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Soccer IQ for Central midfielders

Central midfielders, the eight and the ten, cover the most ground and make the most decisions in both directions.

Eights progress the ball through midfield, arrive late in the box, join the press and cover for teammates who push on; tens look for the pocket between the lines and the final pass. Their reads are about when to go and when to stay.

Worked plays

5 plays from Footy Eye's training pool, with the best read and why.

  1. Play 1

    The situation
    You’re the ten against a mid-block. Your pivot has the ball with his head up.
    Best read
    Drop into the pocket between their lines
    Why
    Between the lines is where matches get unlocked. Find the pocket their midfield left open, come off the back of a marker, and receive on the half-turn facing their goal. A run in behind is worthless until someone can actually see the pass.
    The other options
    • Sprint in behind the last line now The ball over their block runs through to the keeper.
    • Show all the way back for it You get it in front of their midfield, facing your own goal.
    • Pin the centre-back and stay high Their centre-backs hold, and your pivot has nobody to find.

  2. Play 2

    The situation
    You’re the eight drifting towards the touchline your winger already owns. Their midfielder has just slid off you into the middle.
    Best read
    Stop in the half-space between full-back and centre-back
    Why
    Two of you in one lane is one of you wasted — their full-back marks both with one body. The half-space is the seam their midfielder just abandoned, and standing in it gives your six a forward pass while pinning the centre-back. The two-v-one only exists if their full-back can be beaten wide.
    The other options
    • Run in behind, outside their full-back You run outside him, and he drops to cover you and your winger.
    • Keep going wide for a two-v-one You arrive in your winger’s lane, and one full-back marks you both.
    • Drop beside your six to get on it You get it beside your six, with their midfield still in front.

  3. Play 3

    The situation
    You’re the eight arriving from midfield. Your winger is at the byline and your nine is in the six-yard box, marked.
    Best read
    Delay, then arrive late at the edge
    Why
    The cutback zone is the most dangerous eight yards on the pitch and it is empty, because everybody sprints to the six-yard box. Arriving a beat late means no defender has picked you up and you meet it facing goal. Following your nine in puts two of you on the same two markers.
    The other options
    • Sprint into the six-yard box beside your nine You and your nine crowd the six, and the cutback zone is empty.
    • Hold outside the box against the counter The winger cuts it back to an empty edge of the box.
    • Overlap outside your winger You overlap a winger already at the byline, and the move stalls.

  4. Play 4

    The situation
    Your full-back has time in midfield. You’re the eight ahead of him, a midfielder tight on your back, their line deep.
    Best read
    Arc away and back to receive facing forward
    Why
    Where you receive matters less than which way you are facing. Curving out and back means you arrive side-on, marker off your shoulder rather than through it, and your first touch goes forward. Running straight at the passer welds the marker to your spine, and there is nothing in behind to spin into.
    The other options
    • Come straight at him and demand it You get it with the marker on your back, facing your own goal.
    • Stand still and let it come to you Your marker steps round you and cuts out the pass.
    • Spin in behind their back line Their deep line swallows the run, and the full-back has no pass.

  5. Play 5

    The situation
    Your team presses high. Your striker jumps out to press their centre-back. You’re the central midfielder behind him.
    Best read
    Push up behind him and kill the pivot
    Why
    One man pressing alone is just a man running. The striker’s jump only becomes a press if the line behind moves with him: step up, kill the pivot, and the centre-back has nothing but a long ball. Doubling up leaves the pivot free in the space you refused to close.
    The other options
    • Hold your position, keep the block still He bounces it off the pivot, and the striker’s press is beaten.
    • Sprint past and double up the centre-back He plays it into the free pivot, who turns into your half.
    • Drop back and protect the space behind The pivot receives in the space ahead of you and turns.

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