Coaching A Three-Man Midfield – Tactical Theory

In the modern game, so many teams play with a midfield three.

While working with a team for a season, we may well find ourselves focusing on big and slightly broad concepts, like “playing out from the back” or “finishing in the final third.

We can play a midfield three for a long time and expect these players to know what to do in the game due to their familiarity with the system.

This is obviously not ideal practice  and perhaps reading this, this doesn’t apply to you  but if it does or it doesn’t, it is still important we work on something that often underpins our entire system in possession.

The midfield three and their understanding of working together are vitally important, and this set of practices, which would come together as one session, offers some examples of how we can do exactly this.

Whether we use tactics that require us to play with a double or single pivot, two 8s, two 10s, or a conventional 6, 8, and 10, we have to ensure these players understand their individual roles and, more importantly, are cohesive as a unit.

This tactical analysis will provide some examples of coaching a midfield three to rotate consistently, change angle and position, and structure forward play.

Working On Rotating Together  Exercise 1

The first exercise in this analysis is a simple 3v3 with two neutral players on either end.

The teams look to work the ball to one end of the grid to the neutral player, before receiving it once more and looking in the other direction.

Every time they successfully work the ball to one end, they get a goal. 

Four mini squares are within the one larger square.

The following image shows this set-up.

We ask the players to ideally not be in the same vertical line or horizontal line from each other e.g can we not be a box directly next to someone either laterally or vertically?

Of course, this is impossible with three players and four boxes; however, it constantly requires our players to move and rotate. 

If not possible due to the players current level, then at least ask them not to be in line with one another, either vertically or laterally, as we can see the players doing in the image below.