By Matt Carroll
Made famous by Lionel Messi, the false 9 tactic allows a single forward the freedom to occupy spaces between the defensive backline and midfield, with runners playing off them creating the depth and width in the attack. To utilize this in a 7v7 model the formation should be either a 2-2-1 or a 3-1-1.
In the 2-2-1 the defense is sacrificed to give the attack two forward options. Balls should be played to the 9’s feet in from either the midfield or the backline, and then the two midfielders should look to make runs off of the 9. The 9 should focus on receiving on the half turn to square up to the defense. The runs of the midfielders should be based off of the reaction of the defense to the 9 receiving. If they bunch tight to attack the ball the midfielders can make runs tight to 9 for a quick layoff to get the ball into the box.
If the defense stays in its shape the 9 can either run at the backline and try to split the centerback(s) or the midfielders can make wider runs forcing the defense to stretch to contend with the danger that presents, hopefully pulling the backline apart and allowing room for the 9 to take the ball into the box on the dribble.
The difference if playing with a 3-1-1 would be with only one midfielder the outside back on the opposite side of the midfielder would need to make the runs forward, effectively making the formation a 2-2-1 in attack and a 3-1-1 in defense.
By Matt Carroll
