As quintessential soccer players who provide a bit of defense, a bit of offense and a whole lot of possessing the ball, midfielders benefit from drills that emphasize passing and defense. The midfield provides the crucial link in moving the ball up the field, and drills can focus on all aspects of passing, both short- and long-range. Even midfielders at the top of their game, such as the Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham, work hard in practice on their midfield skills.
Numbered Passing
The purpose of this drill, from "Soccer Skills and Drills" by Jim Lennox and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is to practice receiving balls with an emphasis on preparing the ball for the next pass -- a crucial skill in the midfield. Set up an odd number of players, from three to nine, in a group with one ball. Players assign themselves numbers in sequence. They pass the ball from player 1 to player 2, and so forth, and then back to 1. They continue in additional rounds to take two touches so the coach can evaluate whether the first touch sets up the pass to the next player correctly.
Midfield to Striker to Goal
Lennox recommends this drill to polish the connection between midfielders and strikers on offense. Set two cones to mark the attacking third of the field and assign 10 players, six on offense, to the drill. Ask three attackers and two defenders to play only in the attacking third of the field. In the middle third straddling the half-field line, assign three attackers and two defenders. These numbers -- six attackers total versus four defenders -- allow the attackers in the middle third chances to advance the ball to the feet of a teammate near the goal. The strikers in the attacking third try to score to complete the drill.
Closing Down Opposition
This exercise, from Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand's book with co-author Tony Carr on "How to Coach a Soccer Team," helps midfielders work on their defense. Assign six players, three each on a red and a blue team, to a marked area measuring 10 by 30 yards. Place a red and a blue server in the middle of the short end of the area. The server on red passes to a teammate, and the other red teammate scoots out of the area. The closest blue player reacts by closing down the receiver and trying to stop him from passing to the blue server. Once the attacker has passed to the blue server or the defender has stripped the ball, the drill is repeated at the other end.
Going with Runners
Ferdinand and Carr recommend a similar drill for six players on two teams in a slightly larger area of 15 by 35 yards. One red and one blue player stand in the grid, while their teammates stand outside the area. The coach serves the ball into blue player 1 in the area, who tries to bring the ball over the end line while being defended by red player 1. The attacking player can pass to his teammates standing outside the rectangle, who must pass it back. The defender focuses on staying close to the attacker and following his runs, not the ball. Repeat the drill with the red team attacking and rotating the players standing outside the box.
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