The following posts have been tagged with "soccer mf’s"...
Soccer Zone Defense
There are 2 basic types of soccer defense: a zone soccer defense where defenders stay between the ball & the goal they are defending & are assigned a position relative to their soccer teammates (e.g., right, center, or left); and man-to-man defense where players are assigned to guard specific opponents (this is called a marking soccer defense). Many college & pro soccer teams today use some type of zone defense, but mark attackers who come into their “zone”. I think a soccer zone defense works best for recreational soccer teams because it doesn’t require fast players or great stamina like man-to-man defense does (i.e., it is better suited to slower players who don’t have great stamina). I use a shifting zone defense with “FB’s”, “MF’s” & “F’s” assigned a “relative position”; for example, Right Fullback (RFB), Center FB (CFB), and Left FB (LFB). Two key concepts to teach regardless of which type of defense you use are Soccer First Defender and Soccer Second Defender. Also, you must teach your players to mark attackers who are in scoring range (i.e., “Dangerous Attackers”) regardless of whether you play a zone or man-to-man.
Soccer Midfielders
(abb. “MF”; aka Halfbacks) Play between Forwards & Fullbacks. Must support the Forwards & also support the Fullbacks. Used to be called “linkmen” because they link the Fullbacks & Forwards. Must run more than any position & must have good stamina or be subbed a lot. On my U-16 recreational soccer team we have 2 “Offensive MF’s” (”OMF’s”) & 2 “Defensive MF’s” (”DMF’s”). (We play a 3-2-2-3, see “Formations”). My “MF’s” move up on the attack & can move into scoring position & score if the opportunity is created. However, they must get back & cover their position & remember they are a mid-fielder. I encourage them to take long chip shots at the top of the goal, but not long grounders that the goalkeeper will easily pick up. On defense, I bring the DMF’s back just outside the Penalty Box. We play a zone defense & the Defensive MF’s will shift from side to side & move into the Penalty Box if necessary, depending on where the soccer ball is, but the LMF (Left MF) & RMF (Right MF) will not go past the “center”; that way we always have someone covering the center even if the soccer ball is far to one side. (The right and left sides are as you face the other team’s soccer goal). (See “Formations” and “Positions“).