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Defensive midfielder · Soccer training in Brentwood, CA
Defensive midfielder training
The No. 6 screens the back line and keeps the team ticking. Scanning, positioning and quick, simple passing matter more than flashy moves.
What we train
Scanning and positioning
Checking shoulders constantly and staying between the ball and your own goal.
Receiving under pressure
Half-turn receiving and playing forward with two or three touches.
Winning second balls
Reading clearances and pouncing on loose balls.
Range of passing
Short combinations plus switches to the far side.
Drills to do at home
Shoulder-check passing
- Setup:
- Partner holds up 1–3 fingers behind you before each pass.
- Reps:
- 3 × 20.
- Coaching point:
- Look, receive, call the number, play.
Triangle half-turns
- Setup:
- Three cones in a triangle 8 m apart, with a wall or partner.
- Reps:
- 3 × 2 minutes.
- Coaching point:
- Receive on the back foot and play out the other side.
Long switch
- Setup:
- Two targets 30 m apart.
- Reps:
- 15 each foot.
- Coaching point:
- Strike through the lower half of the ball; follow through to the target.
Common questions
What does a defensive midfielder do?
They protect the defense, win the ball back, and connect play by moving the ball quickly to teammates.
How do I improve scanning?
Look over both shoulders before every pass you receive in practice, until it becomes a habit in games.