Goalkeeper

Defending

• Control and defend the space between them and the central defenders to reduce the chances of penetration by opponents (starting position).
• Combine and cooperate with fellow defenders to maintain the defensive security and structure of defending play both centrally and in wide areas.
• Organize and direct fellow defenders within the team defensive structure
• Organize efficiently and effectively at set piece situations
• Provide good angles and distances in order to protect the goal
• Use correct handling and diving techniques when required
• To collect crosses using the correct action and decision making skills
• To demonstrate bravery in all actions and decisions

Attacking

• Commence attacks with swift and effective distribution techniques
• Provide good support angles for defenders to aid them in possession of the soccer ball
• To operate as a sweeper – as the team progresses up the field of play
• Communicate with the team to ensure correct balance is achieved whilst attacking

Skills

• Handling and diving
• Receiving skills (both feet)
• Passing skills over all ranges, from the hands (both feet)
• Throwing
• Cross taking
• Set position
• Communication and organization

Central Defenders

Defending

• Along with the goalkeeper, control and defend the space between them and the central defenders to reduce the chance of penetration by the opponents
• Combine and co-operate with fellow defenders to maintain the defensive security and structure of defending play especially centrally
• Combine with fellow central defenders in marking and passing on attacking players
• Mark, track and control forwards in goal scoring positions
• Organize and direct fellow defenders within the team defensive structure
• Support and cover fellow central and flank defenders as necessary
• Mark opponents of space in order to be the first in crossing situations

Attacking

• Provide a central passing outlet for the goalkeeper and other players usually in the defending and midfield area of the field
• Retain and progress possession creatively usually in the defending and middle third of the field
• Set play heading options

Skills

• Marking, tracking and back tracking skills
• Intercepting, challenging and tackling skills
• Containing skills in 1v1 situations – 4 P's (Pressure, Position, Patience, Poke)
• Heading skills
• Efficient receiving skills
• Passing skills over all ranges
• Combination play (especially wall passes)
• Support skills
• Running with the ball

Full Backs

Defending

• Control and defend the space between him and the CD's and GK to reduce the chances of penetration by the opponents.
• Combine and cooperate with fellow defenders to maintain a defensive security and structure of defending play in wide areas.
• To move to a more central position when the ball is on the opposite flank.
• Support and cover the central defender when the ball is on the opposite side of the pitch.
• To act as the last line of defense in the flank position.
• To prevent crosses by the opposition.
• Organize and direct fellow defenders as necessary
• Organize/direct/assist the winger in his defensive duties.

Attacking

• Provide a wide passing outlet for the goalkeeper and other players usually in the defending and midfield areas of the field.
• Progress possession creatively in the flank areas in all phases of the field.
• Create crossing positions alone or in combination with others.
• To deliver accurate and timely crosses from flank positions.

Skills

• Marking, tracking and back tracking skills
• Intercepting, challenging and tackling skills
• Supporting and covering skills
• Heading
• Efficient receiving skills
• Passing skills over all ranges (variety)
• Combination play (especially overlap[s and wall passes).
• Running with the ball

Central midfielders

Attacking

• To provide and present the back players with passing options
• To support back players by moving opponents away from areas through which they may run with the ball
• Retain possession and provide penetrative passes for players moving into goal scoring or goal creating positions
• To move into goalscoring positions as frequently as possible with a view to striking at goal
• Support forward players on receiving the ball

Defending

• Support forward players when defending direct opponent attacks through midfield areas by marking, pressing, intercepting and challenging for the ball
• When passes are made beyond the midfield to goal, recover, track, and assist or replace defenders in their defending duties when necessary

Skills

• Good support angles
• Awareness of situations around you
• Receiving skills, good touch (on all surfaces)
• Turning with the ball
• Ball protection on receiving
• Quality range of passing
• Long range shooting
• One touch finishing
• Marking, pressing, intercepting, tracking and challenging

Attacking midfielder

Attacking

• To operate in between the midfield and forward players, usually within the width of the penalty area
• To get available/free to receive the ball
• To create space and scoring chances
• To provide for the forwards and wingers-especially behind in the space behind the opposition defense
• To score goals from distance and within the penalty area
• To be a forward runner

Defending

• Understand and be part of effective pressure
• To prevent forward passing outlets of the opponents
• To mark and control the holding midfield player
• To recover into a deeper position to assist central midfielders as and when needed

Skills

• Positioning and knowledge of how to find and make space
• Awareness of situations around you
• Can play on the half turn
• Good receiving skills
• Turning and protecting/shielding skills
• Passing ability with the need for one touch play
• Combination play
• Can penetrate with quality forward passing
• Intelligence/awareness
• Attacking the penalty area-scorer with both feet both inside and outside the box-one touch finishing

Wingers

Attacking

• To provide wide outlets in flank positions usually in the middle and attacking third of the field.
• Create crossing positions alone or in combination with others
• To deliver accurate and timely crosses from flank positions
• Contribute to attacking play in central positions with and without the ball
• To move into goal scoring positions when not involved in play
• To score goals

Defending

• To recover, react and act as a first defensive barrier in wide areas
• To assist other defenders in flank positions as appropriate
• Move to a more central covering position when the ball is on the opposite flank

Skills

• Efficient and varied receiving skills (ground/aerial control)
• Effective passing skills including 1 touch
• Deceptive body movement skills with and without the ball
• Dribbling and ball manipulation skills
• Running with the ball and combined player skills, e.g. wall passes and overlaps
• Crossing the ball with both feet using one touch when necessary (usually on the run)
• Understand the need for and how to create width
• Scoring skills with both head and feet
• Defending skills of marking. Tracking, pressing and covering
• Supporting and balancing skills

Striker

Attacking

• To operate as a most forward of attacking players both in front and behind the rear defensive lines of the opposition.
• To assess and move into goal scoring positions, usually within the penalty box whenever there is a chance of the ball being delivered there.
• To score goals
• To create goal scoring opportunities for team mates through intelligent movem,ent, support play and accurate distribution skills – attack the spaces behind and to the side of defenses and defenders
• To be a persistent outlet for defending and midfield players in possession
• To control and retain possession of the ball to ensure that the attacking play continues with momentum through efficient passing skills (link up play)

Defending

• To understand pressuring
• To delay and contain attacking build up play amongst opposition defenders

Skills

• Able to lose tight marking defenders
• To move defenders away from high priority defending positions
• Efficient ball receiving and holding skills under pressure
• Turning skills
• Movement and timing skills especially to exploit space behind defenses
• Effective 1v1 skills
• Efficient and imaginative distribution skills (with 1 touch when needed)
• All goal scoring skills using 1 touch on demand
• Pressing and containing skills