This blog focuses on the attacking midfield/forwards and how they play together. 

 

This is controversial purely based on one issue - Lampard, Gerard or Scholes?? So, I’ve stayed controversial and gone for all three!!

 

The attacking players that I would chose in my formation of 4-3-3 are Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes. 

Around 10 years ago it was claimed that Scholes, Lampard and Gerrard, especially the latter two, could not pay in the same team together, however, I feel that this is based on a simple “old-style” is the formation of 4-4-2, which was extremely successful for Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United team. 

 

In this formation I have chosen the Lampard/Gerrard midfield with a Claude Makalele type player to back them up  and at the front of the diamond is Paul Scholes, 

Not like the England manager at the time they played,  who decided that Paul Scholes was a left-winger! 

 

What is clear, in my opinion, is that Lampard and Gerrard were the best box to box midfielder players in the world, not just the Premier League, at the time and according to many experts, to whose superior knowledge I will defer, Paul Scholes was the most technically adept number 10 around.

Not only was he technically superb, but he had the ability to play an aggressive role, despite criticism of his tackling ability, however I feel that he was very much the perfect mix of a forward/midfield player/number 10. 

 

The thing that all three of these players had, apart from superb technical excellence and fantastic stamina, was that “thing” that only “football people” understand - the thing called a “football brain”!

 

By “football brain” I mean the ability to see "pictures" as they are unfolding and adapt the play to suit the picture that is in their mind. 

 

However these player are only able to do this because they know that they do not have to concentrate on the technical side of the game (where they get the ball under control very quickly very easily and they are thinking about what they do rather than what they are doing). 

All three players had a major influence over their teams at the time, and how they played (their team’s footballing style) and would be allowed to play in this “imaginary” team of mine, in the same way, 

 

This in in a large way due to the presence of not only a massively strong defence, but also Claude Makalele,  who would be ready to pick up the ball whenever required and help his team out, as well as covering any gaps.

 

In respect of the Lampard and Gerard roles in this team I have given them a notional positions of right and left, although I would expect them to crossover and “swap positions” with each other as appropriate, but basically their role will be to support the flanks as well as the central midfield, and also be attacking the box as required in order to further cause problems for the opposition defence.

 

In terms of Scholes, his role will be to drift around the pitch, linking play, and, as required, “hit the box” late and use his tremendous vision in order to get “ghost” into the defence at the earliest possible occasion, and also get the ball into his strikers, playing them in behind the defence, or playing into their feet with their backs to goal.

 

As an aside, this blog is my “ramblings”, in a later blog I will set out coaching to allow your teams to play the fantasy football that I am highlighting here!

But to set up the coaching you have to have a vision of what the game looks like, and the first part of any coaching of your players is to get them to watch the “role models” (the players who play in their positions) and watch what they do and try to copy/emulate it. The job of the Coach/Manager is to then put all the individual work into a team framework, helping players understand:

·        their role

·        the team vision

·        how the two combine

So, as a coach, you need to understand this yourself - have a vision and find the players (or develop them) to meet that vision! This is NOT easy, or else everyone would do it!

It’s not just coaching, it’s old fashioned management too! Working with cones is not enough, you have to work with people too!!

 

Anyway back to the coaching blog theme - CAM's!

 

To remind the reader, this week I am looking at the roles of the Centre Attacking Midfielders (CAMs) - the reason I’m going with three centrally is that I would pick two full backs who can dominate each flank!

 

They also rely heavily on a quality Central Defensive Midfielder (the CDM or number 4!) as they all are better going forward than back (even though they can all defend really well!)

 

So, what makes a great CAM?

· Able to think ahead and see opportunities EARLY (early is crucial - a quick pass is more essential in this team than an extra touch!)

· Have a great engine

· Great “technically”

· Great communicators

· Great shooting, especially from 15-25 yards

· Good range of passing of the ball, short and long

· Not blistering in pace, but equally no slouches!

 

Strangely, if you look at the CDM, many of these attributes were applicable too, this shows how they integrate with the midfield unit!

 

In my opinion, a key attribute for any CAM is the ability to deliver the counter attack, working closely with the CDM to change defence into attack

 

So – lets break this down a little. What are the key requirements of a CAM?

· Positioning and game awareness

· Decision making - e.g. when to pass or when to dribble

· Shooting ability

· Stamina

· Passing skills

· Communication skills

 

And what are the “nice to have’s”

· Heading ability

· Speed & dribbling skills

 

In today’s Premier League I believe that Man City (from 2017/18) had the closest thing to this structure, but their unit was very much a 3 man unit - Fernandinho, De Bruyne and David Silva, with the addition of Bernardo Silva is very similar to this group - but note this midfield is smaller than “mine”, showing that, contrary to FA views in the 1980s (under Charles Hughes) you don’t have to be big to play the game at the top level!!

However, this clearly demonstrates that to be a quality CAM you must be very versatile, not just one thing!

 

Ability in the “shot” is obviously a pre-requisite for a CAM but there are different types of shots in this position that are applicable, the most common for this role being very diverse.

· The long range shot – picking the ball up outside if the box and striking hard and accurate

· The early shot of the ball from inside the box– “ghosting in unseen” and shooting accurately, rather than just powerfully, on target with the keeper often unbalanced!

Think about these shots - how often did Lampard, Gerrard AND Scholes score from the range, with Lampard and Scholes particularly “sneaking” into the area, unmarked!!

 

People often think that the CAM is part of the midfield, but I see them as the link between the two areas of the team (attack and midfield) – they are best suited as players trying to cause damage “between the lines”!

 

But also, they are the second point of attack in open play, especially transition, setting the tempo of the teams attacking options, building in the work of the CDM and defence in recovering the ball!

 

In the transition phase, and the attacking phase, it’s crucial the CAM has a plan/vision (through a “picture” of the pitch – the great players all had “pictures” in their minds when they got the ball, without even looking up!) when they have the ball ready to set up any attack, especially in the opponent’s half.

 

Decision making is also crucial in this role, things like:

· when to shoot 

· when to attack the box (too early and you get marked, too late and you are out of the game), 

· when to pass, 

· when to dribble 

so many decisions, all in the busiest sector of the pitch – the middle of it!

 

Heading, for CAM’s, is also important; as often the most dangerous ball is the pulled back one, away from the striker who is marked, and often these crosses are in the air! To understand this better, look at Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes’s goal and see how many are headed ones! In fact watch ALL of their goals to see many of the points in this blog!!

 

Also, at the elite level, high crosses are less prevalent as teams try to pick holes on the ground (think of Man City in the premier league as an example), So the CAM often has a role to play in getting the ball out wide and then attacking the  “pulled back” crosses to the edge of the box, or behind the strikers!

 

So, in training sessions you need to do the following with your CAM 

· Work on shooting techniques

· Passing in triangles (and short passing)

· Work on pace improvements (you can never have too much pace for any position in football!!)

· “Receiving and controlling the ball” skills

· Passing skills

· Stamina work

 

These can all be worked on and learnt in drills and 1:1 sessions, but there are TWO other areas that you can only work with your players on, and help them, develop themselves (often in game/SSG scenarios) and these are not instantly coachable, but CAN still be addressed, they are

· Organising – a CAM working on JUST their own game is doomed to fail – make them aware of what 

happening around them, then get them to “work it out” for themselves!

· Communicating – Once they’ve they seen the organisation, give them control of communicating it – as a coach, just listen rather than watch, if you hear them organising then so will their team mates

 

Make them watch the experts in the position only and see how they do it,

As stated the Man City midfield is the closest to a “role model unit” in today’s game and to get someone in their positions to watch them, this will help your player’s, and your team’s, development!