The ‘false nine.’ Fancy football tactical jargon. Maybe I do not read up on the game as much as I once did; but apparently it is not as new a tactical concept as I thought. I first heard of it from the commentator of the Euro 2012 match between Spain and Italy, remarking as he did that the Spaniards had lined up without a recognized striker. One site suggested that it was Francesco Totti,

read more: Euro 2012: False Nines and Spaniards