Time for Balotelli to Reclaim the Spotlight

mario-balotelli

Ahead of tomorrow’s Manchester derby, False Nine editor, Andrew Belt, calls for one of the current Premier League champions’ stars to emerge from the shadows and take centre stage again…

Admit it.

You thought Mario Balotelli was the best striker at Euro 2012.

One Fernando was being touted for great things but Llorente was consigned to a watching brief as Spain slay all before them playing the much-lauded ‘false 9’ formation, in which the other Fernando, Torres, managed to bag three goals and restore some much-needed confidence. Continue reading

The Miracle of Athletic Bilbao

“Athletic is a religion” – Óscar de Marcos

False Nine editor Hugo Greenhalgh pays respect to Athletic Bilbao…

Imagine a hypothetical situation in which Leeds United only selected players born and bred in Yorkshire. Then imagine that they had remained in the top division for the past 73 years, a feat matched by only two other clubs. And then imagine that last season they reached the FA Cup and Europa League Finals. This is perhaps the closest comparison one can make to the achievement of Athletic Bilbao. Continue reading