Football is played with 11 players which includes 1 goalkeeper and 10 outfield players set up in a particular structure called formation. Each outfield players are positioned differently under the formation such as Left winger, Striker, Fullbacks, Center Backs and so on.

Wingers are the pacey players in the team who stretch the horizontal areas of the pitch whereas center backs are the most physical and tough players who defends the ball centrally. Striker is the most forward player who score the goals for the team and midfielders are the players who controls the tempo of the game. Such players are positioned in a football pitch according to their playing attributes, traits and qualities which can compliment the tactical approach taken by the coach.

Football has changed over the course of time and as the football is evolving managers are starting to use the players of certain position in a different roles to improve fluidity in the game and to add more stability in thier tactical approach. The terms like "False 9", "Inverted Wingers" , "Inverted fullbacks" are most commonly used roles in the modern football. These roles given to the players in a game provides a functional dimension to a tactics and team using such roles are controlling the game according to their needs.

Back in 2009-2011, Pep using Messi the greatest player of our generation as a false 9 was a game changing approach to the modern football where Pep and Messi won multiple major titles with Barcelona. In recent time Firmino under Jurgen Klopp has mastered that false 9 role and has won multiple trophies including Premier League and Champions League. Zinchenko under Arteta, Trent under Klopp, Cancelo under Guardiola plays inverted fullback roles which gives a numerical superiority in the midfield and also the stability in the possession.

Player roles is becoming too instrumental in a game and gradually changing the perception and approach of manager to the game. False 9 continuosly dropping in the midfield areas to create numerical superiority and to control the game centrally while inverted wingers shifting inside the half spaces to create goal scoring chances. Fullbacks are inverted to create havoc in the midfield. All these scenarios are helping a team to dominate a football game more often than playing a regular position football and helping them to bring good results week in week out.

By looking at the data, statistics and the results almost all the managers and coaches are trying to use his/her players in a different roles than playing in a regular position. This tendency is really changing the way of football and also question the relevance of orthodox football formation and playing position. What do you think? Player Roles or Player position?