The midfield position in soccer is one of the most difficult positions to play. If you can dominate the midfield during a game, you can have control of the ball and therefore, easily win it.
Today, you are going to find out 11 things you should know about the midfield position in soccer.
Let’s get started.
- What is a midfielder in soccer?
- How to improve positioning as a midfield?
- How to improve awareness?
- What is the purpose of a midfielder in soccer?
- Is midfield a good position?
- What do scouts look for in midfielders?
- What do midfielders do in soccer?
- Do midfielders score goals?
- Midfielder tips for beginners
- Midfielder skills to master
- Common mistakes with midfielders
- Wrap Up
1-What Is A Midfielder In Soccer?
In soccer, a midfield is a player whose role is to help his team transition from defense to attack. He does it by using his positioning and awareness. A midfielder is also required to have a technical and passing ability to control the midfield and ensure possession.
There are four types of midfielders:
- The central midfielder
- Defensive midfielder
- Attacking midfielder
- Left and right midfielder
How To Improve Positioning As A Midfielder?
- As a midfielder, you have to relieve pressure and create space by dropping in and off.
- The perfect way to drop off and create that space is to run at a slower pace than the rest of the players.
- Position yourself in between the players to receive the ball with an advantage.
- Constantly come back to help the defenders play the ball out.
- Move towards advanced zones of the rival field with great intelligence occupy free spaces.
How To Improve Awareness?
- Take note of where your options are.
- Pay attention to where the opposition is and who they are going towards.
- Set yourself up to relieve pressure on the ball once you see an opponent player moving towards you.
- Think about what to do with the ball even before receiving it.
- Use the knowledge you get from scanning to make plans and improve your decision-making.
- When your team is experiencing a high amount of pressure, you have to find a solution to exit the ball.
- Help your team defensively to stop any counter-attack that might occur.
4-What Is The Purpose Of A Midfielder In Soccer?
In a nutshell, the main purpose of a midfielder is to link the defence to the attacking in soccer. A midfield has to take the ball from the defenders and find the forwards. He is like a car engine. During a game, without a good midfield, it’s almost impossible to have possession.
5-Is Midfield A Good Position?
Midfield is one of the most important positions in soccer. It requires a lot of discipline and awareness. A midfielder is expected to touch the ball more than any other player on the pitch. Whoever has those qualities will do good as a midfielder. Yes, the midfield is a fantastic position.
6-What Do Scouts Look For In Midfielders?
There are four main things scouts look for in midfielders: Great passing ability, movements, positioning and how fast a midfielder can think on the pitch.
If you are a midfielder with those skills, chances are scouts will recruit you.
7-What Do Midfielders Do In Soccer?
There are four main things midfielders do in soccer: transitioning from defence to attack, ensuring the ball possession, attacking and defending.
You can read the whole article and have a deeper explanation of what midfielders do here.
8-Do Midfielders Score Goals?
Yes, midfielders score goals. The midfield position is one of the best positions to score many goals in a team. The midfielder often finds himself right outside the opposition’s penalty box where he can easily shoot and score.
Although the main job of a midfielder is to link the defence to the attack, this doesn’t mean midfielders don’t score goals.
In effect, the best midfielders out there have scored many goals in their career.
For example, Luka Modric, Francesco Totti, Del Pierro, etc.
This is because midfielders help the forwards and create numerical superiority in the attack.
The amount of work midfielders do is mind-blowing. This is why it is the hardest soccer position.
9-Midfielder Tips For Beginners
Those tips will help any beginner trying to improve their midfield game.
Tip 1
Always talk to the other midfield standing next to you.
Tip 2
Play one-two touches. Sometimes, you are going to have little space to work in. So you have to get rid of the ball quickly to retain possession. Make sure your control is very effective.
Tip 3
Take advantage of the spaces. Whether you are an attacking or defensive midfielder, you need to make yourself available to your teammates and know where space is.
Tip 4
Be creative. Most of the greatest soccer midfielders in the world are very creative.
For instance, some defensive midfielders are very good at long-range balls. They are not just there to break up things defensively and dictate the tempo. Some great examples can be K.De Bruyne, A.Iniesta, etc.
You have to try through balls. Knowing how to play a Through ball will make you a great midfield.
Tip 5
Defensive efforts.
What makes the midfield the hardest position in soccer is the fact that you have to run all over the place to attack and defend. So, be aware of your defensive responsibilities.
Obviously, playing as a midfielder requires more than those tips, but this is a great place to start.
None of these works unless you go out there and practice.
10-Midfielder Skills To Master
Here are some midfielder skills that will help you keep the ball, beat defenders, and play an amazing Through pass.
1-Awareness of the defender’s movement and space available behind you.
When you are receiving a pass and the defender is trying to get in front of you to get it, turn your body so that your back is facing your defender. Finally, let the ball pass you and the defender.
2-Curving the pass so that it goes behind the defense but away from the goalie.
When you are receiving the ball from the wing, use the curve technique and hit the ball with your first touch. This gives the striker the perfect pass to run onto.
3-Get close to the defender before passing the ball.
When you are on your way to the goal and there is a lot of space between you and any defenders, don’t pass the ball right away. Instead, continue your run until you get closer to the defender, then release the ball to your teammate.
In this situation in the image above, if you were to pass the ball, the defender would have the time to get across and get between your teammate and the goal.
But by continuing towards the defender, he would have to come and engage you. When they move to stop you, that’s when you pass the ball to your teammate.
4-Playing against the defender’s momentum.
When you receive a ball, and you see the defender coming towards you to close you down, take the first touch so that it goes against the defender’s momentum.
11-Midfielder Common Mistakes In Soccer
1-Fear of going forward.
As a midfielder, you are responsible for moving the ball from one side of the pitch to another. So, being scared of taking your responsibilities won’t help.
2-Taking decisions very late.
Most midfielders get the ball and don’t know what to do with it.
A saying says: “The moment you start thinking on the pitch, you have already lost”.
By this, you understand that the best midfielders out there know what they are going to do with the ball even before they get it.
3-Lack of discipline.
Most young midfielders struggle a lot with positioning and defending.
For example, a lot of midfielders are selling themselves too cheap when they try to tackle the ball. They get too easily eliminated by strikers.
At last, midfielders don’t often communicate clearly who should go and stay.
Now you know the most common mistakes midfielders usually make. Try to avoid them.
Wrap Up
If you are playing as a midfielder, you are probably going to receive the ball more than anyone else on the pitch.
You have to be ready to receive the ball and know what to do once you get it.
Keep practising.
If you play in another position and would like to switch and become a midfielder, you have to start playing in that position when you play with your friends and implement all the tips shared in this article.
Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comment section below.
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