What it Takes To Be A Central midfielder
What it takes to be central midfielder
1)Passing technique
2)Vision
3)Leadership
4)Defensive skills
5)Ball control
6)Dribbling
7)Awareness
Passing Technique
When it comes to passing you need to be able to execute the right pass at the right time. whether it be chip, driven with your instep or even a scoop etc. The weight of a pass can be extremely crucial, over weighted and the ball can run past your team mate under weighted and the ball will be cut out by the defender, Kaka from ac Milan is extremely good at this. accuracy of the pass is a obvious but theres little more detail that should be looked at. Its not whether the pass finds your team mate but which side to pass the ball to your team mate. As a central midfielder you will be rolling passes into striker feet often, the striker will normally have a defender shutting him down quickly, but which side is he being shut down from the ball should be played to the other side to make it easier for the striker or any of your team mates.
Passing range a central midfielder must be able to play shot passes as well as a long ball cross field.
Vision
Vision, can be the difference between a normal central midfielder and a star creative midfielder. vision is the ability to see your team mates runs and being able to pass them the ball, whether it be a flick, a back heel or a defense splitting through ball. Vision comes from knowing your team mates playing with them on a regular basis, by getting your head up when you have the ball, but more importantly keeping aware of your team mates positions before you get the ball. The best player to watch for this skill is Juan Roman Riquelme.
Leadership
Most teams play with 2 central mifielders so its important that the 2 central midfielders communicate to each other about: defensive duties, whether or not a team mate has pressure or not etc. Because central midfielder are always i the middle of the action its important that they communicate as much as possible. its important to motivate and give constructive criticism. Look at Roy Kean for this quality.
Defensive Skills
Their are central midfielders that are masters of defending in the midfield and have virtually made a career of winning the ball back or there team, Gennaro Gattuso. Defensive Skills for central midfielders doesn't mean making last ditch tackles. But more being well position to cut out passes, to close down your opponents. When closing down your opponents its important not to dive in make a early tackle but to show them to a area where they are less dangerous.
Ball Control
Ball control is pretty straight forward. do you have the technical ability to turn quickly, have your first touch move the ball away from defenders quickly and a change of pace. You must be able to control the ball under pressure. You must not give the ball away due to poor ball control.
Dribbling
This doesn't mean that you have to be able to dribble like Ronaldinho but it does mean that you have to be able to dribble. rarely will you see a central midfielder repeatedly trying to beat players like a wide player would. But a good central midfielder must have the technical ability to dribbling their way out of tight situations, also to beat a opponent to create a shooting opportunity. But normally the central midfield area is congested once you beat one player you must pass the ball before losing it.
awareness
All the good players have a great sense of awareness. awareness consists of knowing everthing that going on during the game, from what runs team mates are making, what spaces are available for you to support your team mate, wheres the closest defender shutting you down from, where should you be if your team loses the ball right now and so on. One of the best players to watch at this skill is Claude Makélélé
he is rarely out of position and never loses the ball by being surprised by a defender coming from behind
Stamina
All the good central midfielders have a great engine (e.g. essien). over the last 15 years footballers have had to become better athletes, for central midfielder that means getting box to box. The better engine you have the concentration, more touches on the ball, the game is easier if you are fitter than your opponent.