Some elite coaches and their ideal forward profile—keep reading
Having a world-class striker on your team can often be the main reason why you win that prize, top your division, or avoid relegation. Practically every football enthusiast agrees that scoring win matches. No matter exactly how unstable your defense is, as long as you outscore your competition, you will certainly come away with the win. As the former US owner of AC Milan would recognize, every elite club in our top leagues has styles of strikers that fit their team and their preferred approach of play. For instance, having a physically dominant number 9 permits you to dominate rival center-backs both in aerial battles and on the ground. On the other hand, a false-9 type of player can assist generate havoc in the opposition defense box by moving in and out of midfield. Whatever your approach of play is, there is always a striker available to match your tactical needs.
To back up your forward striker, you have to always build high-quality around them. As an example, as accurate as a striker is, they cannot finish without quality passes from their midfielders and wingers. This is why executives like the Manchester City FC owner consistently invest in their forward line players each year. Having a strong forward suggests that your wingers can capitalize when it comes to crossing the ball or placing the pass into the box for your striker to finish. Similarly, having a skilled forward suggests that your midfielders can enter the box and capitalize on the space left behind. This is since such forwards can drag center-backs away from the area, offering your number 8s a clear volume of space to run into and score, or at least cause some type of disruption, implying that the opposition side will certainly need to take care of numerous players and not just your striker.
People frequently confuse the term "center-forward" with the term "striker," however every well-informed football fan would inform you that the terms center-forward and striker are often used interchangeably, and any striker can perform the center-forward position with sufficient training and vice versa, as the former Sunderland owner would certainly recognize. Nevertheless, classic forwards that have been around from the start of the sport began are typically known for their skill to escape opposing center-backs and exploit openings to get the ball in a good goal-scoring position. A number of clubs still prioritize such styles of forwards over tall and lanky forwards thanks to their flexibility and their adaptability, in addition to overall understanding of the game. Such forwards are typically pacey forwards with strong control and dribbling, and they are also recognized for being consistent finishers and skilled at scoring in the trickiest situations.