Top 10: Number 10's

 

Welcome back to one of our favourite pieces here at footballgirl.com This issue we take a close look at the type of player a coach cannot coach. The position most wanted in today's game and which brings the fans to the stadiums. Creative, high on technique, vision and always the centre of the attack. Here the world's top 10, numero 10's...

 

1 - Marta -Brazil
No guessing the impact she has on a game, is due to her extreme level of talent and speed at which she does her tricks and flicks. While the WPS marvels at her skill and talent it does however highlight the lack of number 10's at the highest level of our game. Leading our list is the greatest player ever of our game. Like many players on this list tactics and formation mean Marta has turned into a forward for club and country.

She is not a creator of chances for others but there is no better player at finishing a fast break. At Umea they played her at the top of a 4-4-3 for Brazil she drifts to the left to cut in to her right. One flaw would be that she does not look for team mates but why would you when you could dribble through the whole team? 2011 will be interesting to see if she can actually lead her national team to the World Cup trophy and overcome Germany's stronger and taller defenders.

2 ) - Mana Iwabuchi / Japan

Homare Sawa is the leader of the 2000-2010 generation with Mami Yamaguchi coming in second. They both however never had the range of skills Iwabuchi holds at just 18 years of age. She tore into the minds of us all in 2008 with her displays at the U17 World Cup but could not find her rythm at the 2010 U20 version. As part of an attacking team that moves constantly off the ball Iwabuchihas lots of options when it comes to creating. it is her finishing though that impresses along with her influence over a game.

 

 

3 ) - Kim Little / Scotland

There was no other choice for the winner of 2010's U21 World Player of the Year. Little was a magestic for Arsenal scoring over 25 goals before the end of 2009. Little was transformed into a forward in 2010 as Arsenal ladies looked to fill their forward vacancy. The team still look to her for inspirational performances. She does not control European games like she used to but her technique makes her without a doubt the best player in the English league.

What makes her good? Her movement off the ball and her first touch. The first touch creates space, the second a pass and the third is her move. Simple football.

 

4 ) - Thais / Brazil
Remember the name and if she can develop her movement she will be a great player. Thais is the young star of the Brazilian national team. Surpassing Alanna in the older youth age group Thais has been pushed into the senior team this year impressing with her backheels, flicks and overall one on one skills. A star of the U17 World Cup 2010 she has a sweet left and right foot shot with huge technical ability.
She plays as a forward or beind the two up front.

 

 

5 ) - Amanda Sampedro / Spain

While you think of Thais and her upside Amanda higlights the down. The U17 tournament saw the Spanish maestro direct everything that her country did to beat Brazil. All the tricks and flicks in the world seem to mean nothing when faced against a 'team' effort and a team that can keep the ball.

If possesion is the material then Sandpiedro is made of the same cloth. Not fast by any means, she can't shoot from distance but her intelligence puts her as a true n.o 10

She knows how to be a coach on the field and generates a great rapour with her team mates. The one aspect that she has is complete control of the momentum. Playing into corners, playing back to the defence and spreading the ball wide to the full backs are all part of her controlling the game. They always look for her at club and country and the Atleti star has the mentality to fully exceed at the top.

6) - Ji So-Yun / Korean Republic

Low, low, low centre of gravity. Speed of thought and deceptively quick Yeo set the U20 World Cup on fire with her creativity. Leaving Swiss star Ramona Bachmann shut out she can easily fit in anywhere on the front line. 8 goals leading her country to the podium in 2010's U20 World Cup. A ballerina on the ball with exceptional finishing skills.

 

7 ) - Dzsenifer Marozsan / Germany

This young German is a rarity for her generation. While there seems to be a number of future star forwards such as Svenja Huth and Alex Popp, the creative midfielder seems to be lost.

At least for a while looking at the German U17 and U15 teams. Marozsan is not quick but intelligent and floats around the field connecting play. She keeps the rythm going with a high pass completion rate, and has a cool finish when cutting ito the box from outside.

Time will see if she can tranfer those skills to the senior team. She has made improvements under (legendary n.o 10) Maren Meinert but needs to develop her mobility and stamina. The dangers are that she could end up like another good U19 talent Viola Odebrecht (2002), who seemed to slow down with weight over the years.

 

8) - Camille Abily / France
While Odebrecht's weight has hindered her mobilty Abily's loss of size has made her much better. France has never had a player in this mould. Her hazy dribbles remind you of Manchester's (mens) Dimitar Berbatov. The ball simply sticks around her feet. The WPS appreciate the talent but the coaches simply do not know how to exploit it. The game is to rushed with less emphasis on ball manipulation.

A shot and more muscle would make her a complete player but as with all these number 10's ability to raise the players around her will be the highest measure of her greatness. Camille is valuable to France. As valuable as Laura George and Sandrine Dusang.

Euro 2009 Germany dropped 5 in midfield and stopped France from playing. Abily could not find space or time and dissappeared. This summer's World Cup will be redemption.

 

9) - Kumi Yokoyama / Japan
A forward in all nature of her play but has the dribbling ability that will (along with the other young asian players on this list) change female football for the better. Constantly moving around the box she has a very direct style of play. This was underlined in 2010 when she scored possibly the best ever female goal by dribbling past 5 North Korean players before a low strike in the corner.

10) - Yeo Min Ji / Korean Republic
No surprise that there is another asian player on the list. There is a void of creativity in Europe and in 10 years the USA have developed one player in this mould, Aly Wagner. Yeo created problems for other teams during 2010, drifting along the last third of the field linking midfield with attack. Another real talent from South korea.

It will really be something in the next 5 years as these players some of whom are under 22 develop. The talent level and mentality to play the game in Asia has shown that there is no difference if a player is just good.