More than 100 years have passed since the birth of modern football, and after more than a century of development and evolution, today's football is already a highly mature sport. The various tactical roles in different positions on the green field have also evolved with the development of football.
While the original centre-backs were only responsible for defending the opposing attack, the modern centre-backs were often involved in the team's attack, taking on a part of the task of shooting, organizing and even launching the attack; the B2B midfielders accepted the fact that they could not control the central area of the stadium forever; and even the goalkeepers suffered a "midlife crisis" - the goalkeepers who were once accustomed to being active in the box had to expand their range of activities further, and in some extreme cases even mentioned the position near the center line.
In the evolution of all positions, the growth story of the two forwards is almost unique. Classical strikers, characterized by their strong bodies and physical strength, have a hard time seeing their original shadow from the modern "number nine and a half". What would a classical centre-forward like England star Nat Lofthouse think of Reds striker Firmino? While constantly changing, the modern striker has also retained many indelible habits inherited from antiquity, and Firmino is a typical representative of this change and inheritance.
Firmino is the perfect example of the original form of the modern striker
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > forwards control the midfield, and Chapman, the godfather of the Gunners, opens the door to a new world</h1>
Due to the continuous refinement of the division of modern football for field position and tactical roles, the number of times "two strikers" as a relatively general concept has become less and less frequent, but the two forwards are still of great significance in the history of the development and evolution of the forward position. The two forwards are the bridge between the "infancy" and the "youth" of the forward positions, and with the existence of the two forwards, we can draw a line throughout the evolutionary history of the forwards.
In the ancient days of football, the 2-3-5 formation of five strikers lined up on the forward line was all the rage. But the dominance of such formations made the tactics too single, and also led to the lack of tactical depth of football, an emerging sport at the time.
The 2-3-5 formation that was popular at the beginning of the birth of football
Thanks to the contributions of countless pioneers to the development and progress of football, as future generations, we can stand effortlessly on the shoulders of giants. Fans now generally know that a team can't simply lay out two or more strikers flat on the front line. To improve the team's offensive efficiency, there must be someone in charge of connecting transitions in the attack, shuttling back and forth in midfield. This person would also do well to create space for his teammates with his back to goal and occasionally share some defensive work.
In the 1930s, there was finally a "macho man" who opened the door to a new world for the development of football, especially football tactics, and this person was herbert Chapman, the legendary Arsenal manager known as the "father of the current football formation".
Chapman, the godfather of the gunners who built the first dynasty of English football
Chapman was the first head coach to try to increase the use of space between the forward line and the midfield in practice – he pulled back two of the two inside forwards in the 2-3-5 formation into the midfield, creating the famous "W-M" formation (3-2-2-3).
Chapman's "W-M" formation
There is no clear content in Chapman's theory about how to support the striker or the striker as the offensive fulcrum in attack, but the "discovery" of the Gunners' godfather has attracted the attention of other football powers and opened up entirely new areas for tactical changes in formations on the green field. Soon after, a number of new formations based on "W-M" began to emerge and began to explore the concept of auxiliary attackers in their respective systems.
< h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > eight immortals across the sea have their own magic, and the football power has pushed the second striker to the stage of history</h1>
At the 1938 Fifa World Cup in France, the kingdom of football, Brazil, lifted one of the two interior strikers who had retreated in the "W-M" formation behind the center forward, forming an attacking combination in the middle. The infielder, who appeared behind the centre-forward, was known as the "spear tip" (ponta de lança), and it was in this position that Pele appeared to destroy the city for the Samba Army.
The Austrian national team also has a great forward who is ghostly and difficult to guard against in the interior position – Matthias Sindelar, a famous Austrian football player known as the "Der Paperiene".
The "paper man" Matthias Sindrar, who ranks sixth in the Austrian national team's all-time top scorer list
Hungary, the world's top powerhouse in the 1950s, defeated England, the birthplace of modern football, 6-3 in London with an improved "W-M" formation, and also broke the latter's unbeaten golden body at Wembley Stadium for nearly a century. Hungarian legend Nándor Hidegkuti, who is a retreating interior striker, did whatever he wanted during the game, and the Three Lions didn't even know who to send to keep an eye on him.
Probably the first Hungarian attacker in the history of football: Hidegutti
In various improved formations based on the "W-M" formation, there are different fine-tunings to the traditional front line of three strikers and two internal fronts, but these unique fine-tuning have promoted the development of football after puberty. The responsibilities of the striker have gradually become more abundant from scoring goals, while the range of activities of the striker has gradually expanded, and the striker can maximize his efficiency in a wider area.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > can destroy the city, retreat can brew a killing machine, and swim between the forward line and the midfield</h1>
The concept of two strikers was officially formed after the popularity of the 4-4-2 formation, which originally referred to the striker who was relatively behind in the traditional 4-4-2 formation. With the four-back configuration going mainstream, many teams are hoping to build a more efficient forward combination in attack.
Many teams have begun to try to pair a tall, strong player with a small player with a good ball dealer, and the small two forwards who have a good overall view and smart playing style selflessly create opportunities for the team. Liverpool, a Reds who built their dynasty in the 1970s, adopted such a configuration – the forward combination of tall John Toshack and flexible Kevin Keegan was invincible.
The Reds forward combination that won the nickname "Batman and Robin"
Another combination of the two-striker configuration is to have a not-so-tall two-striker selflessly create opportunities for another striker. The Brazilian national team, which dominated the world at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, took this line of thinking to the extreme. The Sambas' forwarding combination at the time was the famous ball king Pele and his "vice king" Tostão, and although neither of them was a tall striker, both legendary stars had outstanding personal abilities and a big picture view, which could create opportunities for each other and other teammates.
Bailey and Tosdowne
Although not all teams have a two-man frontal configuration, the idea that led to the birth of the two forwards is also reflected in other tactical innovations of this era. No one in the world can guarantee dutch legend Cruyff as a wingman, but Cruyff, who wears the no. 9 shirt that symbolizes the traditional center forward, is more active in the midfield area, turning the other side's defense with his excellent skills and dazzling dribbling.
Dutch legend Cruyff, who wears the no. 9 but is not a traditional center forward
<h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > the development of the forward midfield, and the two forwards scored a shoulder to shoulder</h1>
Over time, the responsibilities of the forward position have also evolved, from the original original form to the modern striker, a process that is even independent of the development of football as a whole to some extent.
In Serie A in the 1990s, when the 3-4-1-2 formation replaced the classic 4-4-2 formation, the title of two striker was increasingly imposed on the outstanding No. 10 players such as Robert Baggio, Zidane and Boban. Although their positions vary and their technical characteristics vary, the common trend they show is clear: they have different from the traditional classical front, with a greater range of motion and more comprehensive offensive capabilities.
Robert Baggio, two striker or No. 10?
By this time, the boundaries of position on the pitch were blurred, and the strong, physically energetic deep-lying forward was replaced by the relatively "lazy" trequartista. This change brings the striker, who is in charge of assisting the attack, closer to the offensive midfielder. When the two strikers really began to take on greater organizational responsibilities, the character had the ambition to adapt to modern football.
Although the traditional No. 10 (classical front) survived in the first decade of the twenty-first century, classical strikers like Riquelme have a smaller and smaller foothold on the field. Modern football, which is becoming more mature in terms of tactics and player positions, requires players to take on clear and detailed positional responsibilities, rather than sharing only limited defensive tasks and wandering aimlessly on the pitch at certain moments.
The classical front waist represented by Riquelme (the traditional No. 10 position) gradually faded out of the historical stage
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > perfectly adapted to the talent of heaven, Guardiola tailored the "pseudo-nine" for Messi</h1>
Guardiola's genius in creating the "Pseudo-Nine" is that he borrowed and refined the roles of Sindrar, Hidegutti and later Cruyff on the pitch, taking this almost paranoid trust in talented players to the extreme in ways that have been used in the past.
Guardiola and Messi bring glory to Barcelona
Although Messi is named Barca's "two striker", in fact, his role is not a complete striker at all. Messi will force the defenders to follow him to high positions by retreating to midfield to pick up the ball, so that Barca's wingers will have plenty of space, and then Messi, the top chance creator in the history of world football, will see the opportunity to send the football to the feet of Barca's other forwards to complete the fatal blow.
Messi, who plays the "pseudo-nine", is the absolute core of Barca's attack
Like the pioneers of the second striker role, Messi, who plays the pseudo-nine, does everything he can to disrupt the opponent's defenses. This is Guardiola's favorite tactic in key games, and to achieve this tactic you need an extremely good player who needs a top position sense comparable to Messi, excellent high-speed dribbling ability and offensive organization. Many teams have imitated Barcelona to try the pseudo-nine tactic, but because Messi has only one, these imitations often become the east of the imitation, not only did not achieve the desired effect, but they lost a striker in the attack.
<h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > selfless sacrifices helped the wings take off, Firmino was a key figure in the Red Army's offensive system</h1>
New Premier League champions Liverpool striker Firmino is one of the most iconic players in today's football for the role of two strikers. Bayern centre-forward Lewandowski's brilliant performances this season have once again made Poacher a hot topic of discussion, and the Polish striker is widely regarded as the best striker in Europe this season. Firmino, on the other hand, is often ridiculed for his relatively small number of goals. So what's the point of organizing an attack around a goalscorer like Firmino who doesn't score a lot?
Also a two-forward, Firmino is different from the "pseudo-nine" Messi
This is the key to Liverpool's success: Firmino's maturity, humility and self-sacrifice allow him to accept the role of "two striker" and take on the responsibilities that the team needs to take on the opposing defense and organize the attack. Firmino selflessly sacrificed personal data, but from the point of view of the team as a whole, he maximised his influence in the game and also allowed Liverpool to get a better return. Salah and Mane were able to achieve the luxurious stats of 20+ goals for many consecutive seasons, inseparable from Firmino's sacrifice and contribution.
Salah and Mane's eye-catching stats are inseparable from Firmino's support
Firmino's ingenuity and professionalism helped him become a combination of Tosten and Toshak – pressing the opposing defender high after losing possession, and then becoming the No. 10 player who created space for his teammates when Liverpool had the ball.
Firmino can freely admit that he is far from the most talented player, but he has found a way to perfectly combine the pivot forward with the number nine and a half. This will not only give Firmino the ability to score goals, but also allow Firmino to create more scoring opportunities for his teammates.
With the development of football to the modern era, the two forwards have gradually broken away from the definition of "forward" and gradually become a position that is both different from the forward and the midfield and links the two. The two strikers in modern football have become synonymous with the team's offensive core, often retreating to the midfield organization and sending key passes, as well as inserting points at the right time to complete the finish in front of goal. It is precisely because of this positional characteristic that the second striker is often played by excellent players in the team with good skills and a big picture view. The players who can be among the top two strikers are all talented. In this unique position on the green field, they take us to feel the charm of football with their pleasing performances.
Text/Supse - LingBo but Hengtang Road