If there's one reason why I have a dislike for formations it's because of this. Numbers like 4-4-2 or 4-6-0 never tell the whole story. It's a very simplistic form to represent a tactic. Even when u say 4-6-0 doesn't mean that there are no strikers/forwards. They just rotate among themselves.

But I believe that the forward position is still one of the most if not the most important position in football. You still need a reference up front to play off. Whether that reference is a central old fashioned striker or a forward that drifts to the flanks it doesn't matter.

If you've watched the way RVN has played with Madrid you'll realise how wrong that statement is. RVN's ability was never fully exploited at Man Utd. At that time Fergie's tactics were rigid and he just stuck him right up top. It's why almost all his goals for MU were from inside the box. With Madrid he's given more freedom. RVN is deceptively agile and his technique is better than what most ppl in England give him credit for. It's why he's so good at leading the line. If he were playing for Man Utd now he would still have fitted in perfectly and you guys would have been more complete as a team. If you watched his recent performance for Holland carefully where they use a similar free 4-2-3-1 system you can clearly see what u guys are missing out on.

I just don't see this happening. No matter how hard u train players, some will always be better at others at different aspects of the game. The only thing that is universal is the fitness levels. Modern football now places more emphasis on the ability to cover more ground.

There will always be a place for big forwards. Because size is not the first thing u judge when it comes to forwards. The ability to finish, make off the ball runs, holding up the ball with your back facing to goal are still the more important attributes when it comes to strikers.

All this talk about playing with no strikers and RVN put in another performance to show why it's still important to have a reference up front.

A reference is someone upfront to hold the ball up or to play the ball to. It's an important element of the modern game. Even if u cover more ground with today's fitness levels, u still can't beat the pace of a ball that is played directly to the frontline. And of course it's a big help when it comes to ball retention which is fundamental for an offensive team to succeed.

Nobody is talking about rigid strikers just waiting for the ball to be played to their feet.
And if you do not realise how important RVN was for Holland's performance last night then I'm sorry but u have a poorer understanding of the game than I initially assumed.

Holding up the ball is just as important as having fullbacks and midfielders make off the ball runs. And I'm not talking about just holding up the ball with your back facing the goal. Different strikers do it differently. If it was Torres he wants the ball played beyond the backline where he can exploit his pace, but he's still acting as a reference. If it was Henry he would wait at the left flank for the ball. Raul and Totti would drop slightly deeper to get the ball. They are all achieving the same objectives through different means. If you just want to rely on players coming from deep when you're on the attack you're just going to make it extremely easy for an organised defence to shut you down. No team in the modern game don't play with some sort of reference up front. Even Roma with their supposedly strikerless formation actually plays Totti in an advanced position.

This post has been edited by verx: Jun 14 2008, 03:56 PM

By saying they are a luxury aren't you are dismissing the position?
When you say put anyone offensive minded upfront aren't they strikers as well?
A striker doesn't have to be an old fashioned centre forward only u know.
And I didn't say RVN was the most important man; I said he was an important element of the team. And he didn't just do what any decent striker would do. The French defenders could hardly get the ball off him. Compare that with Luca Toni's performance for Italy who did OK but was a step below what RVN showed for Holland.