All of the player roles and duties that can be used in central midfield playing positions are analysed below. Central midfield includes all of the roles/duties that are available in the DMC and MC playing positions.
Introduction & Role Analyser
Goalkeeper Roles | Central Defence Roles
Central Midfield Roles | Flank Roles | Central Attack Roles
Analysed below for each central midfield role is:
- Game description – the description of the role/duty as given in the game.
- Player instructions – the player instructions given by the role/duty. Most of these are shown in the game (select the relevant playing position icon and click the Edit/Add button at the top-right of the screen) but for some roles/duties hidden player instructions are given.
- Complementary player traits – player traits that make a player more likely to follow the role/duty’s player instructions.
- Contrasting player traits – player traits that make a player less likely to follow the role/duty’s player instructions
Defensive Midfielder
Game description:
The Defensive Midfielder’s main duties are to protect the defensive line from breaking attackers by closing them down quickly and to support the creative midfielders when in possession.
A key job of the Defensive Midfielder is to keep hold of the ball while the defence and attack are reorganising themselves after a period of opposition pressure.
Player Instructions
- Defend duty – decrease pressing intensity, Hold Position, Dribble Less, Shoot Less Often
Player Traits
Complementary player traits:
- Defend duty – Refrains From Taking Long Shots, Runs With Ball Rarely, Stays Back At All Times
Contrasting player traits:
- Defend duty – Arrives Late In Opponents’ Area, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Knocks Ball Past Opponent, Likes To Beat Man Repeatedly, Plays One-Twos, Runs With Ball Often, Runs With Ball Through Centre, Shoots From Distance, Tries To Play Way Out Of Trouble, Tries Tricks
Deep Lying Playmaker
Game description:
The Deep Lying Playmaker operates in the space between the defence and the midfield and aims to initiate attacking moves via pinpoint passes to players positioned higher up the pitch.
Although primarily a creative player, the Deep Lying Playmaker also has to be competent in the art of defence.
Player Instructions
- Hold Position, Shoot Less Often
- Defend duty – decrease pressing intensity, Dribble Less
- Support duty – Take More Risks
Hidden player instructions: collect the ball more, use more creative freedom, focus play (this role is a playmaker focal role which instructs a player’s teammates to pass to him more often)
Player Traits
Complementary player traits:
- Comes Deep To Get Ball, Dictates Tempo, Likes Ball Played Into Feet, Refrains From Taking Long Shots, Stays Back At All Times, Stops Play
- Defend duty – Runs With Ball Rarely
- Support duty – Likes To Switch Ball To Other Flank, Tries Killer Balls Often
Contrasting player traits:
- Arrives Late in Opponents’ Area, Dwells On Ball, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Plays No Through Balls, Plays One-Twos, Plays Short Simple Passes, Shoots From Distance
- Defend duty – Knocks Ball Past Opponent, Likes To Beat Man Repeatedly, Runs With Ball Often, Runs With Ball Through Centre, Tries To Play Way Out Of Trouble, Tries Tricks
- Support duty – Plays No Through Balls
Ball Winning Midfielder
Game description:
Playing in central midfield the Ball Winning Midfielder’s main function is to close down the opposition and win the ball.
However, he also needs the technical skills to help the team keep possession and fashion out chances for players with attacking roles.
Player Instructions
- Significantly increase pressing intensity, Tackle Harder
- Defend duty – Hold Position, Dribble Less, Shoot Less Often, Take Fewer Risks
Hidden player instructions: use more tactical discipline
Player Traits
Complementary player traits:
- Dives Into Tackles
- Defend duty – Plays No Through Balls, Plays Short Simple Passes, Refrains From Taking Long Shots, Runs With Ball Rarely, Stays Back At all Times
Contrasting player traits:
- Dictates Tempo
- Defend duty – Arrives Late In Opponents’ Area, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Knocks Ball Past Opponent, Likes To Beat Man Repeatedly, Likes To Switch Ball To Other Flank, Plays One-Twos, Runs With Ball Often, Runs With Ball Through Centre, Shoots From Distance, Tries Killer Balls Often, Tries To Play Way Out Of Trouble, Tries Tricks
Anchor Man
Game description:
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Water Carrier’, the Anchor Man’s main duty is to sit in the hole between the defence and the midfield, intercepting moves, winning the ball and laying off simple passes to his more creative teammates.
Since his key job is to anchor the defence he doesn’t venture too far from his position either to close down the opposition or to support the more advanced players.
Player Instructions
- Decrease pressing intensity, Hold Position, Dribble Less, Shoot Less Often, Take Fewer Risks
Player Traits
Complementary player traits: Plays No Through Balls, Plays Short Simple Passes, Refrains From Taking Long Shots, Runs With Ball Rarely, Stays Back At All Times
Contrasting player traits: Arrives Late In Opponents’ Area, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Knocks Ball Past Opponent, Likes To Beat Man Repeatedly, Likes To Switch Ball To Other Flank, Plays One-Twos, Runs With Ball Often, Runs With Ball Through Centre, Shoots From Distance, Tries Killer Balls Often, Tries To Play Way Out Of Trouble, Tries Tricks
Half Back
Game description:
The Half Back looks to serve a role somewhere between that of an aggressive sweeper and a defensive midfielder. The Half Back drops deeper than a standard defensive midfielder in possession and looks to offer an outlet for quickly recycling possession and to offer protection against the counter attack.
Player Instructions
- Decrease pressing intensity, Hold Position, Dribble Less
Hidden player instructions: drop deep more
Player Traits
Complementary player traits: Comes Deep To Get Ball, Likes Ball Played Into Feet, Runs With Ball Rarely, Stays Back At All Times
Contrasting player traits: Arrives Late In Opponents’ Area, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Knocks Ball Past Opponent, Likes To Beat Man Repeatedly, Plays One-Twos, Runs With Ball Often, Runs With Ball Through Centre, Likes To Play Way Out Of Trouble, Tries Tricks
Regista
Game description:
The Regista is a more aggressive version of the Deep Lying Playmaker suitable for possession-oriented systems that press high up the pitch. Given complete freedom to dictate play from deep positions, the Regista offers a dynamic and unpredictable creative outlet from behind the attack who seeks to maintain intense pressure by constantly looking for new chances as his more advanced teammates get into goalscoring positions.
Player Instructions
- Roam From Position, Take More Risks
Hidden player instructions: collect the ball more, use more creative freedom, focus play (this role is a playmaker focal role which instructs a player’s teammates to pass to him more often)
Player Traits
Complementary player traits: Comes Deep To Get Ball, Dictates Tempo, Likes Ball Played Into Feet, Likes To Switch Ball To Other Flank, Stops Play, Tries Killer Balls Often
Contrasting player traits: Dwells On Ball, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Plays No Through Balls, Plays Short Simple Passes, Stays Back At All Times
Roaming Playmaker
Game description:
The Roaming Playmaker is the heartbeat of his team, driving forward with the ball to spearhead attacks as well as tracking back to cover defensively. Always offering a passing option to teammates, the Roaming Playmaker must have the physical attributes to maintain a high intensity as well as the technical attributes to stamp his authority on the game.
He will look to pick the ball up in deep positions and work the ball forwards with urgency, all the while keeping up with play. The Roaming Playmaker will often camp on the edge of the penalty area looking for room to shoot or to try that killer ball which creates a goalscoring opportunity.
Player Instructions
- Roam From Position, Take More Risks
Hidden player instructions: collect the ball more, carry the ball more, use more creative freedom, make more surging forward runs, track back more, focus play (this role is a playmaker focal role which instructs a player’s teammates to pass to him more often)
Player Traits
Complementary player traits: Arrives Late In Opponents’ Area, Comes Deep To Get Ball, Dictates Tempo, Likes Ball Played Into Feet, Likes To Switch Ball To Other Flank, Runs With Ball Through Centre, Stops Play, Tries Killer Balls Often
Contrasting player traits: Dwells On Ball, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Plays No Through Balls, Plays Short Simple Passes, Runs With Ball Rarely, Stays Back At All Times
Segundo Volante
Game description:
The Segundo Volante is different from the Deep Lying Playmaker in that their role is primarily a defensive one best suited to being paired with an Anchor Man, and is also different from the Ball Winning Midfielder, in that they often run with the ball, or arrive with a late run, into the opposition area in much the same way a Box To Box Central Midfielder does.
Player Instructions
- Attack duty – Get Further Forward
Hidden player instructions:
- Carry the ball more
- Support duty – make more surging forward runs
Player Traits
Complementary player traits:
- Arrives Late In Opponents’ Area, Runs With Ball Through Centre
- Attack duty – Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Plays One-Twos
Contrasting player traits:
- Dwells On Ball, Runs With Ball Rarely, Stays Back At All Times
- Attack duty – Comes Deep To Get Ball, Likes Ball Played Into Feet
Central Midfielder
Game description:
The Central Midfielder is responsible for providing an industrious and versatile link between the defence and the attack. Expected to perform a variety of tasks across the centre of the pitch, the Central Midfielder benefits from having the tactical awareness and technical ability to support both defensive and attacking play as needed.
Player Instructions
- Defend duty – decrease pressing intensity, Hold Position
- Attack duty – Get Further Forward
Player Traits
Complementary player traits:
- Defend duty – Stays Back At All Times
- Attack duty – Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Plays One-Twos
Contrasting player traits:
- Defend duty – Arrives Late In Opponents’ Area, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Plays One-Twos
- Attack duty – Comes Deep To Get Ball, Likes Ball Played Into Feet, Stays Back At All Times
Box To Box Midfielder
Game description:
The non-stop dynamism of the Box To Box Midfielder enables him to contribute greatly to both defending and attacking.
In attack, he pushes up to support the forwards, often surging late into the box to get on the end of crosses and pullbacks as well as providing a threat from distance.
In defence, he harries attacking midfielders and helps protect the defensive line.
Player Instructions
- Roam From Position
Hidden player instructions: make more surging forward runs, track back more
Player Traits
Complementary player traits: Arrives Late In Opponents’ Area
Contrasting player traits: Stays Back At All Times
Advanced Playmaker
Game description:
The Advanced Playmaker aims to drop into the holes between the opposition’s midfield and defence, making himself available for his teammates’ passes and aiming to turn defence into attack in an instant.
Player Instructions
- Shoot Less Often, Take More Risks
- Attack duty – Dribble More
Hidden player instructions: sit between the lines more, make more lateral runs, collect the ball more, use more creative freedom, focus play (this role is a playmaker focal role which instructs a player’s teammates to pass to him more often)
Player Traits
Complementary player traits:
- Comes Deep To Get Ball, Dictates Tempo, Does Not Move Into Channels, Likes Ball Played Into Feet, Likes To Switch Ball To Other Flank, Looks For Pass Rather Than Attempting To Score, Refrains From Taking Long Shots, Stops Play, Tries Killer Balls Often
- Attack duty – Knocks Ball Past Opponent, Runs With Ball Often, Runs With Ball Through Centre, Tries To Play Way Out Of Trouble, Tries Tricks
Contrasting player traits:
- Attempts Overhead Kicks, Dwells On Ball, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Likes To Lob Keeper, Moves Into Channels, Plays No Through Balls, Plays Short Simple Passes, Shoots From Distance, Tries First Time Shots
- Attack duty – Runs With Ball Rarely
Mezzala
Game description:
This is the modern interpretation of the Mezzala, a central player that likes to drift wide and operate in the half-spaces. The Mezzala is essentially a central/half-winger, who likes to do his defending slightly further up the field, although he does generally have less defensive responsibility.
Player Instructions
- Get Further Forward, Stay Wider, Move Into Channels, Roam From Position
- Attack duty – Take More Risks
Hidden player instructions: make more dribbles into channels
Player Traits
Complementary player traits:
- Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area, Moves Into Channels, Plays One-Twos
- Attack duty – Likes To Switch Ball To Other Flank, Tries Killer Balls Often
Contrasting player traits:
- Comes Deep To Get Ball, Dwells On Ball, Likes Ball Played Into Feet, Runs With Ball Rarely, Stays Back At All Times
- Attack duty – Plays No Through Balls, Plays Short Simple Passes
Carrilero
Game description:
The Carrilero – or ‘shuttler’ – is a supporting role more often than not utilised as part of a midfield three, or as two central midfielders in a diamond midfield. It is the job of these shuttlers to cover lateral areas of the pitch and link the defensive midfield area with the attacking midfield area. This is what separates the Carrileros from a Box To Box Midfielder, as they are not expected to shuttle between boxes, but merely between lines of the midfield.
Player Instructions
- Stay Wider
Hidden player instructions: make more lateral runs
Player Traits
Complementary player traits: Moves Into Channels
Contrasting player traits: Comes Deep To Get Ball, Gets Forward Whenever Possible, Gets Into Opposition Area
Related Guides
Other Player Roles & Duties Guides
- Introduction & Role Analyser
- Goalkeeper Roles
- Central Defence Roles
- Flank Roles
- Central Attack Roles
Related Tactics Guides
- Role Combinations – to choose player roles and duties that suit your playing style and carry out positional responsibilities appropriately.
- Player Instructions – analysis of player instructions, including hidden player instructions.
- Player Traits – analysis of player traits.
