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In football (soccer), a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders. Their main functions are to dispossess and keep possession of the ball, and to feed it to the strikers. However, some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and strikers. Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...
The striker (wearing the red shirt) has run past the defender (in the white shirt) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to attempt to stop the ball. ...
It has been suggested that Wingback be merged into this article or section. ...
A midfielder's many responsibilities — to fetch the ball forward, to defend against or tackle the opposing team, to score or assist the strikers to score — make them amongst the most valued members of a team. In essence, a good midfield must possess the ability to be combative whilst also being creative. Most managers field at least one central midfielder with a marked task of breaking up opposition's attacks while the rest are more adept to creating goals or have equal responsibilities between attack and defense. At either side of the pitch a manager can field a winger, a specialist side midfielder used expressedly for attack. Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. ...
In football (soccer), a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders. ...
Outstanding midfielders require a number of skills on top of fundamental ball skills and fitness. A modicum of skills—tackling, dribbling, shooting, distributing and passing—can all come in play at different points in the match. Because they occupy what is the most influential parts of the pitch, midfielders are perhaps more likely to influence the outcome of a match than most, especially through their vision for a good pass or ability to score. A good striker without midfield support would lack attacking chances, while a defence likewise would be severely tested. Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. ...
In sports such as association football (soccer) and basketball, dribbling refers to the manouevring of a ball around a defender through short skilful taps or kicks with either the legs (football/soccer) or hands (basketball). ...
Midfielders typically exhaust the most energy during a match due to the distance they cover on a pitch, as at times they can be called back into defense or required to attack with the strikers.
Defensive midfielder
A defensive midfielder or a holding midfielder is a central midfielder who is stationed in front of the back Defenders for defensive reasons, thus "holding back" the freedom of the opponents to attack. This specialist midfielder's responsibilities are to defend against or tackle the opposing team, to recover the ball for their own team, and to safely distribute it to more attacking-minded players. It has been suggested that Wingback be merged into this article or section. ...
Not only does the player protect his team's defence, he also gives his fellow midfielders a "license" to parade their more attacking flair without the worry of defensive work. The holding role is thus one of the most underrated positions in football.
The defensive midfielder position is also referred to in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese as "volante" (Spanish & Portuguese for "Rudder" or someone who gives direction), and in Portugal as a "trinco" (meaning "lock"). Eric Cantona once referred to Didier Deschamps as "the water carrier". This was originally intended as a derogatory term but is now an accepted alternative to "holding midfielder" in the UK. Most Brazilian teams deploy at least one "volante" in their team, this includes the Brazilian national team who over the years have fielded some of the most famous defensive midfielders such as 1994 World Cup winning team captain Dunga. The position is sometimes overlooked but it is a very important position in the modern game. It is a highly specialized position only executed successfully by very few talented players. Éric Daniel Pierre Cantona (born May 24, 1966) is a French former footballer of the 1990s. ...
Didier Deschamps (born 15 October 1968 in Bayonne) is a former French football player who captained France to victories in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. ...
Dunga, real name Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, (born October 31, 1963 in IjuÃ, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) is a former football defensive midfielder, a World Champion for Brazil in the 1994 World Cup. ...
Perhaps the most typical case of a defensive midfielder is Claude Makelele. For both club (Chelsea, Real Madrid) and country (France), he plays right in front of the back four breaking up attacking movements. His tough yet accurate tackling skills and his decisive passing decisions have more than made up his weaker attacking abilities. When he played for Real Madrid, the modus operendi have been "Makelele wins the ball and passes it to Zidane." A similar partnership is established in Chelsea when he plays with Frank Lampard. Claude Makelele (born February 18, 1973 in Kinshasa, Zaire) is a French international football (soccer) player, who currently plays defensive midfield for Chelsea in the English Premiership. ...
Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously as The Pensioners), founded in 1905, is one of the most famous English Premier League football teams. ...
Real Madrid is a Spanish sports club best known for its football team which is ranked as The 20th Centurys Best Club by FIFA. They play their home games at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. ...
Zidane redirects here. ...
For Frank Lampard Jr. ...
Roles
The primary job of a defensive midfielder is to dispossess any opposing team's player with the ball primarily in midfield. This is a crucial aspect of the modern game since this cuts the chance of the attacking movement getting too dangerous. Usually, the holding midfielder does not move much into his attacking half. Defensive midfielder must be very aggressive and constantly marshalling the opposing team's attacking players. The player must also be able to be very physical without being scared of getting injured. Most defensive holding players are the team's "hardmen".
The secondary role of a defensive midfield player is to initiate the attacking movement after he/she has won the ball. A good defensive midfielder not only is able to win the ball, but he/she can make a decisive pass as well in order to initiate an attacking sequence.
Players inaccurately termed Defensive Midfielders
Some have incorrectly pointed out Roy Keane of Celtic to be a defensive midfielder. This is improper. However, in the later half of his career, he did change his style of play to be more defensive and become the team's "bodyguard"; in effect protecting the attacking moves and making sure that the team is not caught off-guard in case of an opposition counter-attack. While he may have great tackling abilities, he is more of a box-to-box midfielder. Some other players confused to be defensive midfielders are Steven Gerrard, and Michael Essien. All are great players with wide range of skills but are not specialists in the defensive mould. Roy Maurice Keane, (born in Cork, August 10, 1971) is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Celtic. ...
Celtic Football Club, (pronounced seltik), is a Scottish football club, currently competing in the Scottish Premier League, the highest form of competition in Scotland. ...
Steven George Gerrard (born May 30, 1980) is an English football player with Liverpool F.C.. He is widely regarded as one of the best and the most complete midfield players in the world,[1] and became the second youngest captain (after Didier Deschamps) ever to lift the European Cup...
Michael Essien (born December 8, 1982 in Accra, Ghana) is a Ghanaian football player. ...
Centre midfielder Central midfielders play several roles on the field of play, depending on their particular strengths and weaknesses and the tactics of the team. They are the link between defence and attack, and must also defend when the opposition are in possession. Their central position enables them to have an all-round view of the match, and as most of the action takes place in and around their area of the pitch, midfielders often exert the greatest degree of control over how a match is played. They must be equally skilled at tackling, passing and keeping possession.
Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Steven Gerrard are examples of central midfielders. All are capable of playing from "box to box" and as the norm rather than the exception, use their strength, their passing ability, and their work rate to affect their team's game play. This section of the field is often known as a team's "engine room", because rarely have great teams succeeded without skillful, commanding centre midfielders. For Frank Lampard Jr. ...
Michael Ballack (born September 26, 1976 in Görlitz, then East Germany) is a German football player. ...
Steven George Gerrard (born May 30, 1980) is an English football player with Liverpool F.C.. He is widely regarded as one of the best and the most complete midfield players in the world,[1] and became the second youngest captain (after Didier Deschamps) ever to lift the European Cup...
Attacking midfielder An attacking midfielder is a central midfielder who is stationed in an advance midfield position, usually behind the strikers. He is typically the offensive pivot of the team, sometimes known in football as "playing in the hole", although this term can also be used to describe a deep-lying centre forward. This specialist midfielder's main role is to create goal-scoring opportunities for his own team via his superior vision and skill. The attacking midfielder is an influential position and requires the player to possess superior technical abilities in terms of passing and most importantly the ability to 'read' the opposing defence in order to deliver a defence-splitting pass for the strikers. In association football, or soccer, the hole is generally referred to as the gap between a teams midfield players and its front strikers, particularly in a 4-4-2 formation. ...
This article is about football players. ...
An attacking midfielder is often confused with a center midfielder. Kaká and Frank Lampard is an example of a center midfielder, as are Michael Ballack and Steven Gerrard. Both are capable of playing from "box to box" and as the norm rather than the exception, use their strength, their passing ability, and their workrate to affect their team's gameplay. This section of the field is often known as a team's "engine room", because rarely have great teams succeeded without skillful, commanding center midfielders. Every "10", the tip of the diamond, needs someone who can provide short passes to let them begin their work. Attacking midfielders, "playmakers" are known for their deft touch, their ability to shoot from range, and their passing prowess on top of their vision. Oftentimes, a team is constructed as to allow their attacking midfielder to roam free about and create as the situation demands. FC Barcelona has 2 versatile center midfielders in Xavi and Deco who can tackle and create in support of Ronaldinho, so that he may open up scoring chances for Larsson, Eto'o, or Guily, draw fouls/penalties, or take chances for himself when it opens up. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (born April 22, 1982 in BrasÃlia, Brazil), better known as Kaká, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Brazil and the Serie A club A.C. Milan. ...
For Frank Lampard Jr. ...
Michael Ballack (born September 26, 1976 in Görlitz, then East Germany) is a German football player. ...
Steven George Gerrard (born May 30, 1980) is an English football player with Liverpool F.C.. He is widely regarded as one of the best and the most complete midfield players in the world,[1] and became the second youngest captain (after Didier Deschamps) ever to lift the European Cup...
Winger A winger is a wide midfielder who is stationed in a wide midfield position near the touchlines. Wingers used to be classified as forwards in traditional W-shaped formations, but as tactics evolved thorugh the last 30 years wingers have dropped to deeper field positions. Modern wingers are now usually classified as part of the midfield, usually in 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formations. It is a winger's duty to beat opposing fullbacks and to deliver cut-backs or crosses from wide positions. They are usually some of the most technically gifted players in the team and usually have very good dribbling skills as well as a fair amount of pace. Traditionally wingers are not expected to track back and defend. However, most modern wingers do defend and track back to repossess the ball, although their primary function lies in attack. Most football games include a position called fullback or full back. ...
In sports such as association football (soccer) and basketball, dribbling refers to the manouevring of a ball around a defender through short skilful taps or kicks with either the legs (football/soccer) or hands (basketball). ...
Wingers used to be highly prized in the older times, but their importance has dwindled through the years. In the 1966 World Cup for example, England manager Alf Ramsey led a team without natural wingers to championship. The team was known as the "Wingless Wonders". The Football World Cup (official name: FIFA World Cup) is the most important competition in international football (soccer). ...
First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Largest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Northern Ireland; 18 February 1882) Worst defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First...
Sir Alfred Ernest Ramsey (born January 22, 1920 in Dagenham, Essex; died April 28, 1999) was a footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974. ...
In the modern game, some wide midfielders replace the role of wingers, whose contributions include providing defensive cover for fullbacks. One good example is David Beckham, who played in the position of right wing during his days at Manchester United, but is not commonly regarded as a winger since he functions primarily as a right midfielder and does not use either speed or dribbling ability to support play. Most football games include a position called fullback or full back. ...
David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English footballer born in Leytonstone, London. ...
Manchester United F.C is an English football club, and is based at Old Trafford Football Ground, Stretford, Manchester. ...
Australian Rules football In Australian Rules football, a midfielder is a player who tends to play in and around the centre square. They tend to be slightly smaller players on average, the best midfielders tending to be those who have the greatest endurance. Australian Rules and Aussie Rules redirect here. ...
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