Big no.9

[Rednal Wolf]

What's Andy Carroll up to these days?

He's more of a number 2

 

[JOSWolf]

Vedat Muriqi? Moffi?

 

[Northampton_wolf]

No, Evan Ferguson lol

Good shout still going to cost us an arm a leg and a head

 

[Hanbury_Wolf]

We were linked with Moffi before. Would take him

 

[lets all have a disco]

We were linked with Moffi before. Would take him

Apparently doesn't want to leave France ...is the rumour....that why west ham etc failed..

 

[bod101]

Saw a very good article about this. Basically crossing died a death years ago and as a result of that + wanting to play out from the back CBs have become naturally smaller and less physical (basically footballers who would have become midfielders in another era).

well that's the point, the reason smaller tricky forwards and false nines worked was the CB were schooled in dealing with bigger old school forwards, the bigger old school forward now will have a field day as the defenders aren't used to dealing with that sort of player, ie Haaland, granted he would've done well in the past too but I think it is only magnified at the moment. It's just the cycles of football, lets get in at the ground floor for once!

 

[Contrarian]

If there's one thing people on Mol Mix like suggesting, it's a Big Number 9.

If there's more, it'd be:

a midfield "snotter"
man marking
ending short corners
booting it out from the back
fewer "fancy" foreign players

That's a serious generalisation! Since Fosun took over, there's also been those who deride those typical big strong British workhorse types. As if a lot of us adoped the stereotypical Latin/Iberian approach - for the first time ever, I reckon, among our fan base. The cries of "gerrit forward" declined as we crooned over the silky skills of Neves and Moutinho. (But not Coady ) .

And the No 9 doesn't have to be big. Jota did well and he isn't big. Though he is strong and likes to get stuck in. Surprisingly good in the air, too. It just needs somebody who can win 50/50s at least half the time. Rather than too many of the current side, who rarely win any 50/50s at all. What's that Messi guy up to these days?

 

[Minimalist]

So the point has be lost on some, football is in cycles, the forward/false 9 era is at/coming to an end. The big strong n09 is coming back, centre halves these days arent really schooled on how to deal with them properly so get in early on this.

So are there players further down the league who due to the unfashionable nature of the big no9 not being picked up and could do a job further up the league?

I very much agree with the cycles notion; it is why I feel sure , in the not too distant future , 442 will come back as the most common system... which obviously fits with having a bigger, physical centre forward.

 

[WolfLing]

I very much agree with the cycles notion; it is why I feel sure , in the not too distant future , 442 will come back as the most common system... which obviously fits with having a bigger, physical centre forward.

442 comes back in, so a striker starts to drop off and exploit the space left between the midfield and attack, so 4411 and playing with a number 10 comes back into vogue. Then all teams adopt the 4231 system and a manager comes along with a 343 to exploit the space between the fullbacks and wingers. So 433 comes back into fashion again to add the extra man in midfield. Then false 9s and wider goalscrorers develop from that, with 9s and 10s going out of fashion. Rinse, repeat.

 

[Contrarian]

I very much agree with the cycles notion; it is why I feel sure , in the not too distant future , 442 will come back as the most common system... which obviously fits with having a bigger, physical centre forward.

It happens with shorts lengths too. The baggy ones down to the knees will be back soon.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Big Number 9s are in vogue but difficult to get the full skill set required

Next up will be the big number 10 followed by a poaching no 9. Why do I think this? Keepers becoming extra players in possession. It only works cos they have one person closing them down.

 

[Marvellous007]

Bring Rafa Mir back

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Saw a very good article about this. Basically crossing died a death years ago and as a result of that + wanting to play out from the back CBs have become naturally smaller and less physical (basically footballers who would have become midfielders in another era).

And that is why crossing comes back. Football is cyclical. People learn to play one way; it becomes in vogue and then everyone knows how to play against it. To be a top team you constantly need to be looking not at what the top teams do but where the top teams weaknesses lie.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Big Number 9s are in vogue but difficult to get the full skill set required

Next up will be the big number 10 followed by a poaching no 9. Why do I think this? Keepers becoming extra players in possession. It only works cos they have one person closing them down.

I'm not too sure who all these 'big' no 9s are that you are talking about? Haarland for sure; Kane, Toney, Mitrovitch, Watkins, Calvert-Lewin, Rashford, Anthony - I'm not sure any of those fit that bill tbh. I think Haarland has come to the Prem and destroyed it but he's a one off, possibly a once in a generation CF and playing in a world-class side.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Ben Yedder would do but can’t see it happening

 

[Northampton_wolf]

World Class Number 9s

Haaland
Lewandowski
Benzema
Ibra

Proven / Or second tier
Giroud
Vlahovic
Mitrovic
Lukaku

 

[Hawkguy]

Lukaku isn't even that good anymore.

 

[Sedgley Gold N Black]

It certainly seems the big number 9 that we all know and love is definitely back in fashion and the future for most teams. After years of faffy forwards being the way the big no9 is returning and fully effective.

So with that in mind might it be a shrewd move to find out the numbers of all those scouts described as "dinosaurs" and get them looking through the lower divisions for all the best old fashioned no9s that haven't been turned into centre halves?

Saw a very good article about this. Basically crossing died a death years ago and as a result of that + wanting to play out from the back CBs have become naturally smaller and less physical (basically footballers who would have become midfielders in another era).

Interestingly according to Whoscored, there's only 7 players who've scored more than 3 headed goals (league only) so far this season across Europe's top 5 leagues.

Kane is well out in front with 7, followed by Haaland's 5 (out of 25). 5"7 De Cordova-Reid is joint 8th with 3 headed goals.

Ivan Toney only has 1 headed goal all season as does Moffi (mentioned on here) whilst Lewandowski hasn't scored a single headed goal this season in the league according to the stat.

 

[I'm the Wanderer]

EFF YOU DAVID LUIZ

 

[Bryce]

Persist with Costa . If we create it he will start scoring. If only for 4 months .
Before you do tell me I need my lumps felt if we want a lump up top he’s the best we have and no one else is coming here In January with us looking over our shoulders .

Costa up top if you want a lump or Cunha if you want a bit more movement.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Persist with Costa . If we create it he will start scoring. If only for 4 months .
Before you do tell me I need my lumps felt if we want a lump up top he’s the best we have and no one else is coming here In January with us looking over our shoulders .

Costa up top if you want a lump or Cunha if you want a bit more movement.

Whether it's Costa, Jimenez, Hwang or Cunha I don't think that a, there's the money for a new striker and b, I'm not sure we can get anyone any good in by the end of the window. I think we go with what we have and hope the 2 weeks off, the skills of JL, the introduction of new players will be enough to see us stay up.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

This would be amazing!!!
Really looking forwards to shouts of, "GERRIT IN THE MIXXAH!"

****ing **** it into da box!

 

[Kebab Warrior]

And don't forget the banning of glove wearing.

And top knots / man buns & tattoos

 

[sillytuna]

While I could be wrong, I do find it surprising that anyone thinks that Raul, Costa or Hwang are the answer and that the problem is all down to creation. I can think of several times where Raul and Costa have had a good pass made to them but they just don't have the speed of thought to make something of it.

Neither create anything from nothing or long balls either, skills you absolutely have to have in the prem unless you ensure you get your easier efforts in. Podence does have that ability.

It'll be February yet only Podence of the entire forward line has a league goal. That's not just on our limited midfield, that's because they're not good enough. Our new signings may do the job just fine but they all look skilful and a bit lightweight.

Lad from Cov for me. Sell Raul or Hwang and get him with the money.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Types of players go in and out of fashion like formations. A successful team plays one way or a type of player is successful and everyone else copies. Invariably they don’t have the players to play the system and it fails. For most of the late 70s, 80s and 90s everyone played 4:4:2 with a large forward and a quicker, generally smaller forward playing off them; 2 box to box central midfielders and 2 wide midfielders who may or may not be more wingers. Gradually this changed as successful teams acquired players and moulded their teams to those players as good coaches should do. First Man Utd changed things, Keane was less able to get up and down the pitch like he had with Ince so he became more of a sitting midfielder, then Utd acquired Yorke and Cole who didn’t fit the traditional mold. Then awe her created a team of 6foot athletes with Viera and Petit in central defence but Petit couldn’t do box to box so sat as a defensive midfielder and Bergkamp wasn’t an out and out striker but a more withdrawn forward. Consequently we got the likes of Zola, Modric etc who played that slightly deeper forward role, the number 10. Then Barcelona under Cruyff and Guardiola played Tikka Takka and the false 9 everyone tried to copy but forgot they didn’t have Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. Liverpool started playing 4:3:3 as they had Firmino, Salah and Mane, none of them could lead the line like a traditional number 9 but played well together with a combative midfield. Now City have Haaland who, having seen him at Molineux, is a bit of a throwback but scores goals and everyone wants one.

I would much rather JL identifies the offensive and defensive traits of his players and decides which combination works best for what he is trying to achieve. I think he has used January to assess players, get new ones in and will go again in Feb. Another 7 points in February would be great.

 

[Contrarian]

Persist with Costa . If we create it he will start scoring. If only for 4 months .
Before you do tell me I need my lumps felt if we want a lump up top he’s the best we have and no one else is coming here In January with us looking over our shoulders .

Costa up top if you want a lump or Cunha if you want a bit more movement.

We need a lump who can jump. Like what Haaland did for their first goal yesterday. Seen all our lumps miss easier headers than that in recent months. Our lumps are the type that need surgically removing.

 

[Contrarian]

Reading all this and remembering the hoots of derision on here about Keiffer Moore a year or 2 back makes me laugh. What goes around comes around. I think we've spent our dosh on CFs and JL will have to come up with another way of scoring goals to keep us up.

Only scored 4 goals, but in a Bournemouth side that is around the lowest all round quality in the division. Imagine if we'd signed him and he's scored 4 extra goals for us? We could be up in 12th place. Yet we'd all be whinging that Moore is rubbish and with a proper striker we'd be top 6!

We are the team that goals forgot. The strikers graveyard. Apart from that, all looks good.

 

[Coshamwolves]

Lowest scorers tells us everything..whats the answer? teamwork and players stepping up.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

World Class Number 9s

Haaland
Lewandowski
Benzema
Ibra

Proven / Or second tier
Giroud
Vlahovic
Mitrovic
Lukaku

No Kane?

 

[Northampton_wolf]

No Kane?

Forgot kane

 

[WickedWolfie]

Bodvarsson…?

Playing for Notlob in L1. 3 goals in 21 games....

 

[WickedWolfie]

And don't forget the banning of glove wearing.

That's Sa screwed lol....

 

[OLDGOLD]

So far this season players like Guedes and Hwang have had game time. If Julen is any cop at all not playing them should in itself liven us up!

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

If there's one thing people on Mol Mix like suggesting, it's a Big Number 9.

If there's more, it'd be:

a midfield "snotter"
man marking
ending short corners
booting it out from the back
fewer "fancy" foreign players

A centre half with pace?

 

[WickedWolfie]

So far this season players like Guedes and Hwang have had game time. If Julen is any cop at all not playing them should in itself liven us up!

It'll be hard for JL to play Guedes....

 

[OLDGOLD]

It'll be hard for JL to play Guedes....

I know. We are on to a winner already.

 

[Woburn Wolf]

While I could be wrong, I do find it surprising that anyone thinks that Raul, Costa or Hwang are the answer and that the problem is all down to creation. I can think of several times where Raul and Costa have had a good pass made to them but they just don't have the speed of thought to make something of it.

Neither create anything from nothing or long balls either, skills you absolutely have to have in the prem unless you ensure you get your easier efforts in. Podence does have that ability.

It'll be February yet only Podence of the entire forward line has a league goal. That's not just on our limited midfield, that's because they're not good enough. Our new signings may do the job just fine but they all look skilful and a bit lightweight.

Lad from Cov for me. Sell Raul or Hwang and get him with the money.

I disagree re Costa’s speed of thought. He always has been and continues to be an intelligent footballer. His problem is that his legs can no longer keep up with his mind.

 

[peter&thewolf]

The best one I’ve seen in The Championship this season is Keinan Davis. Which probably suggests a lack of real talent there.

Brereton Dias and Gyokeres are other options…

Thought Gyokeres scored a great goal for Cov at the weekend

 

[sillytuna]

I disagree re Costa’s speed of thought. He always has been and continues to be an intelligent footballer. His problem is that his legs can no longer keep up with his mind.

Yeah sorry I agree - you know what I mean Same result sadly.

 

[chignalwolf]

He's big,
He's red,
His feet stick out the bed,
Peter Crouch,
Peter Crouch...