Attacking in the Middle Third "Flat Four: Creating from the midfield"
The flat four with multiple systems of play
The beauty of the flat four is that it allows for so many different systems of play to be played on top of it.One of he most common is the 4-4-2, which can be organized many ways offering widely different styles of play. The 4-3-3 is a excellent system that can effectively be played on top of the flat four. In fact a flat four is a near prerequisite to playing an aggressive 4-3-3. A more conservative approach to the 4-3-3 is the 4-5-1 and the 4-2-3-1. These are some of the common systems employed with the flat four which allow the defenders full attacking capabilities.
Attacking Strategies for Midfielders
Before the complexities of each system are discussed, some basic attacking points for the midfielders are required and the midfielders role in the attack must be understood.. The role of the midfielders, when attacking is to create and support, not necessarily in that order. The midfielders will receive the ball from either the fullbacks or the forwards, or by winning in transition. For a team trained to build up from the back their role will to first be support the fullbacks, then support the forwards, then create. As mentioned above and shown in the Breaking out of the Back session, the center midfielders will also be involved reversing the ball through the back.
When winning in transition the first thought of the midfielders should be "Can I create and get forward?" If this is a viable option then the midfielder should initiate the counter attack quickly looking to combine with the forwards and other midfielders for a quick strike on goal. The midfielder may be looking to shoot if he is in range and can create a quality shot. Otherwise he will be looking to connect with the forwards or the other midfielders to create scoring opportunities. By working with the forwards and midfielders and playing quickly they may be able to create a shot thru a series of short quick passes or by a serve into the eighteen yard box from the flanks. Finally if no passing option is viable and shooting is not an option the midfielder may consider dribbling into the attacking space to create opportunities on goal. It is important to note that since the ball was won on a turnover the opponent is in transition leading to numbers up on the attack. If all options are considered and discarded then playing a back ball to the fullbacks to maintain possession is wiser than attacking only to give the ball back to the opponent. Therefore when in possession the scoring options should be as follows
- Do I have a good scoring opportunity, can I shoot?
- Do I have a clean passing seam to connect with my teammates?
- Can I take the ball myself into space to initiate the attack?
If none of these options present themselves due to either a quality opponent or a poor touch, turning away from pressure to maintain possession is an option and one that should be considered.
When the ball is in back with the fullbacks, the central midfielders should be working the central area of the pitch but should work off of each other such that they are staggered. Their role is one of support. If the fullbacks connect with them they will then need to create. If the fullbacks skip the midfield and find the forwards they must turn to support the forwards. If the ball works to either the outside midfielders or attacking outside fullbacks they must work over to find angles of support which then can then create off of.
If there are outside fullbacks, they should be either wide or working towards the center. If wide their body position should be sideways on, with hips open, looking to receive from the fullbacks while at the same time preparing to make a dangerous run up the line. If working central they should be looking to receive and take the ball across their body to reverse the point of attack. As they work to one of these areas the outside fullbacks will be working opposite to create numbers up in the attack.
The fullbacks need to have the option of finding the forwards or the midfielders. By being staggered in the middle and sideways on (back to the touch line) the midfielders are creating options for the fullbacks to create with in the midfield. Once the ball enters the middle third the midfielders will be looking to create either with the dribble or by combining with the other midfielders, the forwards and any fullbacks overlapping into the middle and attacking thirds.
If the ball is in possession of the forwards the midfielders must work off the ball in the attacking third. With the ball up top they need to be in support of the forward to maintain possession. By doing so the forwards now have the option of turning to create or playing the way they face. The outside midfielders need be supporting the forwards as well, while at the same time being ready to get forward by making runs down the line. If the forwards lay the ball off to the central midfielders, or if they turn and face the goal the outside midfielders need to be forward to better support the attack. This is an anticipated run as a run made to late will be ineffective. A run made too early will be equally ineffective. See diagram 4 for a better understanding of spacing of the midfielders.
Thus the role of the midfielders is either to attack or support depending on the situation on the field
Creating with the pass vs. creating with the dribble
The central midfielders are the players who connect the thirds of play together so it is important for midfielders to understand when to create with the pass as opposed to the dribble. Generally, there are two types of midfielders, the artist and the visionary.
The artist vs. the visionary
The artistic central midfielder is the player who is very technical on the ball and very skilled in taking on opponents and creating opportunities. This type of player should be encouraged to take on the defense when the numbers are right in the middle and final thirds. However, if the number of defenders is too great or the field position is such that a loss of possession is conducive to a counter attack this type of player must be cautious with his touches and evaluate the risk of losing the ball versus the reward of beating the opponent.
The visionary is the player who sees the whole field. They have great vision and good accuracy with their passes. They are the type of player who prefers to distribute first, who would rather make the pass that shreds the defense than be the player who scores the goal. This type of player will always be looking to find the teammate in a dangerous position. These types of players are incredibly dangerous as they tend to make players around them better. This player must know when to pass, how to pass with deception, and where to pass. They will open the game up.
Finding the flanks
With either type of central midfielder it is important to find the flanks. By finding the outside midfielders you open the entire field up. Train your players then, to make runs at the appropriate time such that they are in support before the run but moving towards the goals in the flank as the player in possession prepares the ball for service. Additionally, train your outside midfielders to “get their cleats white”. By this I mean train them to stay as wide the touch lines thus getting white chalk on the cleats. Teach them “not to grow roots”. By this I mean train them to not be stationary like a tree growing roots. When your center midfielders and fullbacks successfully and accurately find the flanks, your team can create from multiple areas making your team far more dangerous and difficult to defend.
Attacking in the Final Third
Follow