Football (soccer) Positions

The fluid nature of the modern game means that positions in football are not as formally defined as in sports such as Rugby or American Football . Even so, most players will play in a limited range of positions throughout their career, as each position requires a particular set of skills. Footballers who are able to play comfortably in numerous positions are referred to as ''utility players''.

The Dutch side of the 1970s pioneered a style of play dubbed '' Total Football '', where each member of the team was a skilful ball player and able to switch positions with ease. Total football is difficult to defend against and often exciting to watch, but it is unusual for a team to be able to field eleven players with the required talent and discipline. On the rare occasions when it can be employed, the players are still largely constrained by the position they occupy.

GOALKEEPER

The . If a goalkeeper is sent off or injured, and there is no Substitute goalkeeper available, an outfield player has to take the goalkeeper's place.

The discipline of goalkeeping is so specialized that it is virtually unheard of in the Professional game for a goalkeeper to play in any other position. One notable exception is Jorge Campos of Mexico , who played effectively as a striker when called upon. A goalkeeper with good technical skill may opt to take his team's Penalties and Free Kick s, though this is rare as the goalkeeper would be caught out of position if possession is conceded immediately after the kick. José Luis Chilavert of Paraguay and Rogério Ceni of São Paulo FC (Brazil) are well known free-kick and penalty specialists with over 60 goals to their names.

Physical strength, height, good jumping ability and judgement is advantageous to a goalkeeper when dealing with aerial balls. Goalkeepers should also be agile and have excellent reaction to stop shots. They should also have good positional sense and quick decision-making. The standard football skills of ball control, Tackling , passing and Dribbling are not usually required in a goalkeeper, although the introduction of the " Back-pass Rule " in the early 1990s has necessitated goalkeepers improving on such skills.

''see also: Examples Of Renowned Goalkeepers ''

DEFENSIVE POSITIONS

In Association Football (soccer) , a defender is a player whose position of play is behind the Midfielder s and first and foremost provide support to the Goalkeeper . Their primary function is to prevent the opposition from scoring a goal.

The main types of defender are centre-back, Fullback , Wingback , and Sweeper . Centre-backs, or central defenders are by-and-large robust, and they also tend to be tall (to help in aerial battles). Height, though, is rarely an issue for wingbacks and fullbacks. All defenders need to be versed in Tackling and need a modicum of ball control skills.

They usually remain in the half of the field that contains the goal they are defending. The taller defenders tend to move forward to the opposing team's penalty box when their team takes Corner Kick s or Free Kick s where scoring with one's head is a possibility.

Full backs, who play at either extreme sides of defence, play in the 4-4-2 formation, and will at certain points move up the wings to join in attack. Wingbacks are similar to full backs, except they play in more unorthodox formations, like 3-5-2 (where they form a part of the 5-man midfield) or 5-3-2 (where they form a part of the 5-man defence). Wingbacks are often more adventurous than full backs and are expected to provide width in a team without Wingers .

Libero or sweeper is a special type of defender whose role is mainly to provide cover for center backs, by "sweeping" up any loose ball and bringing the ball out from defence to midfield.

Centre back

The job of the centre backs or ''central defenders'' is to stop opposing players, particularly the strikers, from scoring, and to bring the ball out from their Penalty Area . As their name suggests, they play in a central position. Most teams employ two centre backs, stationed in front of the goalkeeper. There are two main defensive strategies used by centre backs: the zonal defence, where each centre back covers a specific area of the pitch, and man-to-man marking, where each centre back has the job of covering a particular opposition player.

Centre backs are often tall, with good heading and tackling ability. An ability to read the game well is a distinct advantage. Sometimes, particularly in lower grades of football, centre backs concentrate less on ball control and passing, preferring to merely clear the ball in a "safety-first" fashion. However, there is a long tradition of centre backs having more than just rudimentary footballing skill, enabling a more possession-oriented playing style.

The position was formerly referred to as ''centre half''. In the early part of the 20th Century , when most teams employed the 2-3-5 formation, the row of three players were called ''half backs''. As formations evolved, the central player in this trio (the centre half), moved into a more defensive position on the field, taking the name of the position with him or her.

Sweeper

The sweeper is a more versatile type of centre back that "sweeps up" the ball if the opponent manages to breach the defensive line. His or her position is rather more fluid than other defenders who man-mark their designated opponents. Because of this, the position is often referred to as ''libero'' (from the system of play, used in Italian Football in the 1960s , employed a purely defensive sweeper.

Many centre-backs and sweepers possess the ability to bring the ball out of defence and begin a counter-attack for their own team; players with such an ability include Franz Beckenbauer and more recently John Terry . The sheer size of the player can contribute to their effectiveness in this eventuality, and it can be a very useful tactic to disrupt the opposition defence.

Full back

The Full Back s take up the wide defensive positions, one on each side of the field. Their main task is to prevent opposition players crossing or cutting the ball back into the Penalty Area . In some defensive systems, full backs man-mark opponents. Most full backs are also expected to provide an attacking dimension by getting upfield along the wings and providing crosses.

Traditionally, the full backs (the "2" in the 2-3-5 formation) played a role today occupied by the central defenders. As the game evolved, with the old centre half taking over the central defensive role, full backs have migrated out to the flanks and the position now requires a slightly different set of skills. The modern full back is usually pacy, strong in the tackle and with good stamina to get up and down the field. Because of the experience gleaned from the use of their chosen foot, full backs often make good free kick or penalty takers ( Roberto Carlos and Stuart Pearce being among many examples).

The Wingback s are a modern variation on the full back with heavier emphasis on attack. The name is a portmanteau of "winger" and "back". They are usually employed in a 3-5-2 formation, and could therefore be considered part of the midfield. As the role combines that of the winger and the full back, wingbacks need to be blessed with good Stamina . As they have the support of three centre backs, they are expected to concentrate more on providing support for strikers and less on their defensive duties.

Wing back

The wing back is a position that is becoming increasingly common in football. It is most often used in teams with 5 defenders however is also sometimes employed with a back four.
The wing back merges the positions of a right or left back with that of a winger- the player defends against the enemy wingers and in turn counter attacks as a winger themself

''see also: Examples Of Renowned Defenders ''

MIDFIELD POSITIONS

In Football (soccer) , a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking Striker s and the Defender s. 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.

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.

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.

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.

Centre midfield

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.

Central midfielders are often divided into Defensive and Attacking Midfielder s.
A defensive midfielder, or "holding midfielder", shares many characteristics with a sweeper, but playing behind the midfield rather than behind the defensive line. Their main priority is to distribute a ball effectively when in possession of the ball, or to break up an opponent's attack when not. Roy Keane and Claude Makelele are credited with being the two best defensive midfielders to have played in the Premiership .
Attacking midfielders are expected to create scoring chances for team mates and to try to score goals themselves. Their role is very similar to a deep-lying striker (see below).

Defensive midfielder

A defensive midfielder or a '''holding midfielder''' is a central midfielder who is stationed in front of the back Defender s 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.

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). 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.

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 operandi'' was "Makelele wins the ball and passes it to Zidane ". A similar partnership is established in Chelsea when he plays with Frank Lampard .

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.

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 stikers.

An attacking midfielder is often confused with a center midfielder. Frank Lampard is an example of a center midfielder, as are 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 or Eto'o, draw fouls/penalties, or take chances for himself when it opens up.

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 Fullback s 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.

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".

In the modern game, some wide midfielders replace the role of wingers, whose contributions include providing defensive cover for Fullback s. 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 by floating in diagonal balls into the box with the pinpoint accuracy that has made him such a valubale player. This point has now been reinforced since he has moved to Real Madrid and now plays a center midfeild role.

''see also: Examples Of Renowned Midfielders ''

ATTACKING POSITIONS (STRIKERS)

Strikers, also known as '''centre forwards''', '''forwards''', and ''' Attacker s''', are the players on a team in Football (soccer) in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals.

Modern Player Formations include between one and three strikers; two is most common. Coaches usually field one striker who plays over the shoulder of the last Defender , and another attacking forward who plays somewhat deeper and assists in making goals as well as scoring. The former is usually a large striker, typically known as a target man, who is used either to distract opposing defenders to help teammates score, or to score himself; the latter is usually of quicker pace. Yet another variation on striking partners is the replacement of the target man with a striker who can thread through balls. In less frequent cases, some strikers operate on the wings of the field and work their way goalward.

Because they score more goals than other players, strikers are often among the best-known and most expensive players on their teams.

Centre forward

The Centre Forward , or "out and out" Striker , has one main task: to score goals. Centre forwards can sometimes act predominantly as "targets" and sometimes work to link the play between midfield and attack. Some centre forwards are "poachers", who work in and around the goal area to snatch goals; they are sometimes called a "fox in the box".

Players who specialise in playing as a target are usually of above-average height, with good heading ability and an accurate shot. They tend to be the "outlet" player for both midfielders and defenders, able to hold the ball up and allow other players time to enter the game. They tend to score goals from crosses, often with the head, and use their body strength to shield the ball while turning to score.

Other forwards may rely on their pace to run onto balls passed over or through the opposition defence, rather than to collect the ball with their back to goal in the manner of a target man.

The best forwards can play both of these roles equally well, for example the great players Pelé (in his early years), Marco Van Basten and Ally McCoist .

Linking players tend to play in a more withdrawn role, looking to use their superior vision and creative ability to make goals as much as score them.

Deep-lying forwards

Deep lying forwards have a long history in the game, but the terminology to describe them has varied over the years. Originally such players were termed Inside Forward s, or deep-lying Centre Forward s. More recently, the preferred terms have been "withdrawn striker", or playing "in the hole" (i.e., the space between the midfield and defence of the opposing team). The position itself was popularized in Italian football as the Trequartista - the playmaker who plays neither in midfield nor as a forward, but effectively pulls the strings for his team's attack.

Whatever the terminology, the position itself is a loosely-defined one somewhere between the out-and-out striker and the midfield. Such a player is either a skilful, attack-minded midfielder or a striker who can both score and create opportunities for a centre forward.

Deep-lying forwards have often been referred to as "No. 10" players, due to the popularity of particular shirt number among widely known and influential players such as Pelé and Diego Maradona .

''see also: Examples Of Renowned Forwards ''

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Football (soccer) Positions

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