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| Training the Center Midfielder |
Coaches can teach the “how to” of playing that position
Following is an outline of a 1988 clinic presentation by Jeff Tipping. It was part of an NSCAA Special Topics Course in Rochester, N.Y., focusing on midfield play, and appeared originally in the September-October 2002 issue of Soccer Journal.
Attacking functions of the center midfielder:
• Receive balls from the fullbacks and turn;
• Act as wall to get fullbacks into the middle third;
• Find front players with penetrating passes;
• Supply flank players with passes;
• Change point of attack from one flank to another;
• Penetrate and shoot.
Technical training — The “how to” progresses from the physically easy to physically difficult.
Functional training— Serves to train a player to meet the demands of a specific position on the field, in this case those requirements of the central midfielder.
Tactical training — It is the “when to” and should progress from visually easy situations to those that are visually difficult.
Technical training for central midfield players has two phases:
• Receiving balls from defenders and turning;
• Playing with forward and flank players.
Warm-up
• Three players to a ball on a half field:
1. Practice turning the ball and playing it on to third player;
2. Practice serving long balls into the path of each other or into space;
• When eye contact is made, check to player in a V shape (see diagram above) and either:
1. Spin on ball;
2. Carry it laterally;
3. Carry and spin;
4. Play it back to a partner.
• Players 1 and 2 pass the ball 15 yards apart while 3 player is 35-40 yards away. When 1 prepares the ball 3 checks to the ball. Server bends ball into path, away from path or to feet. Now server runs to support (in this case 1).
Technical/functional training exercises
BALLS TO FLANK PLAYERS
I. Organization: 80 x 70-yard field with three forwards versus two defenders. The center back triggers play and no one moves until the center midfielder strikes the ball. With the defender playing tight, the CM bends the ball away from the sweeper into “advantage space.”
Coaching points: Coach demands quality of turn by the CM and the quality of the pass (see diagram below).
II. Organization: Same as Diagram 1, but no sweeper. No one moves until the CM strikes the ball. The defender lays off the flank player as a checking run is made. The ball is bent to the flank player’s feet, who turns and attacks the defender.
Coaching points: Quality of turn by the CM and quality of ball to feet (see diagram below).
III. Organization: Same as I & II. Ball served to flank player with CM moving forward to support the ball at proper angle. The two players execute a double pass with the defender instructed to “bite” on the play (see diagram below).
Coaching points: Support angle and timing of the double pass.
PLAY WITH CENTER FORWARD
IV. Organization: 3 v. 3 + 1 with the defenders instructed to mark tight. The defenders counter to the “trigger man,” the center back. The CF checks to the ball with the defender tight. CF, feeling the pressure, makes a diagonal run with the CM bending the ball into space (see diagram below).
Coaching points: The timing of the pass by the CM in relation to the run by the CF and the quality of the bent ball.
V. Organization: Same as Exercise 4. Defense plays “loose.” CF checks to the ball, CM plays to feet, CF turns and tries to beat the defender (see diagram below).
Coaching points: The timing of the CM’s pass relative to the CF’s run and the communication by the CM for the CF to “turn.”
3 v. 3 + 1 TO TWO GOALS
VI. Organization: The coach or server plays balls into the central area where two CM’s challenge to win the ball and play it forward to their team. When the O defenders win the ball they play it to the CM while when the defenders win the ball they play it to the O CM to continue play. All restarts begin with a served ball at midfield. The CM’s try to hit penetrating passes between the defenders or work combinations to execute through passes (see diagram below).
Coaching points: Observe the technical play and the tactical decisions by the respective MF’s.
SWITCHING PLAY
VII. Organization: The sweeper is introduced on both sides of the ball. One fullback is allowed to attack “untracked.” The CM winning the ball on the service from the coach seeks to play to the flank and supports the ball and when it is returned, turns and plays the ball to either the feet of the attacking back or into space for the player to run onto (see diagram below).
Coaching points: Observe the quality of the support, the ability to lose the defensive midfielder, the quality of the long pass to the back and the timing of all the runs.
RECEIVING BALLS UNDER PRESSURE
VIII. Organization: Balls in both goals. A 40 x 40-yard square is marked off in the center of the field with flat cones. Play is 1 v. 2 in either attacking end. Play starts with a throw to either of the backs from the keeper. They control the ball until an opportunity is available for a pass to their CM who checks to them. The goal for the CM’s is to get the ball to their CF to attack the goal. If play fails, the CM’s can use their backs to keep the ball. The CM’s must check back at an angle; try to make space (dribble, spin turns, etc.) to free themselves for the pass to the CF (see diagram below).>
Coaching points: Observe the ability of the CM’s to free themselves to win ball and turn and then free themselves. Also observe communication with the backs both verbally and tactically. The quality of the passes to the CF’s is important as is the decision to play forward or maintain possession.
1 v. 1 + 1
IX. Organization: Two-goal game with 3 v. 4 in each end of field. Play starts with service from coach. CM obtaining possession can now combine with a neutral player to get in a good passing position to play to any of the forwards. Once ball is delivered to forwards, play continues until defense wins and plays ball into central grid or goes out of play. If out of play, coach resumes play (see diagram below).
Coaching points: Observe the ability of CMs to work to free themselves with aid of supporting player and to check to the ball should their defenders win the ball.
THREE MAN COMBINATION PLAY
X. Organization: Same as in IX. The CM’s can either work in combination with the neutral player to free themselves or work to free themselves and play the ball to the forwards who then can bring the neutral player with them by playing the ball to that player’s supporting run. The objective for both teams is a shot on goal (see diagram below).
Coaching points: Observe the tactical decisions by the CM’s as to whether they recognize when to combine with the neutral player and when to keep the ball and play it forward themselves.
8 v. 8 PLAY
XI. Organization: Full field play, 8 v. 8 with the balls in the goals (below). The offside rule should be in effect. The game should reveal to the coach the technical strengths and weaknesses of the midfielders with coaching centered on the effectiveness of the midfield players to perform the vital functions of their tactical roles. Obviously the ability of the midfielders to relate the practice exercises to the game should also be analyzed.
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