Why reports of the death of the number ten may have been greatly exaggerated

Nineteen had to become 17, and it was no surprise who one of the two left out would be. Arsenal have announced their squad for the upcoming Europa League campaign, in which they could only name 17 senior overseas players. They have 19 on the books. So came down the final nail in the admittedly luxurious coffin of Mesut Özil’s Arsenal career, as he and Sokratis Papastathopoulous were deemed surplus to requirements. Well, not quite final. The club must submit their Premier League squad later this month; the parameters are the same, though, and one expects the outcome to be no different either.

One day, like his former manager Arsene Wenger shall this week, Özil will hopefully release an autobiography containing an account of his time at Arsenal and maybe then, finally, we will understand exactly what has happened. No sooner had the German signed a deal to become the Gunners’ highest earner in January 2018 than he became a peripheral figure. Wenger, a great believer in the number ten’s capabilities, opted to omit Özil in nine of his final 19 league games at the club, alluding to a mysterious back injury that seemed to flare up on the eve of away matches.

Unai Emery’s first season in London saw the German in and out of the starting XI (and on occasion the squad altogether) before a tumultuous start to the 2019/20 campaign in which he played just four of a possible 13 league games under the Spaniard. Initially impressing under Mikel Arteta, Özil has not figured for Arsenal since March. Unless his services are called upon in either domestic cup, he won’t play again before his contract expires next summer.

Across north London, another number ten is finding opportunities hard to come by. Unthinkable as recently as 18 months ago, Dele Alli has been omitted from Gareth Southgate’s England squad once more, and the fact that next to nobody has noticed speaks volumes. The 24-year-old was linked with a move away from Tottenham in the summer transfer window, only for Jose Mourinho to insist that the Englishman remains in his plans. However, four appearances in Spurs’ opening eight matches this season, of which only two have been starts, suggest that he does not have a key role to play.

The grass is not always greener on the other side, though. Or at least not by much. Dele’s former teammate Christian Eriksen departed Tottenham in January for Inter Milan but just nine months on he too is struggling for game time. Rumours spread on the final day of the transfer window that the Serie A side were already willing to send the Dane out on loan, although a move failed to materialise.

How did it come about that that three of Europe’s brightest attacking midfielders could not find a place in their sides? None of these teams are taking their respective leagues by storm, after all. Are the players’ performances below par, or is the number ten position becoming increasingly obsolete in modern football? The answer isn’t so clear.

Why no number tens?

The first thing to point out is the formation that these players’ clubs currently adopt. Arsenal and Inter line up in a 3-4-3 formation, an approach on which Arteta settled shortly after the 2019/20 season resumed in June. It has also been Inter manager Antonio Conte’s preferred system for a number of years, and gained further popularity in England when the Italian led Chelsea to the Premier League title in 2017. The system does allow for the number ten in the front three, operating behind two centre forwards. A recent example of this would be Jack Grealish in England’s win over Wales on Thursday, whose performance supporting Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Danny Ings earned him the Man of the Match award.

It was a role which Özil performed toward the end of the 2018/19 season behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. However, the arrival of winger Nicolas Pepe for a club-record fee meant that Emery and then Arteta opted for a conventional front three with two wide players. Add in three centre backs and there is no room for a number ten. Similar examples include Borussia Dortmund, where there was no place for an out-and-out central playmaker once Jadon Sancho had cemented his place in Lucien Favre’s 3-4-3 formation.

Conte, though, does still use a number ten in at Inter. Eriksen played just over an hour in the Nerazzurri’s 4-3 win over Fiorentina on the opening weekend of the Serie A season. He was then replaced by Stefano Sensi, who then took the Dane’s place in the starting XI for the following fixture at Benevento. This position is the only one in which Eriksen can realistically thrive at Inter, which is something he must have known before he joined given Conte’s reputation. It is therefore sadly inevitable that Sensi’s re-emergence, as well as the unexpected resurgence of Alexis Sánchez, have left his opportunities limited.

At Tottenham, meanwhile, Mourinho tends to prefer a back four but, instead of fielding a traditional number ten, the Portuguese has seemingly instructed striker Harry Kane to drop back and provide the link between defence and attack. So far it has proved a masterstroke. Kane has supplied six league assists already this season, including four to fellow forward Son Heung-Min against Southampton.

This tactic also yielded results in the 6-1 win over Manchester United last Sunday, where Kane’s quick free kick released Son for Spurs’ second goal. His movement and long-range passes were a constant theme throughout the match, as he dropped deep in the 25th minute to draw defenders away from the Korean, who was able to run through on goal unchallenged, while two minutes later he played the ball across the pitch to onrushing full back Serge Aurier. In the past Kane has discussed a potential future in the NFL and, although using his feet as opposed to his hands, his recent displays have been reminiscent of a quarter back.

Given that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Harry Winks act as a double pivot in the Tottenham midfield, there does seem to be a place for Dele. However, Jose Mourinho has been quick to note the Englishman’s perceived laziness, so Giovanni Lo Celso’s industry makes him a natural third option in midfield, as well as the recently recalled Tanguy Ndombele, who started and scored at Old Trafford.

This version of the 4-3-3 formation, as opposed to a 4-2-3-1, offers stability in midfield and has been popular amongst Europe’s biggest clubs for a while now. Barcelona and Real Madrid have succeeded with this system for a number of years and it was Philippe Coutinho’s departure to the former in 2018 (more on that later) which acted as the catalyst for Liverpool’s return to the summit of English football. The Brazilian’s exit allowed Jürgen Klopp to introduce Fabinho as a midfield anchor and move Jordan Henderson to the right (and buy Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, admittedly).

Klopp prefers a centre forward who can drop back and help to create and press, a role which Roberto Firmino has fulfilled so well over the last three seasons. This, in part, explains the decision to sell Rhian Brewster to Sheffield United; while the 20-year-old is a natural finisher, he is less suitable to his system. Instead, Takumi Minamino has been converted from an attacking midfielder/left winger to centre forward since his arrival in January, coming on for Firmino in two of Liverpool’s league games so far this season. He has also started up front in both of the Reds’ EFL Cup ties while Divock Origi, previously a striker, has found himself on left wing and cutting inside onto his preferred right foot. As aforementioned, of late Kane has been operating in a similar role for Tottenham; however, his ability to score goals means that he might not follow in Firmino’s footsteps on a permanent basis.

These are not the only clubs in the Premier League where the number ten has fallen out of fashion. Manchester City lifted the Premier League trophy in back-to-back seasons with neither David Silva nor Kevin De Bruyne consistently acting as a traditional central playmaker.

What are the alternatives for a number ten?

Silva is a prime example of a creative midfielder who has moved further back in order to fit a new system. This emergence of a deep-lying playmaker is nothing new, as those fortunate enough to have watched Barcelona’s Xavi and Andrés Iniesta on a regular basis will attest. Luka Modrić, while never an out-and-out number ten, has done similarly at Real Madrid. Cesc Fabregas scored and assisted plenty of goals for Arsenal without being a number ten, before dropping into a midfield double-pivot at Chelsea.

Wayne Rooney’s traits marked him as ideal attacking midfielder/number ten, especially later in his career. However, a return to Everton in 2017 saw him drop back even further to accommodate fellow signing Gylfi Sigurdsson. Ironically, the Icelandic midfielder has too fallen out of favour of late and was recently linked with moving from Goodison Park to DC United just as Rooney had done two years earlier. Carlo Ancelotti has brought in Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan to fill the spaces in a three-man midfield alongside Andre Gomes. The major signing, though, has been James Rodríguez. Ancelotti originally brought the Colombian to Real Madrid in 2014 to play as a number ten and repeated the trick at Bayern four years later.

Since his arrival on Merseyside James has actually flourished on the right of Everton’s front three, from where he has contributed three goals and two assists in four matches as the Toffees have gone top of the Premier League. Injury to Andre Gomes meant that Sigurdsson did start on the left of a midfield trio in his side’s 4-2 win over Brighton last Saturday. Despite neither being deployed as a central playmaker, both he and James were able to influence proceedings in this area of the pitch (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Everton (playing left to right) started with both James and Sigurdsson against Brighton. Roughly half of Sigurdsson’s touches (shown in red) were in his own half, but he still managed possession centrally in the final third. Meanwhile James (touches shown in orange) was able to cut inside from the right wing. Stats via Whoscored.

Could Özil adapt to the role of deep-lying playmaker, just as Santi Cazorla did at Arsenal when the German joined in 2013? Alternatively, he could return to the right wing, a position in which he occasionally operated in the 2015/16 season, as well as toward the end of the 2016/17 season in a 3-4-3 formation. Juan Mata has made the same move at Manchester United, while younger creative players are doing the same; despite his recent performance for England, for the large part Grealish plays on the left wing for Aston Villa.

With regard to Dele, it is worth remembering that he did originally play in a deeper role when he first joined Tottenham in 2015. However, his goalscoring form saw him pushed further upfield to the point that he almost operated as a second striker alongside Kane. He has also played on the left wing in the past, although he is unlikely to reclaim that spot while Son and Steven Bergwijn remain fit.

Not all hope is lost – at least not in general…

As aforementioned, Inter have proven that the number ten role is not dead, just that Eriksen may not be the one to fulfil it. A better example offers greater hope for the position’s future, though – that of the current European champions. Is Bayern Munich’s Thomas Müller not a number ten? Yes, he is best known as a forward with ten World Cup goals to his name, including a Golden Boot in 2010. But consider his approach. He supports the centre forward, but not as a winger. He creates goals, and last season set a new record for assists in a single Bundesliga campaign with 21. He is very much a separate entity from the midfield duo – you could not describe him as a central midfielder.

Ironically, Bayern’s 8-2 win over Barcelona has brought about changes for the Catalan side. In the last decade at the Nou Camp, any number ten risked getting in the way of the man with that very number on his back – Lionel Messi. Despite being fielded on the right wing, the Argentine was never supposed to stay there, and everyone knew it. That central pocket on the edge of the area? That’s his space. Everyone else stand aside and he’ll let you know if he needs you.

However, since Ronald Koeman’s arrival Messi has moved to centre forward, mirroring the move his adversary Cristiano Ronaldo made several years ago, although he does still drop back on occasion. As a result, there is now room for Coutinho to be the number ten, having been unable to play the part when he arrived in 2018. This has seemingly breathed new life into the Brazilian, as attested to by his goal against Sevilla just before the international break (although, ironically, this was created by pass by – you guessed, Messi).

What will we see this season at Chelsea? Will Mason Mount feature as a number ten? Kai Havertz could also operate as one and is likely to do so in some matches, given that fielding him in attack would mean dropping one of Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech. Many would say that Bruno Fernandes has been the number ten that Manchester United have been crying out for; his impact in the second half of last season cannot be denied. However, so far this league campaign only Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Scott McTominay have won more tackles for the Red Devils than Fernandes (eight to his six). His game is not just about creating chances, make no mistake, and the fact he tracked back to concede a penalty against Brighton makes his position difficult to define.

Furthermore, while Özil’s time at Arsenal may be up, there are signs that the number ten role may be returning to the Emirates. The capture of Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid (whom under Diego Simeone, by the way, would never field a player with as much creative flair as a number ten) could allow Arteta to revert to a conventional back four. This would allow for an extra man in midfield or attack – or between the two.

Regardless of this, Arteta demonstrated in his side’s most recent game against Sheffield United that a number ten could be the answer. Summer signing Willian started the match on the right wing but struggled to influence proceedings, managing just 37 touches in the first 57 minutes (Fig. 2). With Aubameyang equally uninvolved on the other flank and the game goalless, Arteta introduced Pepe from the bench, who immediately took up position on the right. This meant that Willian moved across and, along with left wing-back Bukayo Saka, was able to switch between the left channel and the traditional number ten role. Within seven minutes the Gunners had scored twice, with Willian and Pepe combining for the first. The Brazilian took 35 touches in final 33 minutes, almost as many as in the first 57, and, crucially, was able to take possession in a central position (Fig. 3).

Fig. 2: Willian (playing left to right) did not manage to get the ball in many dangerous positions in the opening 57 minutes. Any attempts to cross the ball from the wing were intercepted by Sheffield United’s physically dominant and well-drilled defenders. Stats via WhoScored.

Fig. 3: Following Pepe’s introduction, Willian was able to come inside from the left and dictate the play with his stronger right foot while running toward goal. With Saka stationed on the left wing, the two could alternate between positions in the centre and the flank. Stats via WhoScored.

While his Arsenal career is all but over, there is hope for Özil, either as a number ten at an accommodating club or in another position from which he can exert influence. In terms of Europe’s biggest clubs, it seems his time is finally up (insert jokes about Arsenal’s recent success at your leisure). Then again, there are signs that the number ten is not dead yet. In fact, given their recent recruitment policy of signing experienced players, it isn’t too far-fetched to picture the German at Inter next season in Eriksen’s place. Dele, on the other hand, may have to reinvent himself as a box-to-box midfielder or an out-and-out attacker, but at 24 he still has time and opportunities.

Alternatively, he might wait for Mourinho to leave in a year or two.

Stats via WhoScored.