Forward (association football)

The forward (in red) is past the defence (in white) and is about to take a shot at the goal. The goalkeeper will attempt to stop the forward from scoring a goal by preventing the ball from passing over the goal line beneath the crossbar.

Forwards, also known as attackers and strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. This very advanced position and its limited defensive responsibilities mean forwards normally score more goals than other players; accordingly, they are often among the best-known and most expensive players in their teams. This is one of modern football's most demanding positions; it requires intelligence and speed, both of execution and of thought, to perform the role well.

Modern team formations usually include one to three forwards; two is the most common. Coaches typically field one striker who plays in an advanced position (the centre forward), and another attacking forward who plays somewhat deeper and assists in making goals as well as scoring (the second striker).

Centre forward

The centre forward is often a tall player, typically known as a target man, who is used to win long balls or receive passes and "hold up" the ball as team-mates advance, to help teammates score by providing a pass ('through ball' into the box), or to score himself; the latter variation usually requiring quicker pace. Some forwards operate on the wings of the field and work their way goalward. A centre forward usually must be strong, to win key headers and 'outmuscle' defenders.

The term centre forward is taken from the early football playing formation in which there were five forward players: two Outside forwards, two inside forwards, and one centre forward. When numbers were introduced in the 1933 English FA Cup final, one of the two centre forwards that day wore the number nine and the number would then become synonymous with the centre forward position (only one that day because one team was numbered 1-11 whilst the other was numbered 12-22). The modern era has different formations and has squad numbers rather than numbers 1-11, but some positions still retain their original numbers and a traditional centre forward or target man is often found wearing the number nine.

Striker

The striker however varies greatly from the centre-forward. Strikers are more known for their ability to peel off defenders and to run into space via the blind side of the defender and to receive the ball in a good goalscoring position. They are typically fast players with decent ball control and dribbling abilities. A good striker should be able to shoot confidently with both feet, possess great power and accuracy, and have the ability to slot the ball under pressure in breakaway situations.

Second striker

A striker scoring a goal (Lionel Messi)

Deep-lying forwards have a long history in the game, but the terminology to describe them has varied over the years. Originally such players were termed inside forwards, or deep-lying centre forwards. More recently, two more variations of this old type of player have developed: the second or shadow or support or auxiliary striker and, in what is arguably a distinct position unto its own, the Number 10, the trequaresta who are often described to be attacking midfielders or playmakers, an advanced as opposed to a deep-lying playmaker.

The second striker position is a loosely-defined and often misapplied one somewhere between the out-and-out striker, whether he is a target-man or more of a poacher, and the Number 10 or Trequartista, while possibly showing some of the characteristics of both. In fact, a coined term, the "nine-and-a-half", has been an attempt to define the position. Conceivably, a Number 10 can alternate as a second-striker provided that he is also a prolific goalscorer, otherwise a striker who can both score and create opportunities for a less versatile centre forward is more suited. This has been true of a natural trequartista like or Roberto Baggio or Francesco Totti who seldom played in a team formation which permitted him the creative license to play as a number 10 and so he adapted himself to the second-striker role. Second or support strikers do not tend to get as involved in the orchestration of attacks, nor bring as many other players into play, as the Number 10 since they do not have the range of vision, nor the burden of responsibility that the latter, around whom the team's attack is built, possess.^[1]

Combined attacking play

Successful attacks generally require the collaboration of many players, and goals can be made from the flanks or from the center, all in one movement. In the diagram shown, some of the most successful strikers of the 20th century help to create a goal for a midfielder. The fast German winger Libuda starts the move by floating a long cross to Seeler at the far post. Seeler heads down for Muller, who plays it back to midfielder Overath for a goal. Though considered a centre-forward, Seeler's dangerous aerial skills created countless chances for his team-mates. Skillful combined play will see a centre-forward switch to a supporting role as the situation demands.

Winger

While the wing specialist position receives less emphasis in contemporary football, attacks from the flanks are a potent part of any offense. Germany's final goal of the 1974 World Cup was set up by a midfielder, Bonhof, who was set in motion by one of the last of the 'classic' international wingers - Jürgen Grabowski.

A winger is an attacking player who is stationed in a wide position near the touchlines. They can be classified as forwards, considering their origin as the old "outside-forward" position, and continue to be termed as such in most parts of the world, especially in Latin and Dutch footballing cultures. However, in the Anglo-Saxon world, they are usually counted as part of the midfield.

It is a winger's duty to beat opposing fullbacks, deliver cut-backs or crosses from wide positions and, to a lesser extent, to beat defenders and score from close range. They are usually some of the quickest players in the team and usually have good dribbling skills as well. In their Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese usage, the defensive duties of the winger have been usually confined to pressing the opposition fullbacks when they have the ball. Otherwise, a winger will drop closer to the midfield to make himself available, should his team win back the ball.

In British and other northern European styles of football, the wide-midfielder is expected to track back all the way to his own corner flag should his full-back require help, and also to track back his marker, as well as tucking into the midfield when the more central players are trying to pressure the opposition for the ball, a huge responsibility for attack-oriented players, and particularly those like Joaquín (winger/wide midfielder) or Lionel Messi (winger/second-striker) who lack the physical attributes of a wing-back or of a more orthodox midfield player. As these players grow older and lose their natural pace, they are frequently redeployed as Number 10s between the midfield and the forward line, where their innate ball control and improved reading of the game in the final third can serve to improve their teams' attacking options in tight spaces. An example is Internazionale use of veteran Luís Figo behind one or two other attackers.^[2]

In recent years there has been a trend of playing 'unorthodox' wingers - wide men stationed on the 'wrong' side of the pitch, in order to enable them to cut inside and shoot on their stronger foot and sometimes provide in-swinging crosses.

Strike teams and combinations

Holland's Johan Cruijff was often part of an effective strike combination

A strike team is two or more strikers that work well together to a devastating effect. The history of football has been filled with many effective combinations. Two-player partnerships, such as Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole of the 1999 Manchester United treble winning squad, are well known, but also important to any attack are bigger groups of players who form distinct strike packages. Three-man teams often operate in "triangles", giving a wealth of attacking options. Four-man packages expand options even more.

Whatever the number of players involved, the strikers must possess good technical skills, be creative and have a hunger for goal. Strikers must also be flexible, and be able to switch roles at a moment's notice, between the first (advanced penetrator position), second (deep-lying manoeuvre) and third (support and expansion, eg. wings) attacker roles.

Depicted is an illustration of strikers at work, from one of the most potent strike teams of the 20th century - Pelé, Jairzinho and Tostão of Brazil. During Brazil's 1970 campaign, centre-forward Tostão played the advanced penetration role of first attacker as described above in the article. Pelé often dropped back into midfield not only to escape tight marking but to draw his markers with him, opening gaps and helping create attacks. The third attacker- the winger Jairzinho, often took an advanced position but specialized in working the right side of the field.

Strikers at work showing rotation between first, second and third attacker roles

In the semi-final against the ultra-defensive Uruguay, it is Pelé who takes on the role of target man, dropping infield to receive from Jairzinho. Tostão becomes the second attacker and Pelé finds him with a soft back-heel. Jairzinho meanwhile becomes the most advanced man, sprinting far upfield to receive Tostão's pass. This tight exchange put Jair through for a score, and illustrates how three strikers can work together to blow open the tightest defences.

Another example was the Total Football played by the Dutch team in the 1970s, where the ability of their players, and in particular Johan Cruijff, to swap positions allowed a flexible attacking approach which opposition teams found difficult to effectively mark.

See also

• Association football positions
• Formation (association football)
• Long ball
• Goalkeeper (association football)

References