A reader by the name of Angela sent us an e-mail saying her coach has put her to play on defense against her will. She told the coach that she wants to play midfield but the coach hasn’t changed his mind. Angela goes on to ask, “why do coaches put players where they don’t belong? Is there a reason for this?”
Well Angela, there’s often a method to anyone’s madness, you just have to be open to change.
A reader emailed in the question “where should I head the ball in my own end and in midfield?” Many players simply head the ball to make contact but there is much more to heading the ball than that. Below are a few tips on heading the ball:
Receiving the ball at your feet as a defender, midfielder or forward yield different scenarios and expectations from each position. Nonetheless, one basic rule should always be practiced by every player on the field: never stop the ball directly in front of you – push it slightly in one direction.
The 4-5-1 formation has become an increasingly established European formation. Coaches and teams alike in Europe have proved it is – if played correctly – one of the most effective soccer formations.
Some of the notable teams that use this formation are:
Many wingers think their sole responsibility is to run up and down the field, take throw-ins, corner kicks and be fast. However, there is more to being a midfield winger than this. Depending on the formation your team plays you will have different duties.
4-4-2: in this formation the wingers’ main offensive responsibility is to provide through-balls to the forwards, cross the ball into the 18 yard box when in the attacking third of the field, attack defenders with the ball and a lot of runs off the ball to receive passes from your teammates, specifically center midfielders.