Difference between revisions of "Choose a Soccer Position"

Finding your position in soccer is a lot like finding a home -- you want something comfortable, effective, and that fits you like a glove. And, just like a home, you never know when you might have to move. By talking to your coaches and thinking about your strengths and weakness, anyone can find a position they excel at on the field.

Finding your position in soccer is a lot like finding a home -- you want something comfortable, effective, and that fits you like a glove. And, just like a home, you never know when you might have to move. By talking to your coaches and thinking about your strengths and weakness, anyone can find a position they excel at on the field.

== Steps ==

== Steps ==

===Choosing Your Area of the Field===

===Choosing Your Area of the Field===

#*Remain composed and calm with the ball.

#*Remain composed and calm with the ball.

#*Play effectively with both left and right feet as dribblers, shooters, and passers.

#*Play effectively with both left and right feet as dribblers, shooters, and passers.

#Become a forward if you're big, fast, and love to score. Forwards, sometimes known as strikers, have one job: score. To do so, they tend to be big and/or fast players. They must be excellent in the air and have a high top speed to beat defenders to the ball. Good strikers are great shooters, both from the ground and out of the air, and they have an aggressive mentality that aims to score at any opportunity. Strikers prioritize:

#Become a forward if you're big, fast, and love to score. Forwards, sometimes known as strikers, have one job: score. To do so, they tend to be big and/or fast players. They must be excellent in the air and have a high top speed to beat defenders to the ball. Good strikers are great shooters, both from the ground and out of the air, and they have an aggressive mentality that aims to score at any opportunity. Strikers prioritize:

#*One-on-one moves and tricks to beat defenders.

#*One-on-one moves and tricks to beat defenders.

#*Lionel Messi, based on body type, should not be a striker -- he is much too small. But his incredible quickness, foot-skills, and intelligence helped him become one of the world's best scorers.

#*Lionel Messi, based on body type, should not be a striker -- he is much too small. But his incredible quickness, foot-skills, and intelligence helped him become one of the world's best scorers.

#Understand that your available positions will depend on your coach's tactics. Tactics refer to your team's lineup and are represented by a series of numbers starting from the defenders. So, the phrase "4-4-2" means your team has four defenders, four midfielders, and two forwards. A 3-5-3 would have three defenders, five midfielders, and three forwards. Note, however, that coaches vary the exact positions all the time, meaning you need to pay attention in practice to know what position are available to you.

#Understand that your available positions will depend on your coach's tactics. Tactics refer to your team's lineup and are represented by a series of numbers starting from the defenders. So, the phrase "4-4-2" means your team has four defenders, four midfielders, and two forwards. A 3-5-3 would have three defenders, five midfielders, and three forwards. Note, however, that coaches vary the exact positions all the time, meaning you need to pay attention in practice to know what position are available to you.

===Choosing a Defensive Position===

===Choosing a Defensive Position===

#*When they get the ball, center backs must be able to locate and distribute to the midfield.

#*When they get the ball, center backs must be able to locate and distribute to the midfield.

#*While speed is important, it is more important to be able to read and win tackles.

#*While speed is important, it is more important to be able to read and win tackles.

#Play outside back if you have a good top speed and like to join the attack occasionally. Outside backs need to be able to run down and tackle some of the field's fastest players and tend to have the speed and physicality to do so. Furthermore, outside backs will often sprint up the field during openings and counterattacks, creating an "overload" where there are more offensive players than defensive.

#Play outside back if you have a good top speed and like to join the attack occasionally. Outside backs need to be able to run down and tackle some of the field's fastest players and tend to have the speed and physicality to do so. Furthermore, outside backs will often sprint up the field during openings and counterattacks, creating an "overload" where there are more offensive players than defensive.

#*Most outside defense is one-on-one, meaning smart tackling is a must.

#*Most outside defense is one-on-one, meaning smart tackling is a must.

#Play as a sweeper if you like to read the field and be everywhere at once. Not all coaches play with a sweeper, who sits back and covers the entire width of the field, helping out where needed. Sweepers tend to be the last player before the keeper, and must swing back and forth depending on the attack. They must also be able to read and cut out through passes before attackers can get to them.

#Play as a sweeper if you like to read the field and be everywhere at once. Not all coaches play with a sweeper, who sits back and covers the entire width of the field, helping out where needed. Sweepers tend to be the last player before the keeper, and must swing back and forth depending on the attack. They must also be able to read and cut out through passes before attackers can get to them.

#*Sweeping is very similar to playing center back, but you usually do not have a partner beside you as a sweeper -- you have a stopper in front.</ref>

#*Sweeping is very similar to playing center back, but you usually do not have a partner beside you as a sweeper -- you have a stopper in front.</ref>

#Work with your coach and other defenders to nail down specific positions and responsibilities. Within these three positions there is a lot of variability. This is why communication is so crucial. For example, with two center backs, are you both going to float around the middle, or is one person responsible for the left side and one for the right? Your position is much more than where you start on the field, it is how you must move around it:

#Work with your coach and other defenders to nail down specific positions and responsibilities. Within these three positions there is a lot of variability. This is why communication is so crucial. For example, with two center backs, are you both going to float around the middle, or is one person responsible for the left side and one for the right? Your position is much more than where you start on the field, it is how you must move around it:

#*If an outside back attacks, should a center back slide over to fill the empty space or will a midfielder drop back?  

#*If an outside back attacks, should a center back slide over to fill the empty space or will a midfielder drop back?  

#Play defensive midfield if you're calm, composed, and effective under any kind of pressure. Defensive midfielders sit back a bit on offense, not because they don't attack, but because they can see the entire field. Furthermore, they come back and plug up any holes or unmarked attackers on defense, making them all-over players with a lot of responsibility.

#Play defensive midfield if you're calm, composed, and effective under any kind of pressure. Defensive midfielders sit back a bit on offense, not because they don't attack, but because they can see the entire field. Furthermore, they come back and plug up any holes or unmarked attackers on defense, making them all-over players with a lot of responsibility.

#*On offense you'll often be tasked with getting backward passes and changing the field, hitting a ball over the top, or slowing down the attack to reorganize.

#*On offense you'll often be tasked with getting backward passes and changing the field, hitting a ball over the top, or slowing down the attack to reorganize.

#Play offensive midfield if you like quick combinations and long-range shots. Sitting between the strikers and the center midfield (or, often, a single defensive midfielder), offensive midfielders play lots of 1-2 touch passes with other offenders to break down defenses and get shots off. They also shoot and cross a lot from outside the box, which generally pulls the defense forward to make more room for your strikers.

#Play offensive midfield if you like quick combinations and long-range shots. Sitting between the strikers and the center midfield (or, often, a single defensive midfielder), offensive midfielders play lots of 1-2 touch passes with other offenders to break down defenses and get shots off. They also shoot and cross a lot from outside the box, which generally pulls the defense forward to make more room for your strikers.

#*Offensive midfield is a hybrid position that is highly dependent on your coach's system. Some coaches like them to hold in the center of the field, making the "last pass" to a striker, while others want you to play as another forward who also gets back on defense.

#*Offensive midfield is a hybrid position that is highly dependent on your coach's system. Some coaches like them to hold in the center of the field, making the "last pass" to a striker, while others want you to play as another forward who also gets back on defense.

#*Center strikers must be confident with their back to goal, even if there is a defender on them.

#*Center strikers must be confident with their back to goal, even if there is a defender on them.

#*Moves, tricks, and quick bursts of speed are all important weapons to blow by defenders.

#*Moves, tricks, and quick bursts of speed are all important weapons to blow by defenders.

#Play outside striker if you've got talented moves and lots of speed. Outside striker systems often don't have outside midfielders, meaning the outside striker has space to beat one defender and attack the goal. They are good crossers and good in the air, getting lots of balls from the striker on the other side of the field and sending others over. They tend to have good endurance, too, as they defensively cover the field back to half-field or further.

#Play outside striker if you've got talented moves and lots of speed. Outside striker systems often don't have outside midfielders, meaning the outside striker has space to beat one defender and attack the goal. They are good crossers and good in the air, getting lots of balls from the striker on the other side of the field and sending others over. They tend to have good endurance, too, as they defensively cover the field back to half-field or further.

#*Speed and quickness, as well as controlled foot skills at high speed, are highly recommended.

#*Speed and quickness, as well as controlled foot skills at high speed, are highly recommended.