Hey, my season is about to start and most likely i will be playing center mid this year (played center mid for my current coach for the past couple of years). we use to play a 4-3-3, and i was mainly a box to box midfeilder. but then last year, a european kid came onto our team and he's quality, played as one of the strikers up top and was ridiculous (40 goals or something). but then this year i believe he wants to play as a center mid (either as attacking or just box to box center). to me, that doesn't really bother me because im more of a xavi/ xabi alonso, because i rarely make those surging runs down the middle and try to deke everyone out, but rather just spray the passes around the park (either long chips over the D, or just short simple backpassing), so i think this year we mite be playing a 4-4-2 with a holding defence and attacking mid. and because the other guy is obviously more suited as an attacking mid, im thinking ill be playing holding mid, so do u guys have any tips about playing a holding midfielder? thanks in advance
A Holding midfielder position is tough, first and foremost you have to realise you are going to have to transform your personality into a fighter. I've listed a few points below that you need to take into consideration. 1) Physically Strong As much as i love technical football i know this position requires physical strength as a basic requirement. If your not well built up top, make sure you make this a priority. Make sure you hit the gym as much as possible. There will be times when the ball will be bouncing around and you will need to jostle for position in tight areas, hence the reason you need to be able to hold people off. You also will need to apply pressure to Strikers/Attacking Mids and they usually tend to be the fastest/tricky players so you need to counter that with good strength. 2) Keep It Simple I know you said you like the Xavi / Xabi Alonso but this role you will be crucial in holding the balance of the side. When you receive the ball look to play short simple passes to the nearest player. Look for your central midfielder partner or the full backs as you need to make sure you out of all players don't lose the ball, mainly because your the wall in front of the defence. 3) Show For The Ball There will be times when your defenders are under pressure, so make sure even when your team has the ball that you position yourself near them. Dont let them be in a situation where they are under pressure with no way out, you should be there first option. Also there will be times when your team is struggling to penetrate the other team, so just show for the ball even when attacking so you can start the attack all over again. 4) Dont Expose Your Defence Counter attacks happen & the main person in charge of stopping them is you. If your not in a situation to stop a counter attack, make sure you do somehow some way. I'm not a person who believes fouling the opposition is a good thing but in this position, if you see a dangerous attack and you have 10% chance of winning the ball in a tackle, go for that chance. I'm not saying break legs but make sure if you don't win the ball you commit a small foul or put off the attacking player. As i say with all my tips, 1 of the best tings you can is watch players in this position and learn from them. So maybe have a look at Essien, Song, Mascherano, De Jong.
Thanks! That was really helpful. O and what about watching xavi and xabi alonso play. i kno xavi is more of just a box to box, but isn't he considered more conservative because he usually unlocks defences with passes rather then taking people on with dribbling. and what about xabi, i always considered him to be a holding mid because he always uses those long passes of his to hit players on the run
ID say that Xavi Has less defensive resposibilities when hes on the pitch Hes more of a pure passer and creator but outstanding in possession. He rarely gets in the tackle not because he cant but because its not his job. Xabi gives a different dynamic: he can pass well but also is a decent tackler. Thats why you saw Busquests in that trio for spain he gives a little more bite to that midfield. Like CASHFLOW said try watch games and see what the Holding midfielder does. MY personal favorites were Gilberto Silva and Claude Makalele. they use to call Gilberto the invisible wall because teams just could not get past him. in his 30s he was still a badass in the World Cup. ANyways those tips are pretty usefull I would add: Consult with your defenders. The have to trust that you will protect them. Defenders are experts at tackling and thwarting attacks so you could probably learn a thing or two from them. You mentioned that you were a BOX to BOX MF. You probably already know what kind of defensive disipline it takes so continue that. Communication is crucial between the midfield and Defence and your that conncection. I would also add dont get too bogged down playing defence too. you need to make an effort to keep possesion but dont clogg up space.
So my job is basically to slow the other team down before they can reach my defensive line and when we do get the ball, play almost like a quarterback? as in im always there as a support (either behind or infront) and when i do get the ball, i just redistribute it to the people around me? and as for tackles, am i trying to win all of them, or just trying to slow them down so my other midfeilders can recover and and the defence can set up?
Yes You basicaly act as a shield to the d-line. In a 4-4-2 that d mid is crucial to controlling the game. In your case u dont want to overly aggressive because youll probaby end up leaving your d exposed (youll be in a central position so dont drift out to much and maintain your positioning). However you pretty much need to stop whatever comes down that middle. its the most dangerous point of attack so theyll be relying on you to thwart them. As for possession and offense: your mainly a facilitator that gives the ball off to someone else Most traditional D mids dont advance too much but rather stay pretty centrally acting as an outlet to switch the point of attack or maintain possession. and always protecting that D-line . HOWEVER it really just depends on what your coach wants out of you and what duties you get. KISS (keep it simple stupid) my coach always told me that. play the easy ball unless you do see a clear counter attack opportunity. if you maintain possesion then youve donw your job As for tackles you want to be strong and make your presence noted. but dont get reckless. as this position probably warrants the most yellow cards
some stratagems tactic i played a lot as CM , i ll try to share with you what i learned A) before you get the ball a1) before you get the ball, you follow the development of the game,you should be at some distance from the ball holder, 5 10 20 m ...there isnt a specific rule ..it s something that comes with experience a2) before you get the ball, you must be free when you get the ball,so you have to make small movements to shake off possible opponents a3) before you get the ball, you must already know what to do with the ball,if to pass or try a dribling or anything else (usually preferred to do the essential) B) your defensive movements I started as centre back ,it was useful, because when i played as CM i already knew basic defensive movements.You try to play some games as CB.There are situations during the game where you become ,practically, a defender. C) shots on goal Not use force, use precision.The goalkeeper weak points are the low corners.You shoot there . D) if you do not understand... ...my bad english.There is a player that materializes what I'm saying.He s Gerrard ,so you watch his games . You must exactly watch only what Gerrard does,you erase the others playes and watch only what he does.
what I found when im playing def mid is that you suddenly become a very angry player nothing pisses me off more now than to see lazy mid's taking their time to get back and help out or track their runners playing at Def Mid you have to have good awareness where to go or you could end up chasing the ball around without much success
Thanks for all the replies! They've all been very helpful! I think that i just need to get into a more defensive mindframe and to become more aggresive. Although my passing isn't perfect like xavi's or xabi's, its good enough that i can vary them (eg. chips, through balls, short passes, long passes) effectively, so i believe that although my passing can still improve, its good enough for the moment. shooting on the other hand, i have enough power, i just hafta get the ball to go lower. the real problem is i that i need to kno my passes and moves BEFORE i even get the ball. my coach has been telling me to look around before i call for a pass, do u guys have any tips on knowing what u'll do before u get the ball? im afraid that if i look around and someone passes me the ball, i wont be aware and just let the ball roll by or control it really poorly
well,i think that the right person, that could help you, is your coach .He surely knows your qualities better than us and where (maybe) you make some mistakes.You should speak with him about your football problems. u see up the section A.