Soccer

Field

Position

Manual

4-4-2 Formation with a “Flat 4” In Midfield and Defense

Defensive Roles in a 4-4-2:

When playing defender in a 4-4-2 you will often get chances to use the offside trap, butto master it your defense needs to cooperate and listen to the coach and each other very well.

The outside backs should not get too far out to the sides. They have the sideline to use as a defender. The two players in the middle of the line must be very vocal and make sure every ball gets played to

the outside, preferably with an angle and progression upfield, not just a lateral kick to the sideline. No swinging at the ball. Every ball in the air must be won by these players – nothing bounces over.

Midfield Roles in a 4-4-2:

The midfield consists of two wingers and two central midfielders. One of the central midfielders will usually play more offensive, with the other staying center and keeping a defensive mindset.

If you are the moving/offensive-minded player, your position should be somewhere in the middle of the pitch alongside your central midfielder.

The central midfielders may swap roles but must communicate and let each other know when a position switch is occurring.

Outside wingers must mark their opponent closely while playing in defense when the ball is on their half of the field but then also provide their teammates with passing alternatives in the offense game.

Forward/Striker Roles in a 4-4-2:

The front line consists of two players who must cooperate well through the entire match and not separate themselves by more than 10-20 yards.

They must work in defense by closing off angles. This is very important as you need to keep your opponent’s defense from finding their forwards with well-aimed crosses.

Usually, one of you should be a good runner to keep defenses honest and the other a good receiver for those long crosses or angled through balls.

Forwards want all the glory, but must be patient, aggressive, and determined to score.

Yorkville Soccer

Defensive Soccer Positions: Center Fullback

Understand the following concepts: When playing “center fullback” you need to pose good strength and accuracy abilities in

order to succeed on this position. You also need to be fast because your mission is to stop your opponent’s fast running

forwards from scoring, while still staying in the center of your defensive line. Fullback is the most defensive oriented position on the soccer field and you will not score

very often, which is why you cannot swing like you are trying to score from 75 yds away.

Key points for center fullbacks:

You must remain in your defense line, and only enter your opponent’s 18 yard box when your team is awarded with a corner or free kick.

Of course, there will be situations when you need to take a yellow card to prevent your opponents to score, but this is difficult to avoid. To avoid yellow and red cards try always to figure out your opponent’s next move, and do not rush into situations.

Instead of tackling your opponents try to calm down and he/she makes his/her move. This will confuse your opponent and will force him/her to make mistakes.

Possessing good technique is necessary when playing fullback, especially when serving your teammates with cross passes where precision and accuracy is a must.

You should always take a step or two back on every long ball sent your way so that it does not go over your head – instead you will be coming onto it for a clearing header or boot.

Both center fullbacks need to talk and support each other on each play.

The most important skill as fullback is to have good heading ability and courageousness in one-on-one battles. Your opponents will do everything to score, which requires you to do everything you can to stop them from doing that, but also being smart at the same time.

Center Fullback

Defensive Soccer Positions: Outside Fullback

Understand the following concepts: Your main task as “left/right fullback” is to cover the space along your entire flank. To perform this mission you need to be a good runner. This doesn’t mean running under

11 seconds with a ball at your feet, instead, you must be fast enough to catch your opponents will be attacking on the sidelines.

There may be times for you to carry the ball upfield, but only if someone drops back.

Key points for outside fullbacks:

While playing in defense as left/right fullback you will normally mark your opponent’s nearest forward or cover his/her flank, awaiting opponents incoming wingers. You may also be actively involved in your team’s offensive attacks, so you need to stay wide.

As an outside fullback, you will also need to have good control on the ball and enough skill to get around your opponents and serve your forwards with quality crosses.

You will often have a one-on-one situation with your opponent’s forward, so you should use the sidelines as another defender to essentially “double team” the attacker.

You need to keep your eyes on the ball, and don’t be distracted by his/her foot movements. If you need to, you can also watch the hips, just never the feet.

You must wait for the right moment when he/she touches the ball a slight bit too far away to control it completely – but do not poke at the ball when defending or if beat at first.

Try to get a touch on the ball to kick it out of play, or even better, steal the ball to perform a counter attack – but never kick the ball back in the middle.

A true left/right fullback will have the patience and footwork to keep moving his/her feet when defending and knowing that the attacker will eventually just make a mistake.

Outside Fullback

Defensive Soccer Positions: Sweeper

Understand the following concepts: As a “sweeper” you must always be the last player in your defense line. A sweeper will be added as part of a 5-4-1 system, or perhaps with a shifting of the

defense with a 4-4-2 (with the sweeper being behind the stopper instead of a “flat 4”). As part of a typical “Flat 4” defensive scheme, you won’t be recognized as a “sweeper,” but

one of the center fullbacks will be given the same responsibilities essentially, however. Your job is to close down gaps that are left by your teammates. You must be good at analyzing the game and try to figure out your opponents’ next move. You need to be quick thinking and try to make right decision defensively and offensively.

Key points for sweepers:

As a sweeper, you task is not to mark opponents' forwards, instead to progress the ball forward when your team is in possession of the ball.

Always play simple, and do not dribble on your own half. Keep in mind that sweeper must provide stability and conduct his own team. In our program, we usually play with a sweeper because our team should play the ball on

the ground and a lot of our opponents will look for through ball opportunities. A sweeper cleans up a lot of mistakes from a stopper in front, outside backs who may have

been beaten by a quick striker, or possibly a long ball that was played over everyone. If you can get your head on it, make sure you are meeting the ball so that it sails forward,

not up, when you make contact. This might mean taking a few steps back once the ball is kicked and then running onto the ball for that power.

Quick cutting, ball recognition, and toughness are three crucial traits a powerful sweeper must possess.

Sweeper

Offensive Soccer Positions: Outside Midfielder/Winger

Understand the following concepts: “Outside midfielders/wingers” must be fit and have enough power to participate in both

defense and offense, while recognizing when your team is one or the other. Posing a good one-on-one skill is a must because you will often need to get around your

opposing left or right fullback and serve your teammates with quality passes.

Key points for outside midfielders/wingers:

During offensive attacks, your task is to stay wide and prove width. By using this strategy you will stretch out your opponent’s defense and create more space for your teammates which will give them opportunity to receive the ball with little pressure, and also more time to figure out what to do next.

This will increase chances of scoring, so just because you don’t have the ball doesn’t mean you didn’t help with an attack.

Your game without ball is probably more important than with the ball. In a 90-miniute game you will approximately have the ball under control at your feet under 2 minutes, which means you must find something else to do for the remaining 88 minutes.

As a winger you are supposed to play wide, dribble the ball forward and serve crosses to your teammates. However, if you can make a few crosses, defenders will lock on to that and assume it next time, so once in awhile, make a quick cut towards the goal after a fake cross and have a shot on goal.

If you get beat by an opposing outside mid, quickly shout that out to your defender – but then possibly call for a sub because you must be tired.

Stamina, speed, and control of the ball make outside midfielders/wingers vital pieces to a winning soccer program.

Outside Midfielder

Offensive Soccer Positions: Central Midfielder

Understand the following concepts: “Central/center midfielder” is the position where fantasy meets magic. To succeed on this

position you need to be the fittest player in your team because you will be involved in almost every offensive part of the game. You must also have a good technical ability when playing on this position. You cannot take any play off.

Distributing the ball is your job, and therefore anything that occurs in offense may possibly go through you. To accomplish this task well, you need beside speed; great footwork and strength, even good stamina and big vision of the field.

Key points for central midfielders:

When your team does not have ball possession, you need to take responsibility in defense which means that you must drop back and pressure your opponents to make mistakes under their offensive attacks. When your team is attacking, you should be involved in the game by making runs towards the ball – not just waiting and yelling for it to come to you.

Before you receive and take control over the ball you should know what to do with it. There is simply no time to figure out what to do with the ball after you have control over it. This is probably the most important skill for a central midfielder because on the field pressure will always be high when you pose the ball, and because you will have the ball often, you must also think and react faster than other.

If you want to improve your game, I suggest you to watch top league soccer and monitor the players in your position and write down every move they make. Notice how these players move and what they do in particular situations. Soccer is very situational.

Center midfielders pride themselves in being smart, highly aggressive, and knowing the game is theirs to control. It takes an extremely disciplined individual to do this.

Central Midfielder

Offensive Soccer Positions: Defensive Midfielder

Understand the following concepts: Playing as a “defensive midfielder” requires strength and good stamina. It is also a big

advantage if you are leader on the soccer field and pose a strong personality because you will need to encourage your teammates and give them strength to work harder.

This position would be used stop an attack from a team that is strong in the middle. You must also have enough power to force yourself to work hard. This is why you need

strong personality to perform well on this position.

Key points for defensive midfielders:

A defensive midfielder is in many cases an unspoken captain of a soccer team. Your main job is to operate in front of your defense, between your offensive midfielders and stopper. If you have an "off day", your poor performance may have a negative effect on your whole team's performance.

Your main tasks include roaming laterally from sideline to sideline, pressuring your opponents to make mistakes, allowing you to win the ball back for your team. Your job is also to win every possible duel on the midfield. In the offense you need to stay behind your attacking line, collect rebounds and upcoming miss-kicks. You must also provide back pass options for your teammates.

Don’t expect to score very often while playing on this position. Try to play simply, keep the ball out of the middle, and do not dribble on your own half. Deliver the ball to the offensive midfield and forwards into the corners, but of course if find a path and try to dribble out of the midfield, the offensive midfielder should drop and fill your zone.

Players that pride themselves on good technique, aggressive tacklers, and a solid sense of the game and are always well positioned at defensive midfielder.

Defensive Midfielder

Offensive Soccer Positions: Offensive/Attacking Midfielder

Understand the following concepts: As an “offensive/attacking midfielder”, you will be somewhere between the midfield and

forward line, which means that you’ll be able to influence the attack high up in the field. To perform well, you will need to have exceptional skills with the ball (dribbling, passing,

shooting) and need to find unexpected solutions to confuse your opponents. Having strong mentality and be able to encourage your teammates is also very important.

Key points for attacking midfielders:

You will always be in the center of the action, but you also need to be prepared that your opponents will use all kind of measurements to stop you.

Excellent skills with the ball, including control, shooting, passing, dribbling, receiving etc. You must have intelligence without ball, to anticipate passes from your teammates and

create scoring opportunities, but when the ball is coming toward you, you must always go to the ball and know how to first touch it to the space you want to go to.

Your mentality has to be strong because you will be counted on to encourage your teammates during the game – at all times. You are the traffic controller up top.

There may be times where you feel one side of the field is being dominated, so you may need to take it upon yourself to demand the ball back and switch fields.

Having a great field vision is important for sending through balls and corner passes, but you need also know when to let loose on a shot and accept yourself as a scorer as well.

A true attacking midfielder is one who will never let up and never accept the middle of the field to be taken over by an opponent nor quiet when one’s team is on the attack. Amazing cardiovascular fitness and endurance is critical for this role.

Offensive Midfielder

Offensive Soccer Positions: Forward/Striker

Understand the following concepts: Your mission as soccer “striker” is simply to score on every offensive attack. This is of

course is impossible, but you should try to score as often you can. To increase your goal scoring you must always think and be faster than your opponents.

Running fast as soccer striker is a big advantage but being quick is another huge asset -- because cutting and blowing by a defender is a lethal attribute to a potent striker.

Key points for forwards/strikers:

Your job as perfect striker doesn’t mean shifting your sides so much. Instead, staying in the middle and near your opponent’s 18 yard box is the ultimate position for a striker. You don’t need to run from side to side chasing the ball on an attack -- just focus and save your power to score on every chance you get in front of your opponents goal.

Playing as a soccer striker doesn’t mean that you don’t have any defense responsibility. One of your defensive tasks is to attract your opponent’s defenders when they have the ball, and stress them to make mistakes.

If there are 2 forwards, (common in a 4-4-2 formation) both of you need to be in conjunction. Keeping distance between each other is important because you have opportunity to work the ball more effectively while you pull opponents defense apart. Do not chase the ball every time your opponents have it. Wait for the right moment to score.

The most important skill when playing forward must be the ball handling. You simply must have a true comfort with the ball and know how to place the ball in the net – where you want it to be. If you cannot outrun a defender, then you are not meant to be a forward/striker.

Striker

Additional Team Responsibilities: Team Captain

Understand the following concepts: The role of “team captain” has the potential to be both the most challenging and the most

rewarding role of all for a player. If you're about to appoint, consider the following soccer coaching tips on qualities to look for.

Even today, with leadership roles and responsibilities shared amongst the players, the skipper’s role remains central to the team’s performance.

Not only must captains be competent in their playing, they need to inspire confidence in their players, evaluate the game plan and change it if circumstances dictate. They need to handle pressure well, make tactical decisions and communicate effectively with the referee as well as the team.

Not only is the captain a player, he is a leader, communicator, key decision maker, and important link between team and coach.

Seasons can be very long, demanding journeys, but a captain should only be elected by his/her players if they know he/she can endure all the responsibilities of this privilege throughout the entirety of that season.

Be sure you do not “fake” this role because it could ultimately be the single most reason for an in-season collapse. Coaches will always maintain the same expectations and coaching philosophies, so players will need captains on the team who will keep their minds focused, motivated, and in the game at all times when those tough conference games start popping up.

This is a role everyone wants, but not everyone can handle.

Key points for captains:

1. Each captain is different. The first thing to remember is that there is no one set of characteristics possessed by effective captains. Very different personalities can be successful captains, in many different ways.

2. Be mentally strong. The mental part of the job is arguably the hardest part. All captains should be mentally strong. Inevitably, the captain will be criticized at some point, both within and outside the team. Equally, the captain needs to remain focused and aware while under intense pressure during a game, so that he/she can make the correct decisions at the right time. Some captains say the mental aspect of captaincy is the hardest part because there is so much more to think about, as well as playing.

3. Excellent communicator. The captain will need to encourage and manage on-field communication between all the players, as well as maintaining effective communication both with players and between players and the coaching staff off of it. However, this does not mean that the only voice to be heard on the field should be that of the captain. Indeed, the captain should only speak when necessary, being able to keep his communication concise and to the point.

4. Emotionally disciplined. This is important for three main reasons: a) The example set by the captain must meet every expectation he has of the players. For example, if the captain becomes angry with the referee and constantly questions his decisions, he cannot expect his players to accept refereeing decisions themselves. b) If the captain loses self-control and vents his anger or frustration (whether against an opponent, teammate, parent, or the referee), he will have lost the ability to make rational decisions. A loss of emotional control will affect one’s timing, coordination and the ability to “read” the game as awareness becomes more narrowly focused. c) A loss of emotional control will be seen as a sign of weakness by the opposition, boosting their confidence, while undermining our team.

5. Knows the players. The first thing you have to remember as captain is while soccer is very much a team game you are dealing with individuals who are all different in attitudes, temperament, and experience, so you have to find out each person’s strengths and weaknesses. The captain should have the ability to deal with each player as an individual and should know what motivates different players and how they prefer to prepare themselves mentally for a game (not all players respond to being shouted at). He/she should observe players both on and off the field in order to learn how best to deal with them and should get to know teammates as people and not just players. This will ultimately achieve far more respect and effort from them.

6. Self-confident. A self-confident captain inspires confidence in others. It also helps him maintain his own performance. This is easy when things are going well, it is harder, but arguably even more important, to do so when the going gets tough. The captain needs to make sure he/she at least gives the impression of confidence in these circumstances. Looking and acting confident will, sooner or later, lead to being confident.

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