Playing outside midfield

[msfurnas]

Outside mids don't play defense for several reasons. If it is a 4-4-2 like the US plays then the outside mids play attacking mid almost while the center mids play defensive. In a normal 4-4-2 most outside mids are just lazy and don't want to track back. It is the position on the field which requires the most running.

[senorbuckwheat]

A player on the field should always subscribe to "Total Football". Don't let the formation dictate the game, the game should dictate the formation.

[Richie]

I want to play outside midfield for my high school team and i was wondering why it seems that pro outside midfielders never seem to play defense(e.g. beckham).

Not true you just don't see it when they do it. If the attack is on a flank that is a ball side attack. That flank player is not playing defensive before the ball is lost because he is on attack. If you can see the other flank and what that flank player is doing you might change your mind. Especially if the ball side attack is using an overlaping back. Then that far side flank player is playing defensive even before his team loses the ball in a 4-4-2. Becaue if the ball is lost that far side mid might have to become a far side back in a hurry.

It is hard for a ball side flank player to get back when his team loses the ball. Especially if he makes his run to early. That can leave him with a 60 yard recovery run. Depends how the outside wing mid plays and when he makes his run.

Flank play in a 4-4-2 and a 3-5-2 is a running position. I train flank players.

[Richie]

well our team went from playing 4-3-3 to 4-4-3...i went from playing center mid to right "wing"...the way my coach drew it up fer me...was that i had an "egg contorlling the middle of the flank i play on...the 2 center mids we have were more defensive especially since in our league...the middle is crowded and the outside mid's produce offense for the forwards...its more of an attacking position...rather than the center mids which are more defensive mids. hope that hleps

Your playing with 11 players players and a keeper nice :-) 4-4-3

[Richie]

we play like this....

------FW---FW------
LW--------------Rw
-----LCM---RCM----
---------SP---------
LB---------------RB
---------SW--------

FW= forward LW/RW= wings RCM/LCM= Central Mids SP= Stopper
LB/RB= Backs SW= Sweeper

we usually play like this and i play one of the wing positions....i rarely have to come back near the goal...its hard for the central mids i think because when i had to play there...it got crowded on defense because we have a diamond defense and the stopper is up a bit...But on the outside thrs a lot of room for you to move


The formation only looks like that on the kick off :-)

[Richie]

can someone please tell me the purpose of having a diamond defence instead of a flat 4?

Does a diamond defense or a diamond midfield for that matter actually look like a diamond shape when a ball is on a flank? It looks more like a flat 4 zone at that time. Ball side back pressures the ball, the inside back closest to the ball is spaced and staggered further back, the next inside back could be the stopper or the sweeper is spaced and further back behind the other center back and the farthest back moves more inside the field and is spaced and further back of the last center back. Staggered is for depth. So it looks a lot more like a flat 4 zone then a diamond shape at that time.

[Richie]

My team plays with a similar formation to yours, except the stopper is actually a defensive midfielder who pushes forward, and the d-line only has 3 people. Basically if you have a strong commanding midfield you can sacrifice one defender for more midfield control.

So do you ever overlap when you have 3 backs?

[Richie]

midfield is hard to play cause it tires you easy. when i play i usualy hustle back and then i get a yellow for all that hard work by knoking someone over.

How many yellows can you get a game :-)

[Richie]

Outside mids don't play defense for several reasons. If it is a 4-4-2 like the US plays then the outside mids play attacking mid almost while the center mids play defensive. In a normal 4-4-2 most outside mids are just lazy and don't want to track back. It is the position on the field which requires the most running.

If you are an outside mid who doesn't play defense your not playing on a good team, and your not playing against good opponents.

[msfurnas]

If you are an outside mid who doesn't play defense your not playing on a good team, and your not playing against good opponents.
LOL not the case. I was referring to my opinion of Mr. Beckham.

I am a forward btw.

[Richie]

LOL not the case. I was referring to my opinion of Mr. Beckham.

I am a forward btw.

I haven't watched Beckham since he moved to Real madrid.

As I remember this is how they played defense against him. They pushed him to the center of the field instead of outside. Pushing him inside put him into a congested center of the field into the opponents inside mids who tried to destroy his attack in a double team. Lose the ball there you don't have much left to get back in a hurry because he took a beating.

Trick so you don't have a big recovery run when the team loses the ball is be a close pass option forwho ever has the ball on attack. Then wait to the dribbler gets his head up then make your run. Recovery run will be a lot less distance if you play that way.

One of the things I look for in a player like this defensively is a will to be up when the ball is up, and get behind the ball after the team loses the ball.

I have seen even some unfit guys that have that will.

[hawk_claw]

Your playing with 11 players players and a keeper nice :-) 4-4-3

ahhh sorry 4-4-2./.....im not the smartest man alive....as u prolly have noticed

[soccermainiac2003]

wings don't really have much defensive responsibility, but they cant stay on line with the forwards.
They need to get wide for a clearance and be ready to start the counter.

[thedefender23]

yea. my high school coach has our team set up so that our outside midfielders have to mark the other team's outside mids. he has us in a 4 back format with 2 backs to mark the other team's strikers, 1 sweeper and 1 guy to mark the other team's central midfielder. Therefore our outside mids cant really go up pretty far without leaving their mark behind.

[PeletoFreddy]

i play left midfield for every team I play for..and i rarely play defense and if i do its because of a set piece. I always attack first play defense second. But lately my coach has made me play defense which it gets tiring but hey deal with it.

[kkmkk]

my team usually plays 4-4-2. imo, the wingers has to do their bit of defending.

when attacking: its straight forward. anticipate any through balls. make space for yourself. get ready to run into scoring positions if the ball is played to the other winger.

when defending: its the wingers job to track & close opposition full back. opposition winger is taken care of by your own full-back. the centre midfield is not to allow space in the middle. i play centre mid & i would usually shout for my wingers to track back. i try not to venture too far out when defending as it will leave gaps in the middle, which is more dangerous.

i think any left/right mid, who do not track back or do any defending, are not doing enough for the team.

[Jabinho]

i think any left/right mid, who do not track back or do any defending, are not doing enough for the team.It's often been noted about DaMarcus Beasley that his skill dropping back and helping in defense is one of the main reasons he sees so much time on the national team.

If you want to play outside mid do increase your fitness level (training running distance, etc.) over time, as that will be a major factor in success in that position. Not that it isn't important for all players, of course, but it will make a huge difference in success at that position if you're aiming high.

[Becks11]

Oh, and be ready to lay the ball off to a teammate as wingers get more hospital balls than all other positions combined. Cant remember how many times I've been screwed when receiving a pass against the sideline...

[thedefender23]

my team usually plays 4-4-2. imo, the wingers has to do their bit of defending.

when attacking: its straight forward. anticipate any through balls. make space for yourself. get ready to run into scoring positions if the ball is played to the other winger.

when defending: its the wingers job to track & close opposition full back. opposition winger is taken care of by your own full-back. the centre midfield is not to allow space in the middle. i play centre mid & i would usually shout for my wingers to track back. i try not to venture too far out when defending as it will leave gaps in the middle, which is more dangerous.

i think any left/right mid, who do not track back or do any defending, are not doing enough for the team.
what you're saying would work in a flat back 4. My coach has it worked out so that our outside mids are markin the other team's outside mids not the fullbacks.

[kkmkk]

what you're saying would work in a flat back 4. My coach has it worked out so that our outside mids are markin the other team's outside mids not the fullbacks.

my team plays with a last man. he doesnt have the responsibility of marking anyone.

share your coach's system with us.