England’s false no.9: Rooney, Young, Gerrard, Wilshere and more contenders

Spain's Euro 2012 victory has confirmed their place as one of the greatest national teams ever, and it's not just their trophies but the way in which they've won them that's got people talking.

The Spaniards had previously been criticised as 'boring' and 'arrogant' for omitting a recognised striker and instead playing a more withdrawn false number nine, usually occupied by attacking midfielder Cesc Fabregas. With their triumph at the tournament however, critics are being forced to recognise that there's method to Spain's madness, and that playing without a traditional centre-forward may not be such a bad idea after all.

Former England manager Glenn Hoddle told talkSPORT that England simply don't have the personnel to replicate Spain's tactical innovation, but is that really true? talkSPORT begins the search for England's false number nine...

Name: Wayne Rooney
Club: Manchester United
Position: Striker

Pros: Rooney is mobile, technically good and, as is necessary to be a top-quality striker, has a brilliant eye for goal. His familiarity with the likes of Ashley Young and Danny Welbeck at club-level is something that England should try and replicate at national level, and linking well with team mates is an important facet of playing the false nine role successfully. Rooney showed a brief glimpse of that telepathic kind of understanding in his quick interchange with Welbeck against Italy, and had it resulted in a goal it would have been one of England's best moves of the tournament.

Cons: Sir Alex Ferguson has attempted to use Rooney in a similar way to Lionel Messi at club level by moving him deeper on the pitch, and the results have varied from mixed to bad. Rooney doesn't carry the same threat with the ball at his feet as someone like Fabregas or Messi does, as dribbling isn't one of his strongest skills. Attempts to play him 'off the striker' for England have also been mixed, and aside from one excellent move against Italy he struggled to do so effectively.

Video evidence
Would Wayne Rooney be happy to provide more goals for his team mates with England?

Verdict: On paper Rooney is the best candidates to occupy this role for England, but his struggle to make an impact in a more withdrawn role in the past suggest putting it into practise is more difficult. Unlike Fabregas or Messi, Rooney's best work isn't done running with the ball at his feet and outsmarting opponents, but rather when he's taking a shot at goal or using sheer brute strength. It's also debatable as to whether he would create enough space for midfield runners as a false nine, or indeed whether he'd be happy to be more selfless than he's accustomed to in the first place.

Name: Steven Gerrard
Club: Liverpool
Position: Midfielder

Pros: Much has been made of how well Gerrard played in a withdrawn role for England at Euro 2012, but there's no denying that his usual goal-threat was missing. At his mercurial best, Gerrard can be found bursting into the box, terrifying opposition defenders and unleashing thunderous strikes on goal. Should Jack Wilshere fulfil his potential for England, the Arsenal man could fill Gerrard's current deep-lying midfield role well, freeing up the Liverpool man to play closer to goal.

Cons: Gerrard isn't known for his love of a quick one-two or work in tight spaces, so it's in this area that he could fall down as a false number nine. He's also no spring-chicken at 32, so it could be argued that attempting to encourage a player in the latter stage of his career to learn a new position isn't worthwhile.

Video evidence
Could Steven Gerrard produce more of these for England if he was further up the pitch?

Verdict: Gerrard has most of the assets necessary to occupy the false nine role, and is perhaps England's most direct midfielder at his best. His age is undoubtedly a concern however, and his link-up play in congested spaces could be better.

Name: Ashley Young
Club: Manchester United
Position: Winger/attacking midfielder

Pros: When he's on form, Ashley Young bags shed-loads of assists, and in the 2007-08 Premier League he finished second only to Spain's false number nine himself, Cesc Fabregas, in that category. His pace would be an asset in trying to open up space for other midfielders to move into in the box, and the stats show that he could then take advantage of that by providing the necessary cutting edge for his team mates. Importantly, he also has an eye for goal and a wicked shot.

Cons: Like Gerrard, Young doesn't work particularly well playing passes in tight spaces and isn't often found involved in give-and-go situations. His creative influence for England seemed to wane at Euro 2012 too, so the jury's still out as to whether he's really capable of performing on the international stage in a familiar role, let alone a new one.

Video evidence
Young can get amongst the goals, but could he turn provider if move to a more central role?

Verdict: Young struggled to make an impact for England in Poland and Ukraine, and it's perhaps a better idea to encourage him to be more confident in a more familiar role than ask him to completely change his game at this stage. His assists tend to come from crosses rather than creative passing, and moving him from out wide could stifle his creativity.

Name: Jack Wilshere
Club: Arsenal
Position: Midfielders

Pros: If there's one English player who undoubtedly has the technical ability to occupy the false number nine role then it's Jack Wilshere. The Arsenal man has shown vision beyond his years when on the ball and looks comfortable working in the tightest of space. His exchanges with Fabregas at Arsenal were the closest an English side has come to emulating Spain or Barcelona, and if he could replicate that kind of play as a false nine for England he would add something new to their game.

Cons: Withdrawn striker or not, a false nine still has to net his fair share of goals, and Wilshere isn't known for this trait. If the midfielders around him weren't finding the net it would be up to Wilshere to do so, and it's perhaps too much of an ask to expect him to do so when it isn't one of his strengths.

Video evidence

This nice interplay with Cesc Fabregas demonstrates Wilshere's love of a quick one-two...

Verdict: In the technical capacity, Wilshere is one of England's best suited players to occupy the false nine role, but his lack of goals points to a fundamental problem in playing him as a forward. England would be better served to see what kind of impact he can have at his best in his regular position than to move him elsewhere on the pitch.

talkSPORT verdict: All of the players above have different qualities that are useful when playing as a false number nine, but none of them combine them to the degree of Cesc Fabregas, let alone Lionel Messi. Wayne Rooney comes closest in terms of all round ability, but he still isn't likely to outsmart an opponent and create space through dribbling on the level of Fabregas or Messi. The fact is, England's players haven't been coached in a way which prepares them to play in this kind of role, and it's likely to be a long time before a player is produced with the complete range of abilities to do so, if it ever happens at all.

Do England have a player capable of playing as a false nine, or should they stick to their own philosophy? Comment below and have your say...