Want to be a Great Midfielder – Watch this!
- aaronptighe
- Mar 23
- 3 min read
It’s a Wembley Stadium World Cup qualifier—the first game of new England manager Thomas Tuchel’s reign. Albania is the opposition and are defending with a low block: the back four on the edge of their box, with everyone behind the ball. England defender Dan Burn has the ball, unopposed, centrally just inside the Albanian half.
Step up, central midfield player Jude Bellingham, to change the course of the game with midfield brilliance.
A Jude Bellingham First-Person View:
Centre-back Burn has the ball just inside their half. Walk back towards him. As the deepest central midfield player, play as if I’m not interested in receiving the ball. Have a quick scan right and left to see where I can play if I receive it. Stop and turn forward. He’s passed across to right centre-back Konsa, who’s now moving forward into space. My marker is dropping. Time to get the ball. Move forward suddenly and check back, away from the marker, to create a few meters of space.
Good—he’s stayed off me. Let the ball come across my body onto my left foot to allow me to open up to the whole pitch and a possible switch to the left wing. It’s not going to work, as their forward, Uzuni, is closing in from behind on my left side. Okay, shift the ball across my body back to my right side to protect and shield it from Uzuni. Tap the ball away from him with the outside of my right foot. Need to move fast to the right with the ball, as Uzuni is trying to come around my left shoulder. Suck him in; run slightly ahead of the ball and turn sharply away from him to the right. Snap the ball behind me with the outside of the right foot. Now turned, and having left Uzuni behind, sprint fast with the ball and look up for a pass.
Use Rashford to the left as a decoy pass, as Lewis-Skelly is making a run from the left wing across the back of his defender towards the box. Visualise where he’ll be and time the side-foot pass to cut through five defenders into that space. Weight the pass with enough pace to get through. And play! The ball glides through—perfect! Eighteen-year-old debutant Lewis-Skelly has beaten his man to the ball. A brilliant run. One touch and he’s nutmegged the goalkeeper. Goal!
Midfield Mastery of Techniques and Skills
Confidence – “Give me the ball. I will make something happen.” That is the attitude you see from Bellingham in this piece of play. It doesn’t matter that he has players around him—he knows he has the strength and ability to shield them away and find his pass.
Control of the ball – His across-body control is beautifully done. This is something that is often missed or taken for granted by spectators.
Shield and outside foot turn – What a fantastic demonstration of this skill. His ability to stay composed, keep the defender on his left, and sell the dummy to snap the ball back with the outside foot is top class.
The vision – To see where the runner is going to be and deliver a side-foot pass with perfect weight.
Practice
Watch Module (4) for the outside foot cut technique breakdowns in the One2Pro App.
Watch Module (8) for the shield technique in the One2Pro App.
Watch Module (1) for the across-body control and pass skill breakdown in the One2Pro App.
One2Pro:
The use of video with a coach review is fantastic for honing skills and performance. In our One2Pro online coaching app, "Techniques of the Stars" are broken down step-by-step for players to follow and practice.
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Be the One!
Aaron Tighe
Founder, One2Pro
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