No. III.
— Charles W. Alcock | 23/10/1897 —

Five forwards constitute the front rank at Association football. The half-backs, as was pointed out in the previous article, in a way — and a considerable way, too — assist, so that they may in sense claim to form part of the attack; but, strictly speaking, the five forwards represent the striking force. The five are made up of two players on each wing and a centre. The wings are known as the inside and outside right, and the inside and outside left, according to their respecive sides. The requirements in each case are more or less different, more in respect of the centre and the outside wings, less in respect of the inner and outer players on each wing. As with the middle half-back, the centre-forward has the more responsible and onerous position. He is in a very great measure the pivot on which the forward play practically hangs. Now-a-days the centre, unlike his prototype of the earlier generations, has to shape, as it were, the whole character of the attack. The outside wings have the least responsibility of the forwards. It is necessary in the highest degree that they should have pace to make full use of th opportunities which are bound to come to them, particularly when the ball is passed out very wide, either by one of the other forwards, one of the halves, either by one of the other forwards, one of the halves, or even, as sometimes happens, by one of the full-backs when a favourable opening happens to arise.

THE OUTSIDE RIGHT AND LEFT.

The wing player should of course be chosen with discrimination, as it would obviously be absurd to put anyone specially adept with the right foot on the left wing, and vice versa. In addition to pace, too, the outside right or left should be reliable shots as well as powerful to a certain degree. The very fact of their position on the extreme wings gives them frequent opportunities of getting away with, for a time, little or no interruption. To dribble well is essential for them, but there are of course times when a long pass will be of infinitely more use. It is here that the capacity of a player is in evidence or is lacking. Too often the outer wings urge on their wild career to the very verge of the goal line before it occurs to them that the other forwards, or one other of them, could have done much more good for the side had the ball been in their keeping. To hesitate in such cases is to be lost, for meanwhile the opposite backs as well as forwards have been retracing their steps, and by the time the outer wing has banged the ball into the centre of the goal it has plenty of protection, which would have been wanting had the pass to the middle been made at the proper moment. The main object of the forwards, it may be promised, should be to get the ball as much as possible into the middle of the ground, more especially in front of the goal; it is there that danger lies for the defending side in the majority of cases. A long shot from the wings is rarely to be feared, as it does not really threaten the goal, but rather gives the other forwards openings in their turn. On the other hand, the outside player, where the passing is really accurate and systematic, has in addition opportunities frequently made for him by his inside wing, as well as by the centre, which ought to be utilised. All the same, as a rule his mission is mainly to feed the other forwards, by the fact of their positions being more favoured — that is, in respect of chances of scoring.

THE INSIDE RIGHT AND LEFT.

So much for the outer wings. The inside right or left places demand qualifications of a slightly different character. These players have to act as a rule in closer conjunction with the centre, and require for that reason a little more of the special aptitude essential for that particular place. With a player outside them there is not the same need for exceptional pace as in the former case. On the other hand, like him, it is imperative that they should be good dribblers and fast withal. Their metier is to feed the centre as well as their own outside players. They have to decide on their course of action quickly, and upon whether their judgment is reliable or not depends their success or failure. Where the forwards combine well, the passing of the inside men gives a particular interest to the game. The inside right and the inside left in the general way have little or no occasion for long passing. The need for a long pass comes mostly, as has already been represented, to the outer wings, and in a somewhat lesser degree to the centre forward. Short passing, either to their own outer wing or inside to the centre will avail them most. As a general rule the test of experience suggests with regard to passing that there is safety in a middle course. By this is meant that the happy mean, in the shape of a judicious admixture of long and short passing, is likely to pay best in the long run. The forward who keeps the ball mostly close to him but at the same time knows as well how to pass it far out when the exigencies of the game require it, is the most dangerous in attack. Nor can it be too forcibly pointed out that to pass means something more than the mere transfer of the ball. To pass the ball without some definite aim is of little or no use, rather the reverse. To send the ball wildly into the air, regardless of the positions of one's own side, much more of the other, is rather to assist the enemy than otherwise. Passing, in a great majority of cases, should be low rather than high, on the ground rather than over the heads of the players. A long pass, which sends the ball hard across the field, gives frequent opportunities to the outside men or the centre. In this case it is of the greatest importance that the pass should be low, and where the aim is true it should come well out just in front, or as nearly as possible in front of the player to whom it is passed.