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LOGINFootball tips on the defensive midfielder position
A strong player who wins the ball and passes it to the feet of the attackers... I’m sure everybody wants one in their team but don’t worry, you can create your own.
A strong player who wins the ball and passes it to the feet of the attackers... I’m sure everybody wants one in their team but don’t worry, you can create your own.
Don’t immediately think "this person would make a great defender". Yes, they would, but they make a better defensive midfielder.
It may seem that you are losing a great defender but what you are doing is adding backbone to the team so that all your natural tacklers are not in the back line.
It is a very central position for the team, someone who can win the game for you by defending in the middle of the pitch, breaking up attacks before they get anywhere near to the penalty area.
Think Michael Essien, Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira or Bastian Schweinsteiger. This is what you want to see from a match-winning midfielder:
- Tell your player to play just in front of the central defenders. Get them to close down any player running at the defence and stop them in their tracks.
- You’ve seen games in which the opposition kicks off and runs right through your team to score. This player stops that. He targets the man with the ball and makes sure he wins it.
- And when he gets the ball, he immediately looks to open up the opposition defence.
- The rest of the team has to be ready to support this role and be open for the pass.
Dave Clarke
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