CL games (Napoli and Basel).

You can’t just pay these blokes every week. Rodri said as much in the Summer. Sometimes they need resting/rotating to freshen up their focus and muscles/energy levels and not expect them to just do it every game. Sometimes we need to freshen up some tactics and go for something a bit different.

People shouldn’t think of it as them being dropped, just sounds like a negative when squad rotation is a positive.

 

[jacko74]

Maybe Pep should give him that false number 9 freedom.
Problem solved.

I like this idea.

The opposition will be so distracted trying to mentally grapple with the metaphysical concept of a no.9 who's actually a false no.9, or is he an actual no.9? Or is he a false no.9 playing as an actual no.9?.. Their heads will implode.

 

[El Gringo]

I’d rather we actually tried to play it up to him and cross it in for him.

This