Soccer Positions: Attacking Midfielder

This soccer position is in the center of the action. As an attacking midfielder you will be the composer of most of your team’s attacks. You are expected to create scoring opportunities around the opposition’s 18 yard box through quick combination play with teammates or with a stroke of individual creativity. There are still defensive responsibilities with the position (you’re not off the hook just yet ). You are expected to track back and help out in the center of the park; although your main responsibilities are offensive, the better you are defensively, the more of a benefit you will be to your team.

While playing as an attacking midfielder, you will find yourself in many positions to score goals. To make the most of these opportunities, you’re going to have make sure your shooting & finishing techniques are exceptional.

Attacking Midfielder Tip #1 – Finesse over Force.

If you’re currently having trouble scoring goals, take a look at your shooting approach. Are you striking the ball as hard as you can, hoping for it to fly into the top corner and rip a whole in the back of the net? Or, are you getting your head up, picking an open corner, and neatly placing the ball out of the reach of the goalkeeper?

In addition to a dangerous arsenal of soccer shooting & finishing techniques, you will also have to possess great soccer passing and dribbling techniques.

Playing in the center of the offense, you will need to be capable of playing your teammates into dangerous areas where goals can be created. A variety of soccer passing techniques will be needed for various situations. Perhaps you may need to drive a ball far across the pitch to a teammate in an open position, place a perfectly weighted through ball to a striker making a darting run between defenders, or play a simple give and go around an opposing defender. Whatever the case, it’s going to take a lot of dedication and practice to perfect these Soccer skills.

Attacking Midfielder Tip #2 – Keep it moving!

In today’s modern game, defenders are getting better and better. It is becoming more difficult to penetrate defences and score goals. In order to overcome these obstacles you should use quick ball movement to your advantage. If you watch professionals, players rarely take more than 2 touches around the opponents 18 yard box (unless in a one on one position). Use quick give and go’s around your opponent’s goal to make space for a quick shot.

Some of the best players in the world play in the attacking midfielder soccer position.

Although you should always move the ball quickly, especially when teammates are in dangerous positions, while playing in the center of midfield you will find yourself in many situations where a pass is not an option and you may have to rely on your soccer dribbling techniques to get you out of trouble. It is important to develope dribbling and soccer ball control with both feet. When you are comfortable with both feet you can do anything you want with the ball (this is a good feeling, trust me).

Creativity. This is probably the most noticeable characteristic in professionals who excel in this soccer position. Playing as an attacking midfielder you will be heavily relied on to create scoring opportunities out of thin air. Creativity is something you will develop with experience but I would strongly recommend watching professionals and imitating them until their habits become natural.

Attacking Midfielder Tip #3 – Get in the box!

Attacking midfielders are going to be called upon to score goals for their team, they are the center of the offense, and rightly so they should be capable of getting goals on a regular basis. Goals are not always constructed by some work of brilliance, sometimes you will score goals simply by being in the right place at the right time. Do yourself a favour and get forward in the attacking third as much as possible, get into the box, and into goal scoring positions. If you do so, you will be rewarded accordingly.

Practice. Practice. Practice. You’ve heard it a thousand times and you’re probably going to hear it a thousand more.  If you’re not dedicated to becoming a better soccer player, you won’t. Simple as that.

Here is a video of Francesc Fabregas, a young and rising Spanish star who plays in the attacking midfielder soccer position. Watch his creativity, how he plays with urgency, and his ability to play teammates into dangerous positions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=0v5zlhPOYqg&feature=related

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