What Is An Inside Forward?
Gone are the peak years of the archetypal 'big man, little man' strike partnership, where Premier League coaches opted for simplistic attacking pairings based on a tall, physical forward focused on hold-up play, and another set on finishing chances and knock-downs.
In the modern era, it's very rare to see a top-level manager utilising two centre forwards at once, not just because this approach can be predictable, but also because it can create gaps in other areas of the pitch.
Nowadays, there are numerous other ways in which attacking line-ups can be structured, with some formations favouring lone centre forwards while others opt for a wide, aggressive, counter-pressing unit at the top end of the pitch.
The specific role we'll be analysing in this article — the role of the inside forward — leans more towards the latter. However, as you'll soon find out, the inside forward role was a common part of football long before counter-pressing was adopted en masse.
What Is An Inside Forward?
An inside forward is an attacking forward stationed out wide on either the right or left-hand side of a front three. The reason they're referred to as an 'inside forward' is that they'll consistently be looking to cut inside and cause problems in central areas of the pitch.
This differentiates them from a typical winger, who might occupy similar areas on the flank, but will more often aim to deliver the ball into the box from the wing rather than cutting into the middle.
Given the nature of this role, you'll often find that inside forwards will play with their stronger foot on the inside.
So while an old-school left-footed winger like Ryan Giggs would usually aim to swing dangerous outswinging crosses into the box using their left foot, a left-footed inside forward would normally be stationed on the right wing, looking to shift in onto their stronger foot and open up the opposition that way.
Of course, players who are equally adept with both feet can end up shining even more in an inside forward role, but you'll sometimes find that a good inside forward can mask deficiencies with their weak foot by placing greater emphasis on their ability to cut in.
Which Formations Play With An Inside Forward?
These days, you'll most often see inside forwards playing in a 4-3-3 system. This is the formation favoured by coaches like Jurgen Klopp, Arne Slot, and Mikel Arteta, all of whom have been known to deploy inside forwards consistently.
The 4-3-3 formation offers plenty of stability in central midfield, while also creating opportunities for attack-minded full-backs to break forward; in turn, this leaves the two wide players in the front three able to cut inside to create chances.
A front three of some kind is essential for any coach who wants to play with inside forwards, so a formation like 3-4-3 can also work well, while variations on that shape, like 3-4-2-1, allow coaches to retain the same principles while potentially giving their inside forwards more defensive responsibilities.
The Origins Of The Inside Forward Role
Despite all these opportunities for modern tactical fluidity, the inside forward role has actually been a part of the game since the late 19th century, emerging as a position in the first few decades after association football was first formalised.
At this point, much more emphasis was placed on attacking firepower, with most teams lining up with two defenders, three midfielders, and five forwards. In this type of 2-3-5 formation, a central striker would be supported not only by a left and right winger, but also by two inside forwards positioned between those wingers and the most central striker.
As the 20th century progressed, football coaches gradually became slightly more concerned with defensive solidity, and pioneering Arsenal boss Herbert Chapman dropped back one central midfielder to create the W-M formation that enjoyed popularity for much of the 20th century.
After this tactical tweak, having two inside forwards supporting a central striker with two additional wingers (one on each side) made even more sense, as they were typically facing up against three half-backs in the opposition defence.
The Main Qualities Of An Inside Forward
We've already touched on the basics of the inside forward role, but it's worth diving into a few specific responsibilities and qualities in detail.
#1. Dribbling
All wide attackers need to be able to dribble effectively, but while out-and-out wingers are often focused on simply beating their opposite number and swinging a ball into the box, inside forwards need to be able to go both ways, twisting and turning past defenders and regularly dribbling into more congested central areas of the pitch, beating players one-on-one and keeping hold of the ball while under intense pressure.
#2. Sharp Passing
In these tight attacking areas, inside forwards need to be confident exchanging sharp, accurate passing combinations and sequences with teammates and crucially, providing that killer final pass into other forwards in the final third.
#3. Shooting
If you can consistently dribble past opponents but fail to provide a quality final product, you're unlikely to thrive in this role; inside forwards should be excellent finishers, capable of scoring from a range of angles and proving a key attacking threat for their teams.
#4. Creating space
Being a good inside forward isn't just about goal contributions; these players also need to be intelligent in the way they open up space for others. By dribbling or drifting inside off the ball, forwards can create gaps on the flank for midfielders, full-backs, or other forwards to run into and exploit.
#5. Counter-pressing
Pressing is a crucial element of the modern game, and many top coaches rely on their inside forwards to help lead the press from the front, identifying pressing triggers and making life as difficult as possible for opposition defenders. On top of that, inside forwards can complete other crucial defensive tasks like blocking passing lanes and stifling counter-attacks at the first hurdle.
Examples Of Top-Level Inside Forwards
Following the drop in popularity of the 4-4-2 formation and the rise of centre forward-focused shapes like 4-3-3, a number of excellent inside forwards have emerged to dominate elite football in recent years. Here are a few of the best.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool icon Mohamed Salah is the archetypal modern-day inside forward: a dazzlingly quick winger whose intention is always to cut inside from the right on his stronger left foot and shoot on goal, typically with devastating effects.
In 306 Premier League appearances, Egypt's finest ever footballing export has racked up an incredible 188 goals and 89 assists (that's 0.91 goal contributions per game), and a huge chunk of those have followed a similar format of running in from wide on the right and finishing ruthlessly with his left. Defenders might know what he wants to do, but that doesn't mean they can stop him.
Lionel Messi
Argentina's most legendary player of the post-Maradona era — and in many people's eyes the greatest footballer of all time — has occupied many roles in his career.
He's been an ambling lone centre forward, a dynamic winger, a central attacking midfielder… but arguably he was at his best at Barcelona when deployed as a fluid inside forward, aiming to pick up the ball in the right half-space and cut inside, linking with teammates and causing havoc.
Messi's positional fluidity is part of his genius, but during his career, he's repeatedly been most effective as an inside forward.
Gareth Bale
During his nine-year spell at Real Madrid, Wales legend Gareth Bale evolved into one of the greatest players in world football, playing a pivotal role in four Champions League trophy wins for Los Blancos.
He regularly showed off his instincts as a classic inside forward, dribbling with skill and power off the right and cutting onto his world-class left foot to shoot on goal or set up fellow Galacticos like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. At the peak of his powers, Bale was a world-beater, and the inside forward role allowed him to show just how special he was.
What Is An Inverted Winger?
It's fairly common to hear inside forwards referred to as 'inverted wingers', which at its core is a very similar role. Ultimately, the precise deployment of these kinds of wide forwards is up to the coach in question, but there is a broad difference between the two roles that is worth pointing out.
Often, an inside forward's most favoured position will be a more central area of the pitch. They're closer to the classic centre forward role and will almost always be looking to either take the ball into the middle of the final third or make a run to receive it there.
Inverted wingers, on the other hand, are prone to hugging the touchline for longer, perhaps indicating to opposition defenders that their role is closer to that of a traditional winger, before suddenly bursting into the middle to disrupt their back line and create space out wide for others.
These are subtle differences, admittedly, and it's important to recognise that both roles are fluid and subject to change depending on how a match is going or where a coach wants to target specifically.
Want to find out more about how wide forwards are structured in the modern game? Check out our in-depth guide to the role of the winger.
Author: Fred Garratt-Stanley
Lead Content Writer
Fred Garratt-Stanley is an experienced football writer and journalist, specialising in industry insights, tactical analysis, and the culture of the game. He has contributed to publications such as NME, GQ, The Quietus, and Resident Advisor. As Lead Content Writer at Jobs In Football, he focuses on providing reliable, research-driven articles to help people navigate careers in the football industry.
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