| In my years coaching young soccer players, I have | | | | other player on the park, and be more involved in |
| found that there are two keys to being successful | | | | the play. They should have great fitness and speed. |
| on the park. The first of these is the amount of | | | | Midfield players should have a great first touch to |
| possession your team enjoys and the second of | | | | bring the ball under control quickly. Players filling a |
| these is field position. And the most important | | | | creative role should have good vision and be able to |
| element of the team that I have found for these | | | | execute both long and short passes. Players filling a |
| two factors is how strong my team is across the | | | | defensive role should be great under pressure, strong |
| middle of the park. I have coached teams that have | | | | in the tackle and have the ability to distribute the ball |
| had strong defenders and a weak midfield, and no | | | | effectively after winning it. |
| matter how strong the defenders they are usually | | | | In terms of the drills you can use to develop the skills |
| overwhelmed by the opposition. I have also coached | | | | of your midfielders there are many. The drills that I |
| teams with strong attackers and a weak midfield and | | | | tend to focus on most are mobility drills, first touch |
| they have failed to score many goals because the | | | | drills, and passing drills. All mobility drills are performed |
| strikers usually see very little of the ball. | | | | with a soccer ball. I have always constructed my |
| The formation that you use will have a big bearing on | | | | training sessions around maximizing the number of ball |
| your results. The two team formations that I have | | | | touches for every player in the team. First touch drills |
| most used in youth soccer are 4-4-2 and 3-4-3. Both | | | | should involve all parts of the body with which the |
| formations involve having four players in the middle | | | | player can control the ball. The key focus of all of |
| of the park. When playing a 4-4-2 formation I like my | | | | these drills should be bringing the ball under control |
| left and right midfielders to be very mobile so that | | | | quickly. First touch drills and passing drills can be |
| they can overlap the strikers. I have found this most | | | | incorporated together. Passing drills should involve long |
| successful when these two players are very fit, and | | | | and short passes so that players become proficient |
| they must be quick. I then like one of my central | | | | with both. Passing drills should also give players an |
| players to be creative to create opportunities going | | | | understanding of when the ball should be passed to |
| forward, and the other central midfielder I play in a | | | | other players feet and when it should be played in |
| holding role so they should be strong defensively. | | | | front of them. |
| When playing a 3-4-3 formation I like the wider | | | | When constructing your midfield there are a number |
| midfielders to be more creative so as to create more | | | | of important considerations. The first of these should |
| opportunities for the three strikers. They do not | | | | be the formation and strategy that you are going to |
| need to be as mobile as for a 4-4-2 formation. Again | | | | use on the field. You should then look at the |
| I like to have one creative central midfielder and one | | | | respective abilities of each of your midfield players |
| that is strong defensively. This will give your midfield | | | | and how they will fit into the formation. If your |
| a good balance, create opportunities for your | | | | players do not fit into the formation you either need |
| strikers, and ease pressure on your defenders. | | | | to use a different formation, find some new players, |
| What skills do your midfielders require? This is the | | | | or train them in the areas they need to develop to |
| subject for an entire article or series of articles. | | | | make the formation effective. How you organise and |
| There are a number of roles that need to be fulfilled | | | | train your midfield will have a large bearing on how |
| by the midfielders in the team. Midfield players should | | | | much possession and field position your team enjoys |
| be mobile. They will cover more ground than any | | | | when game time comes around. |