Where to play someone

During a recent question and answer period concluding a coaching clinic I had mentioned the need for center midfielders to be 360 degree players.  This sparked further questions concerning where to play someone based on how they approach the game.

This is actually something I have studied quite a bit over the years. I don't have it down to an exact science, but I do feel there are certain indicators that can help point the way dependent somewhat on the training circumstances available to the player and his team.

A 360 degree player is one who is comfortable playing in any direction on the pitch. This ability obviously comes in handy for central midfielders.  However, in the ever increasing single forward / target forward systems of today this type of player is highly prized as a target forward as well.

My answer to questions about filling positions was to designate players by their strengths in play to a position that requires those strengths be accentuated to fulfill the expectations for the position

We had just spent a half hour or so discussing the need for players to play the way they face being a requirement for possession play. A specific question posed was "where to play the player who wants to turn and go to goal?" Well, obviously this player would not fare well as a central midfielder or as a target forward.  All too often he would be self-inflicting pressure by turning into defenders.  This is the type of player who will need to play facing the goal.  So, my response to the question was in the form of another question, where should a player who wants to face goal play?

The obvious answers are 1) as a defender and 2) possibly on the flank as a wing player. 

A rather animated discussion followed as one of the coaches spoke of a player who likes to turn and go to goal being his best goal scoring option.  It was as if the only place he could be played was as a forward or as an attacking mid. I replied with yet another question, why can't a defender score goals?

I went on to explain how on our spring teams defenders were regular contributors to the attack both as assisters and goal scorers.  You need an aggressive defender who is offensive minded to man the outside back positions in many of todays zonal systems.  The coach, after some reflection, commented that I had just described his "forward" who struggled to play the way he faced.

If you do not have the time to work with such a player to teach him how to and the benefits of playing back to goal and playing the way he faces, why not save everyone a lot of stress and allow the player to play as his instincts tell him to - facing the goal and with your approval to "get forward into the attack?"

The next question to surface was, "who do I play at forward, then?"  Again I countered with a question, what do you want in a target player?

Typically we want a target player to be big and strong. Capable of receiving under pressure, shielding the ball and playing the way he faces.  It's great to have speed, but not absolutely necessary.  Remember, a primary purpose of playing to a target player who then drops the ball back is to allow teammates to join the attack.  Do we really want a target player who always turns and attempts to go 1 v 3 or 1 v 4 against the opponents defense?  Of course not! 

The target player who can receive, shield and drop the ball back allows for teammates to join him in the attack creating more favorable conditions and increasing the chances for success in the attack. All we are talking about is two passes before turning and attacking goal at pace.  1) Play to the feet of the target player who 2) plays back to the feet of a midfielder.  The precious few seconds that sequence takes allows teammates, who are running at goal, to come forward enough to be active participants in the attack instead of being trailers in the attack.

We were shooed from the building at about this time. I would have liked to continued the discussion. Perhaps another day? For now, the proverbial light bulb seemed to go off in the coaches mind during the course of this discussion. I could see the wheels churning as he pondered changing the positional assignments of some players on his team.  I'm anxious to get back out to see the team to see what he has implemented.