Cruyff explains his diamond formation

When FC Barcelona won the 2009 Champions League with essentially a 433 formation featuring Lionel Messi as a false nine (a withdrawn striker) much was written about Guardiola s tactical genius. Of course, Pep didn t actually invent that system. Cruyff himself played as a false nine behind two wide strikers in the seventies for Ajax and Holland. Here s a brilliant clip from 2004 in which Cruyff, with the help of a chalkboard, attempts to explain his diamond formation.