Forwards or offensive players are the ones whose presence makes the game worth watching. The drop of a shoulder to leave the defender on the ground, the one-touch flick that sends a teammate through on goal, the curled finish from the edge of the box that leaves the goalkeeper gripping thin air – as much as we love a crunchy tackle, most of us would rather watch a 3-3 match than a 0-0 match as neutrals.
But how much do we know about strikers? How has the concept of a striker evolved over the years and across leagues? Why do the Premier League top 6 have an array of strikers, varying from Ibrahimovic to Firmino?
Here we examine the fundamental differences between a Striker and a Centre Forward:
Role & Contribution
Perhaps the most important characteristic that distinguishes a striker from a centre forward is the contribution expected of them – while a striker is traditionally instructed to roam in and around the penalty box anticipating chances, a centre forward is a much more integral part of his team's build-up play.
In fact, most traditional two-striker formations featured one of each. The classic Blackburn SAS (Shearer and Sutton) featured Shearer as the primary goalscorer with 34 goals, while Sutton chipped in with 15 goals and some devastating link up play.
Another fine example of such a combo was Emile Heskey and Michael Owen for Liverpool. While Heskey occupied one centre back with his power and strength, Owen played on the shoulder of the other to create dangerous one on one situations.
In Liverpool's treble winning 2000-01 season, the two scored 46 goals between them, not to mention the contribution of a certain Robbie Fowler as well – with 17 goals to his name.
Also Read: The 10 greatest strikers of all time
Profile
More often than not, a striker tends to be a fleet-footed nimble attacker quick at dribbling past his opponents, while a CF is traditionally a target man who can hold the ball up and bring his teammates to play.
Harry Kane and Daniel Sturridge offer perfect examples – while Sturridge is a natural finisher and dribbler, Kane tends to work harder for the team, creating space for himself and his teammates.
While Sturridge does most of the best work in and around the penalty area, Kane may deep as drop as the halfway line to collect the ball from his teammates, hold the ball up and instigate a lightning-paced counter attack.
Positioning
In the strict sense of the word, strikers work well in tandem with each other. A striker each on the left and the right enables the duo to work the channels, dragging the opposition centre-backs out of position and offering their strike partner one-on-one situations.
Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge formed as good as a strike partnership as any the Premier League has seen – the duo dovetailed to dangerous effect; working the channels, making runs in behind and cutting in to their stronger foot.
A centre forward, once again, in the strict sense of the word, tends to play a lone role, in the ilk of a Giroud for Arsenal – mostly occupying central positions and playing in midfielders who make advanced runs into the box.
Defensive duties
When it comes to defensive/pressing duties, most modern managers are unforgiving. The demand for the forward to be the first line of defence has almost become a prerequisite in itself. A CF such as Roberto Firmino for Liverpool is in fact preferred over Daniel Sturridge because of his defensive contributions, in spite of his clear limitations in finishing.
Strikers, on the other hand, while they are not absolved of defensive duties, are instructed to position themselves in anticipation of an opportune counter – Jamie Vardy and Jermain Defoe are deadly on the counter attack, while Okazaki and Borini provide the perfect foil for them.
There are players like Suarez and Sanchez of course, who are equally adept at pressing the opposition to the ground and leading a quick counter – but such players are not very easily found.
Other types of Strikers
Second Striker – Usually used interchangeably with the number 10 position, a second striker tends to simply be a supporting actor, who tends to provide more than score himself.
Inside forward – The term 'inside forward' is used rarely in modern football, on account of football's ever-changing tactics and formations. The role in modern football most closely related to the archaic inside forward position would be thst of an inverted winger in a 4-3-3.
Instructed to cut in on their stronger foot and shoot, they are often flanked by wingbacks who are relied upon to provide width for the team.
False nine – One of the most widely circulated misunderstandings in football is that the term false 9 is used to describe a non-striker (usually a midfielder) playing as the striker for a team. But actually it's more about the positioning than the identity of the player.
