Post Match Leicester 2 Tottenham 1

[big_mac4824]

keeper number 1
Full backs 2 and 3
Centre backs 5 and 6
Wingers 7 and 11
Central midfield 4 and 8
Centre forward number 9
Support striker or playmaker (depending on formation) number 10

Was Lineker a number 10? I would never have classed him as a play maker or support striker. I agree Maddison is better in the centre.

 

[big_mac4824]

Some teams had 4 and 5 at the back, others had 5 and 6. It comes from when 2-3-5 (known at the time as 'the pyramid' rather than numerically) gave way to the W-M formation, which then gave way to 4-2-4 and then 4-4-2.

Players were numbered:

11 10 9 8 7
6 5 4
3 2
1​

To begin with, 2 and 3 were full-backs, 4, 5 and 6 were half-backs. The middle one (the centre-half, a term still occassionally used to refer to central defenders) was pulled to the back line by Herbert Chapman when the offside law was liberalised in the 1920s to just two defenders between the attacking player and the goalline while the inside right (8) was pulled back to cover. This was populised as the W-M and left players numbered:

11 9 7
10 8
6 4
3 5 2
1​

In the 1958 World Cup Brazil pushed another half back into the backline, and pushed the 8 back to cover again. Other teams copied, leading to 4-2-4 and depending on whether you pushed back your left-half or your right-half 6 or 4 became another centre-half:

11 10 9 7
8 4
3 6 5 2
1​

In 1966 Alf Ramsey's side were known as the 'wingless wonders' as he pushed them back to play a more active part in all parts of the game. I don't remember what happened to Ramsey's team, but this style of play became the standard pattern of play in England until at least the late 80s:

10 9
11 8 4 7
3 6 5 2
1​

By the time the game became more tactically varied in this country, with 3-5-2, 4-5-1, 4-2-3-1, 3-3-3-1 and so on, squad numbering was common place.

Interestingly when playing 3-5-2 and there is a counter account by the opposing side, the formation nearly always reverts back to a 4-4-2 whether that is by a lack of discipline or circumstance. I think you could argue the point that Ramsey's formation lasted well into the mid 90's

 

[jb5000]

Interestingly when playing 3-5-2 and there is a counter account by the opposing side, the formation nearly always reverts back to a 4-4-2 whether that is by a lack of discipline or circumstance. I think you could argue the point that Ramsey's formation lasted well into the mid 90's

I remember a team playing 4-4-2 doing rather well more recently than that - there are always throwbacks, early adopters and variants on themes though. If you're interested in going into depth I recommend Johnathan Wilson's book 'Inverting the Pyramid'

 

[jb5000]

Was Lineker a number 10? I would never have classed him as a play maker or support striker. I agree Maddison is better in the centre.

At Barcelona he was regularly played on the right of a 4-3-3...

 

[Jeff]

Was Lineker a number 10?

He usually wore 8 for Leicester.

 

[big_mac4824]

I remember a team playing 4-4-2 doing rather well more recently than that - there are always throwbacks, early adopters and variants on themes though. If you're interested in going into depth I recommend Johnathan Wilson's book 'Inverting the Pyramid'

Many thanks I will have a butchers.

 

[OldGit]

Arthur Rowley 10
Ian McNiel 8

Just to prove that how you see it depends on where you started from. Using the numbers in this way is fairly recent, long after shirt numbers ceased to mean anything. There will always be people who need to introduce jargon to indicate their superior standing - and not just in football.

Give it a couple of years and using the numbers will define you as out of touch

 

[jb5000]

While I agree with you about the use of 8 and 10, the idea of a 'big number 9' isn't recent or something that's just talked about in Newcastle. I also remember Brian Clough saying that the most important player on any of his teams was the number 5.

 

[M17TT C]

'cultured footballer' is one of my favourite football-isms that make little sense in the real world.

Isn't every footballer a cultured footballer but depending where they learnt their trade will define their culture.

Tard arse commentators use it for Jonny Foreigner or a UK based player that isn't a kick and run player.

 

[Hector]

keeper number 1
Full backs 2 and 3
Centre backs 5 and 6
Wingers 7 and 11
Central midfield 4 and 8
Centre forward number 9
Support striker or playmaker (depending on formation) number 10

That's how it was in my early days. Centre backs: Sjoberg: No. 5, Cross: No. 6

 

[Jeff]

the idea of a 'big number 9' isn't recent or something that's just talked about in Newcastle

I'm in Newcastle at the moment and I haven't heard a single person talk about a big number 9.

 

[Robin127]

Is a "big number 9" not quite a 10?

 

[Volpone]

When I was at primary school (a long time ago) all teams had the following line-up.

GK

Right full back 2 Left full back 3

Right half back 4 Centre Half 5 Left Half back 6

Outside Right 7 Inside Right 8 Centre Forward 9 Inside Left 10 Outside Left 11

Does that mean we played in a 2-3-5 formation? Anyone remember this?

Just curious!

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

When I was at primary school (a long time ago) all teams had the following line-up.

GK

Right full back 2 Left full back 3

Right half back 4 Centre Half 5 Left Half back 6

Outside Right 7 Inside Right 8 Centre Forward 9 Inside Left 10 Outside Left 11

Does that mean we played in a 2-3-5 formation? Anyone remember this?

Just curious!

Right Half and Inside Right switched during games to the consternation of the opposition for about five seasons. Inside Right was bigger, a good tackler and had a piledriver shot. Inside left better passer and set up attacks. All were Scottish.

 

[Skitzo]

Is a "big number 9" not quite a 10?

a big number 9 is a target man

 

[SJN-Fox]

Is a "big number 9" not quite a 10?

I’ve just had a big number 2.

 

[Robin127]

a big number 9 is a target man

Whoosh.

 

[pork pie fox]

What about a false 9, eh?

 

[bocadillo]

There will always be people who need to introduce jargon to indicate their superior standing

At last - something I can agree with!

 

[Miles Away]

trequartista???