Playbook Part 3.6 – Roles & Archetypes: Wingers & Strikers
Structure, Style, Strategy – the LiberoUno way
Outside Threat
This is your classic winger — hugging the touchline, stretching the pitch, and isolating full-backs one-on-one. Whether it’s delivering a cross, cutting the ball back for a midfield runner, or going for goal himself, this player’s purpose is to cause problems in wide areas. Skill, flair, pace — he needs it all. This role is always paired with a Progressive Back behind him to provide cover and support. He will drop to a more supportive role If we are playing a 4-2-3-1 for better balance.
- In-game Role: Winger (Attack) | Winger (Support) in a 4-2-3-1
- High profile examples include: Yamal, Salah & Dembele
Inside Threat
The same havoc, but from a narrower starting point. This player drifts infield to open the flank for an overlapping Attacking Back or Hybrid Winger, linking more with midfielders and arriving in better shooting positions. While still wide by trade, he plays more like an auxiliary forward.
- In-game Role: Inside Forward (Support)
- High profile examples include: Mbappe, Palmer & Sane
Centre Forward
The classic Number 9. Strong, hard-working, and central to how we link play. This striker has to bring others into the game, occupy centre-backs, and chip in with plenty of goals himself. He’s not a one-trick pony — he’s got to be all-action and constantly involved.
- In-game Role: Target Forward (Support)
- High profile examples include: Haaland, Lewandowski & Lukaku
Pest Striker
A nightmare to play against. This guy will chase everything, pressure defenders constantly, and exploit any space in behind. He’s relentless, mobile, and ruthless when given a sniff of goal. If he can time his runs, he’ll cause real damage.
- In-game Role: Pressing Forward (Attack)
- High profile examples include: Watkins, Martinez & Gyokeres
Creative Forward
This player is only used in a front two. He drops deep, links with midfield, and combines with a partner — whether that be the Centre Forward who can act as a focal point, or another Creative Forward. I don’t pair him with the Pest Striker as the partnership lacks the balance I’m after — my striker pairings must stay close and work together. Although this player does drop deep, he also goes wide and makes runs in behind, his play is just a lot more varied.
- In-game Role: False 9 (Support)
- High profile examples include: Alvarez, Felix & Thuram
Beyond the Blueprint
That brings us to the end of Part 3 – Roles & Archetypes.
It’s important to acknowledge that, in reality, things won’t always fall into place as neatly as the categories laid out here. You won’t always have the perfect puzzle pieces to build a completely balanced system. There will be times when you’re forced to put a square peg in a round hole — and that’s okay. In those moments, the goal should be to pick the player best suited to the demands of the role, even if they’re not a perfect fit.
The silver lining? These decisions give you absolute clarity when it comes to squad building and transfer planning. If you know the role you want to fill, and what it demands, you’ll know exactly where to look and what type of profile you need to bring in.
And finally — the gems. The players who blur the lines between archetypes. The ones who can hold, run, create, and finish. These are the gold dust. They offer you flexibility, options, and cover across systems. Keep them in your squad at all costs. They can be the difference-makers when a system needs to adapt.
Next Up…
With the framework of roles and player types established, the next part will show how it all comes together — how these pieces are placed on the board to form balanced, effective tactical setups.