Soccer positions can be confusing, especially if you have just started to play soccer. It can take you a  while to figure out what a sweeper, fullback or central midfielder is.

Keep in mind also that you should try to play many soccer positions before deciding what position suits you best. My experience is that many soccer players (especially young people) want to play as forwards and strikers. As you already know, this is not possible because someone has to be fullback, midfielder, goalkeeper and so on. However, just because you don’t play these soccer positions, doesn’t mean that you will not become a good soccer player.

Key Points of a Good Soccer Defender

Your main task as soccer defender is to ensure that your opponent’s does not get any scoring chances near your penalty area. In this article I will inform you about the key points you will need to master in order to develop your defending skills during your practice.

The first point of a successful soccer defender is to keep strong focus on the ball during the whole game. By knowing where the ball is you will be able to faster regain possession of it.

As a defender you will not have so much time to decide what to do with the ball. In order to make something useful with it you need to have a plan before you’ve actually received it.

For example, let’s consider that you are facing your opponent 1 vs 1. In these situations you need have a plan for what to do if the opponent gets past you or if you manage to steal the ball from him. Defending in soccer is similar to playing chess. You need to always be one step ahead of your opponent.

The second point of successful defending is to have good ball skills. The more ball skills you have the better you will be as defender. It is crucial to learn different type of dribbling and passing.

Your mission while playing as defender is to keep the ball outside the 18 yard box. Once you regain the possession of the ball you may start a contra attack or give an opening pass to one of your teammates.

Soccer is a physically demanding activity, and this remains true even during your practice.

The Sweeper

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http://www.soccer-training-guide.com

good article, enjoy reading it during office tea break.

Well Charles..I must say u make a good DM!!

haha @andy. You're a perfect stopper whereas tey is a perfect sweeper for you, well....
it's up to you to see if im a better wingback or as a keeper now. haha

Useful info from andy. but still i'm confused on my best position. it seems i'm more like a rojak type of player.lol

Hey dude, that's really good post man.

quote:

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Originally posted by Salihin:
Useful info from andy. but still i'm confused on my best position. it seems i'm more like a rojak type of player.lol

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No such thing as rojak player...Your 'best' position is not only determined by yourself, but largely by the team you're playing in.

Say for example, Darren Fletcher of Man United; he was only a mediocre player in midfield during his first 2-3 seasons, mostly deployed on the right-mid to rest the 1st-team player. But he (or Fergie) was smart to build on his most valuable asset - determination and concentration. Now, his hard work on and off the field has earned him an important role in Man U's central midfield - winning AND keeping possession. On big games, Fergie would prefer him to pair with Scholes, rather than Carrick.
Park Ji Sung, plays WF/AM/RM/LM for Man United...while playing mostly AM for his country, but I personally think he is capable in all the positions and always adaptable in different games in different roles. Cristiano Ronaldo played as a striker for Portugal ('cos they didn't have as decent striker!)

Ultimately, there are always players in different roles for different teams they play in, and for different games and tactics. RM/LM playing as full-backs are not unusual too. Being highly adaptable, is an asset itself, which not many players can achieve.
On the other hand, some players are born natural good dribblers on the ball; some blessed with pure pace; some instinctive scorers; some calm & possess great ball skills; some disciplined and committed to a defense stronghold; all is part of training, and training the RIGHT way.

In modern football, the stopper-sweeper formation is not so applicable anymore, but the theory of 'stopping' the attack early outside the box (sometimes on a high defense line) while one defender mainly reads the game at the back is still the same, eg. Les Ferdinand. Side track a bit - good tackling and winning 1-on-1s with attackers are the basics of defending; reading the whole attack at an instant is the epitome.

The reason why i said the formation is less often used is b'cos of the nature of the game, where both centre-backs are often engaged to area marking or covering, while midfielders track-back deep to protect the defense. In attack, centre-backs possess better ball skills now, and often aid in shaping the team's attack.

most players like to play offensive role, esp as strikers. but is it your most effective role?
just because i idolise some superstar player does not make me just as effective in the same position.

i always believe all players should experience more than one position/role, even as keeper & referee.
it is thru another perspective where one can improve on oneself.

the whole idea of training is for players to experiment and find out where you can play best.
don't feel shy to tell ur captains that u want to try another role.

quote: Bro...there's one more role I didn't mention and dat is FR. dat might be ur role but its a hard to master role. Remember Zola ? he played Free Role!!!

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Originally posted by Salihin:
Useful info from andy. but still i'm confused on my best position. it seems i'm more like a rojak type of player.lol

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quote: Every role is vital....being flexible is one more factor! And its only YOU dat is special coz you can be flexible to handle keeping and wingback!

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Originally posted by Alvin Kang:
haha @andy. You're a perfect stopper whereas tey is a perfect sweeper for you, well....
it's up to you to see if im a better wingback or as a keeper now. haha

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quote: I agree no faults...~hehehehehe~but wait till u meet tey & I...!!!~LOL~

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Originally posted by Joseph Lee Kwong Meng:
In modern football, the stopper-sweeper formation is not so applicable anymore, but the theory of 'stopping' the attack early outside the box (sometimes on a high defense line) while one defender mainly reads the game at the back is still the same, eg. Les Ferdinand. Side track a bit - good tackling and winning 1-on-1s with attackers are the basics of defending; reading the whole attack at an instant is the epitome.

The reason why i said the formation is less often used is b'cos of the nature of the game, where both centre-backs are often engaged to area marking or covering, while midfielders track-back deep to protect the defense. In attack, centre-backs possess better ball skills now, and often aid in shaping the team's attack.

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quote: Captain....erm....u need water boy or Pom Pom Boy???~HAHAHAHAHAHAHA~

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Originally posted by Kent:
most players like to play offensive role, esp as strikers. but is it your most effective role?
just because i idolise some superstar player does not make me just as effective in the same position.

i always believe all players should experience more than one position/role, even as keeper & referee.
it is thru another perspective where one can improve on oneself.

the whole idea of training is for players to experiment and find out where you can play best.
don't feel shy to tell ur captains that u want to try another role.

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