How To: Play Attacking Midfielder

Soccer is the predominant sport in the world. In this game, the storied attacking midfield position is the one held in highest regard. Similar to a quarterback in American Football, the attacking midfielder serves as the linchpin to most tactical movements. The so-called #10 position is not entirely new to the game; on the contrary it is a classic element you can find in many modern teams. The attacking midfield is colloquially known as the 10. In this How To there will be an analysis of the skills and qualities needed to play as an effective 10. Among those are lateral passing, counter attacking, positioning, set piece skills, final passes (vertical passes in the box). Number 10s make the game a spectacle to watch. They are the metronome to most movements. The number 10 is a difficult position to play in. One of the critical things required of a 10 is lateral passing. Since in the sport of Soccer the ball must always be moving, many of the passes come the feet of him. Notice that many times the ball must be sprayed left or right in order to disrupt the defensive positioning of the opposing side. This opens up lanes for vertical passing, also called final passes (talk about that in depth later). So it is no coincidence that the star attraction must naturally be a top class 10, one who takes the team on his shoulders and has an eye for clever passes. One of the crucial actions of a 10 is counter attacking. The 10 launches the counter attack by playing a lateral pass to either fullback as the central defenders win the ball back. As either fullback gains ground, the fullback should pass the ball in towards the 10. This is where a 10s keen instincts come into play: as the receding opposition is out of shape tactically, it is usually up

to the number 10 to play a final, incisive pass towards goal for either a midfielder or a forward to finish off. Positioning of a number 10 depends on his characteristics. If one has a stronger, more mobile number 10 then he can play as a secondary forward. The ideal formation for this 10 is a 3-5-2. For a smaller 10 with good touch he can ideally play in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The traditional 10 actually is meant to be played as a conductor, so a smaller body frame is just fine. To play it effectively, the aforementioned three-fourth area of the field is the position best held by a 10. The dynamics of the game allow for number 10s to get creative and show their instinct for a killer pass. Soccer is all about transitions, similar to Basketball. Cause the error in the back, shift it to the wing and spot the 10 to pick out the 9 (striker). The game is meant to move quickly. So with those skills you can gain an edge tactically. Positioning makes it all tick. English 10s are usually more physical. Spanish 10s are usually smaller and quicker (most effective, in my opinion). Italian 10s are more stationary and are also effective. Those are the three typical types of 10s. South Americans clubs usually stem off the Italian model. American clubs follow the English model. Central American 10s follow the Spanish model. Most other countries dont have enough influence on those three countries to copy their model. But everywhere you look the number 10 has to be the linchpin in the game. Set piece skills are what separate spectacular 10s from the mediocre. The free kick is very difficult and requires the right position and torso movement. Ever heard the term Bend It Like Beckham? That is because the former player of Los Angeles Galaxy, Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan was world-renowned for his superb technique. Knowing how to kick a ball, stand at an 8 oclock position from the ball (not 6) in an ideal position. Take 3 or 4 steps

backward and try to get it above the wall of defenders. The defenders are usually 10-15 feet from you, while the goal is 25 at the edge of the box. Keep the left foot planted as the ball is struck with the laces of the boot. The player must make sure the arms are out for balance as they come in contact with the ball. The right foot will curve inward, and then it should bend towards the top left corner of the goal. This is one free kick, usually the easiest. Sometimes the position of the ball is less fortunate, it could be towards the right, centrally or anywhere else. That is why set pieces are very difficult. Final passing is another key element of the number 10, easily the most sough-after quality and the one that usually gets a player on the Sports Center Top 10. It is what separates the players that play with the big boys midweek in the Champions League from the ones who are less skillful. Sometimes the 10 acts like a slingshot when they can get caught in between a receding defense and his fellow midfielders attacking quickly. This is where the tactical knowledge 10 shows. As a 10, watch for the gaps in the defense and lay it off to an attacker so they can shoot. This move is instinctual. Some 10s have it, but to get this instinct or vision, you have to know what the situation is for each pass option. It is recommended to drift one way in order to skew the defense towards you and create lanes for passing to your teammates. It sounds simply, but playing as a number 10 takes a lot of knowledge, skill, instinct and cool. To many it is the most exciting position in sports. Try out these steps and see why!