20 May 2026 19:37:13
Slightly different topic but one thing I notice pundits and journalists constantly talking about is the "modern" attacker. It got me thinking, the modern attacker isn't very modern attacker all, if anything, the pure goalscorer and target men were actually a fad that lasted from the late 80s up until the early 2000s.
The modern attacker is actually very similar to how attackers always were before then. The true greats: Pele, Eusebio, Puskas, Kenny, Keegan, Di Stefano etc were all players who dropped deep or drifted wide and got involved. They'd play the "false 9" role these days. On that subject, I miss Bobby and I'd love a replacement.
20 May 2026 20:22:52
It's one of those blanket terms that doesn't really mean anything. There's so many attacking roles in the game, and a lot of great players bring their own nuance to each position that a term like "modern attacker" really has no value; it's just a convenient label they can throw on anybody who's not your typical target man or a classic winger.
20 May 2026 20:23:40
Weren't they all number 10s? The role slightly fell out of fashion, but it's generally the team with the best number 10 which wins World Cups.
The Italians won so many World Cups as they often had the best "10", surrounded by water carriers. It's a role possibly best suited to the slower football of a heat-wrecked World Cup, or cagey Champions League games.
Weirdly, I would say that Sheringham was England's best 10 in the modern era. Obviously, he was no Bergkamp but he made Venables' Christmas Tree formation very potent.
Kane is obviously an outlier in that he is both a 10 and 9. Playing him and Watkins together would float my boat.
20 May 2026 23:28:52
I miss Firmino too. What a player.
My memory is shaky, but didn't Mourinho play Eden Hazard, Oscar, Ramires, and Willian (all number 10s) at the same time, and bring on Diego Costa or Drogba later on in games? This was at Chelsea, when they won it in 2014/2015.
20 May 2026 23:56:31
Yes, but he made them all play as static wide position holders. He hated wingers - they were there just to defend the lines, Italian style. It's why Mo did not suit his plan.
21 May 2026 00:04:51
I could be wrong too, ArAy, but I remember Costa and Drogba starting most games for Chelsea. I can't remember them coming off the bench much, but then again, I rarely paid attention to how Chelsea played back in those days.