Tips on playing Sweeper?

[Anarchist]

Any help would be really appreciated...

For my club team I've been playin center middy, but after this year's tryouts with new talent coming in and others moving on I find myself being moved back to sweeper. I know the basics from watching a kid on my former high school team play the position pretty dang well. All I really see of him is sitting back, mostly just picking off long and through balls that get by his sweeper. This is easy, but he always seems to KNOW where to be. Is there any key to reading the game? He usually plays a DEEP sweeper, sitting pretty far back at times. When I tried the position at tryouts I did decent enough just mimicking him, but I feel it won't be enough come competative season. Can anyone offer any kind of advice? I basically do the same thing, sit back and contain. I know how to slow down a 1 on 1 or 2 on 1 etc. I'm fast, but not really that quick (if you know what I mean). I'm taller and thinner built, if that makes a difference. I'm not afraid to throw in a hard tackle, but I'm known for usually "finess"-ing the ball away. Based on some of this what might be the best way to play? And if there's somethin else I need to include let me know. Thanks ^^. (AIM's camdenmoore87 if you wanna respond there too. I'm usually on)

-Camden-

[Wasted]

Rule #1: Play strong and dont take any s***.

[hoody25]

I just got moved back to sweeper this previous year and if you are sitting back deep it should be real easy to see the openings develop and to see what they are gonna do just put your self in a psoition that u will be able to get to the ball no matter what the situation and dont be afraid to step into the play to stop it before it develops. Also my team played the 4-4-2 so i had a stopper there is anything went wrong. So really its about your teamates, anticipation, and like wasted said dont take any **********. P.S. If you have time dont just kick the ball out of that back to clear take your time and play that ball out it makes u look like a much better defender and sweeper.

[soccer00110]

Make sure your always talking and that your defenders know where the opposing team is at at all times. Also dont play toooo deep because if you give the other team to much space and they get a break away your teammates wont be able to get back in time to help out if you get into trouble.

[DerbyRam54]

P.S. If you have time dont just kick the ball out of that back to clear take your time and play that ball out it makes u look like a much better defender and sweeper.
This is good advice, but on the other hand don't muck around and risk losing possession because most of the time you won't have anyone covering you. I saw a talented kid doing this yesterday (I'm a coach not a player) and I suggested she look to distribute the ball earlier. Her comment was, there's no targets. That's where you need to be working with your midfield, having them come back so you have somewhere to play the ball out to.

[hoody25]

I agree with Derbyman because kids that are trying out for my varsity team play around with with the ball in the back or when there is tme to distribute they take way to long and there oppurtunities dissapear. So be decisive and quick to get rid of the ball.

[Slug]

Think of yourself as a support defender. (You're not a marking back). If the ball is on the right flank, shade over to the right so if the right back is beaten you're there to immediately cover. If it's in the middle, obviously stay central but still stagger yourself in diagonal, inside support to the direction of the attack.

Don't play too deep as this leaves a gap between the other defenders and yourself for the opposing forwards to attack, either on the dribble or with passes. If you find yourself isolated one v. one with no support, obviously someone has screwed up.

Talk talk talk and talk so more to your other defenders. You're the boss, direct them into coverage. If they get beat and you have to cover their butt make sure they drop back to cover yours.

The position is very similar to free safety in football; you're a freelancer who goes where needed. One little tip you can borrow from free safeties is watch the eyes of the ball carrier; you can often read where they're going with their pass, and, they usually aren't as adept at disguising their intent like quarterbacks are. Nothing is more fun than interceptions, for safties and sweepers.

It's good that you're fast; but make sure you learn to gauge your closing speed so you can arrive before the play instead of relying on speed to make recovery runs.

As for tackling, become a good one if you're not already. Watch the ball, don't dive-in, jockey the attacker wide or away from danger or into support, never make the first move (unless it's a fake tackle; not wise if you don't have quick feet). Be patient; you don't have to always win the ball; forcing a pass is good defense in my opinion. It's up to your teammates to cover you there. But any good defender considers it shameful to get beat one v. one.

Transitioning to the attack, alot of it starts with reading and anticipating the play; you should already have a good idea of where to distribute before you even take possession of the ball. If you don't know who's open it's usually becasue you haven't been paying attention. (Not because nobody is making runs as most ball carriers will whine!) Very rarely should you have to take more than one or two touches to distribute. And if you get in the habit of taking too many touches, I guarantee you're not gonna be too popular with your goalkeeper!

Most pro and college teams, and many high school teams no longer use a sweeper in their systems. But it still can be a very effective position and it is always fun when played well. If anyone ever gets to be a star on defense, it's a sweeper.

[Anarchist]

All I really see of him is sitting back, mostly just picking off long and through balls that get by his sweeper.
-Camden-

Meant that get by his stopper ~_~

Distribution's never been a problem for me, composure and passing are probably the only two parts of my game I take pride in.


Could I play the position the same way if we were playing 3 in the back, but with a defensive middy? I figure it's almost the same as a stopper, only pushing a bit further up. Would I have to press some too to cover him, or would it be smarter to stay put to contain a counterattack?


Thanks all. This helped a lot. Hopefully I'll be able to apply it in the Nike cup in a few weeks, or the labor day shootout this weekend