PLAYERS FUNCTIONS AND ROLES

Legacy players can use these examples of functions and roles to help identify areas for
improvement when setting their goals.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE FOLLOWING CONCEPTS TO A PLAYER’S TECHNICAL AND

TACTICAL FUNCTIONS – TRANSITION WITHIN ATTACKING AND DEFENDING AND FROM THE
CHANGE OF POSSESSION OF THE BALL, VERBAL AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION, VISION AND
READING OF THE GAME.

GOALKEEPER (Position #1):

Technical (Skills)
1) Shot stopping and ball handling: on ground, below waist, above waist, diving, tip-overs, parrying,
catching, holding, and body position.
2) Crosses: catching, boxing one and two handed, attacking the ball, body position.
3) Distribution: throwing, bowling, kicking, punting, drop-kicking.
4) Break away technical aspects.
5) Receiving.
6) Passing.

Tactical
Defensive;
1) Organizing of the defense.
2) Playing as a sweeper, providing cover and balance.
3) Starting positions in reference to the movement of the ball, pressure on the ball, athletic ability and
movement of players.
4) Distribution as the first attacker and as a support player in attack.
5) Ability to close down players on a break-away, cut down shooting angles.
6) Range of goalkeeper in the box to handle crosses and come off of the line.
Attacking;
1) Support player, ability to change the point of attack.
2) Distribution to be the first attacker.
3) Transition.

DEFENDERS (Positions #2, 3, 4, 5):

Technical (Skills)
1) Heading.
2) Ability to clear the ball with feet and heading.
3) Tackling.
4) Passing off of the interception of the ball.
5) Passing.
6) Receiving.
7) Long range shooting.
8) Dribbling to beat an opponent.
9) Finishing.

Tactical
Marking Backs (Positions #2, 3,):
Defensively varies depending upon the role assigned to the player;
1) Marking responsibilities, starting positions in relationship to the ball and movement of players, denying,
containing and winning the ball.
2) Proper angles of recovery.
3) Man to man marking, zonal and combination coverage.
4) Offside tactics and space usage.
5) Providing cover and balance.
6) Controlled aggression in tackling and closing players down.
7) Defending numbers up and down.
Attacking;
1) Distribution of ball, long and short.
2) Support player for players in advance of ball.
3) Establish width in the attack.
4) Win ball and play forward quickly.
5) Flank play to play into the attack as a wide midfielders or winger.
6) Play off side of the ball in attack, team shape.
7) Restarts.

Outside Backs (Positions #4, 5):

Defensive;
1) Deny penetration on the flank, 1 v 1, numbers down.
2) Positional play depending on movement of the ball and players and the defensive scheme and system
of play of the team.
3) Provide cover and balance.
4) Tracking and recovery runs.
5) Marking responsibilities.
Attacking;
1) Provide an early outlet after the ball is won.
2) Establish width in the attack.
3) Play as a flank player, wide midfielder, or winger in the attack, on the ball and without the ball.
4) Maintain team shape in the attack on the side of the ball and the off side.
5) Provide support both behind the ball and in advance of the ball.
6) Play ball forward immediately upon the winning of the ball.

MIDFIELDERS (Positions #6, 7, 8, 10, 11):

Technical (Skills)
1) Receiving ball and turning.
2) Passing, long and short.
3) Finishing and long range finishing.
4) Dribbling, improvisation, speed, shielding.
5) Tackling.
6) Heading, defensive and attacking.
7) Crossing, all variations.
8) Ability to clear balls.
Tactical
Defensively as a group;
1) Transition to get goal side of the ball, recovery runs and positioning.
2) Delay the attacking progress, and winning the ball pressure points and pressure pockets within the
defensive scheme of play.
3) Provide pressure, cover, balance.
4) Man to man, zonal, and combination defensive play.
5) Win 1:1 duels.
6) Changing the rhythm of play defensively, by pressing.
Attacking as a group;
1) Link the play from the back to the front.
2) Support in advance and behind the ball.
3) Create width in the attack.
4) Create space for self and others to attack.
5) Penetrate with and without the ball.
6) Changing the point of attack and the rhythm of play.
7) Finishing, long range shooting.

Defensive Midfielders (Positions #6, 8):

Defensive;
1) Organize the players, communicate, midfielders and forwards.
2) Provide cover to pressuring defensive players in the midfield.
3) Provide balance in the midfield.
4) Marking responsibilities.
5) Specific marking responsibilities vs opposing attacking midfielders.
6) Zonal play.
7) Delay to attack playing numbers down in defense.
8) Play numbers up in defense.
9) Tracking down.
10) Skillful in the air and at tackling.
11) Ability to win 1:1 duels.

Flank Players (Positions #7, 11):

Defensive;
1) Defend the flank 1 v 1, numbers up and down.
2) Recovery runs.
3) Understand man to man, zonal and combination defending.
4) Provide pressure, cover and balance, in the defensive scheme of play.
5) Tracking down players.
6) Ability to win 1:1 duels.
7) Skillful in the air and at tackling.
Attacking;
1) Ability to play on the entire flank.
2) Ability to play as a winger.
3) Establish width in attack.
4) Create space for self and others with and without the ball.
5) Ability to penetrate with and without the ball, combination play.
6) Ability to serve the ball effectively from behind the other players and ball.
7) Ability to serve the ball from the flank.

Game Making Midfielders (Position #10):

Attacking;
1) Support in advance of the ball.
2) Support behind the ball.
3) Availability to make the game, angles and distances in support, vision.
4) Penetrate with and without the ball.
5) Ability to create space for self to play.
6) Dictate rhythm of game, changing the point of attack.
7) Finishing and long range shooting.

ATTACKERS (Positions #7, 9, 10, 11):

Tactical
Defensively as a group;
1) Transition as a group (psychological aspects)
2) Part of collective defending as a team within the team posture of defending.
3) Tracking down.
4) Pressing.
Attacking as a group;
1) Support in advance of the ball.
2) Ability to penetrate with and without the ball.
3) Timing of runs to get behind the defense and then support ball.
4) Ability to create space for self and others.
5) Team shape and ability to pull the defense apart.
6) Finishing.

Center Forwards (Position #9)

1) Compact the central defending players.
a) Push up on the sweeper.
b) Stretch the defense lengthwise.
c) Create space for others central.
2) Pull apart the central defense and covering system.
a) Diagonal runs to the flank to pull apart the defense.
b) Diagonal runs to get behind the defense.
c) Create space behind the defense by coming to the ball in the midfield.
d) Available to play with other players in combination.
e) 1:1 ability to beat opponents with and without the ball.

Wingers (Positions #7, 11):

1) Play wide in attack.
2) Support in advance of the ball.
3) Creating space for self and others with and without the ball.
4) Ability to beat an opponent with and without the ball.
5) Playing wide and coming to the inside to create opportunities.
6) Crossing.
7) Finishing.

Withdrawn Wingers (Positions #7, 11):

1) Play wide but not as advanced as a winger.
2) Understanding of winger and wide midfielders positions.
3) Support in advance and behind the ball.
4) Creating width in attack.
5) Penetration with and without the ball.
6) 1:1 duels.
7) Create space for self and others.
8) Ability to come central or penetrate on the flank.
9) Finishing.

Withdrawn Central Forward (Position #10):

1) Support in advance and behind the ball.
2) Timing of runs, angles and distances to play off of another player.
3) Penetration with and without the ball.
4) Finishing.