Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta has been discussing Emile Smith Rowe and the possibility of the Englishman playing as a false nine.
The rise of the false nine has been remarkable in England. Roberto Firmino pioneered the trend for Liverpool some years ago, while Phil Foden is currently mastering the role for Man City.
Pep Guardiola is often credited for being the innovator of this tactic, and as you can imagine, Mikel Arteta knows all about Guardiola’s style having worked under him at Manchester City.
Arteta says that while Smith Rowe hasn’t been fit enough to train and play recently, there’s a chance that he could be utilised as a false nine in the future.
What’s been said?
Arteta responded when asked about Smith Rowe playing in this new role.
“He’s not been completely fit to be training and playing every game, but it’s a possibility. It’s a position that I think he can fulfil in the future, but he needs training, and he needs experience in,” Arteta said.
Worth a try
Whether or not Smith Rowe can play as a false nine remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure – it’s worth a try.
Smith Rowe has all the attributes needed to play in this role. He’s a great ball carrier, he has an eye for a pass, and he’s a brilliant finisher.
However, playing as a false nine is largely about positional awareness and tactical familiarity, and that’s something that may not come to Smith Rowe naturally as he’s spent most of his career to date playing in the midfield.
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