Every position on the soccer field is essential to the game. But depending on skills and abilities, certain positions are more suited for slower players. Each player adds essence to the game since it is a team sport, even players who might not have a lot of speed. So, what are the best positions for slow players, and do they benefit the game?
The best soccer positions for slow players are the goalkeeper, center-back, and center midfielder. They don’t require much speed on the field. Instead, their skills and alertness are more effective for the team’s success. Holding midfield is also a good position for slower players.
The position of a player on the soccer field is crucial to the team’s overall health. Placing a slow player in a position that requires more speed can negatively impact the game’s success. It is, therefore, essential to place players in positions where their skills can benefit them the most.
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What Soccer Positions Are Best For Slow Players?
Some soccer positions are best suited for fast players, while others are better suited for slow players. An example of this is the winger. A winger must be fast because they must cover a large field area. Their speed provides an advantage.
Similarly, some positions don’t require players with much speed because those positions require more skill or less field coverage. Slower players are still an asset to the sport if they are given the right opportunity in the most effective position based on their abilities.
Here are the best three soccer positions for slow players:
- Goalkeeper
- Center Back
- Center Midfielder
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper’s role is to prevent the opposing team from scoring. The goalkeeper protects the goal and holds the most specialized position in soccer. A goalie is one of the best positions for a slow player because they don’t need to run the field or cover much ground.
The goalie stands in a defensive position, blocking the ball. Even though a goalkeeper doesn’t need to be fast, they are typically highly skilled. They are strong, alert, stable, and flexible. These qualities are more beneficial than having speed for a goalkeeper’s position.
A goalie is also the only player that can use their hands to touch and block the ball, which is another asset instead of speed requirements. Essentially, the goalkeeper has one of the biggest responsibilities in the sport, and it has nothing to do with being fast.
Center Back
The role of a center-back in soccer is to defend the area directly in front of the goalpost. They have a relatively taxing responsibility and require sufficient skills to succeed. Being fast is not necessarily one of those required skills.
A center-back player must block shots coming near the goalpost, tackle opposing team players from getting through their field area and compete for the ball to kick it forward and move it away from the goalpost.
Since the center back does not need to cover a large field area, they don’t need to be fast. Instead, they need excellent communication skills, alertness, focus, and strength to defend. They provide a significant advantage to the game through their leadership abilities in navigating other player positions and overall reading the game.
Center Midfielder
Center midfielders play a defensive role for their team. They protect the backline and prevent attacks from the opposing team. They are also responsible for controlling the game’s flow through defensive and offensive moves.
The skills required by a center midfielder are ball control, creativity, alertness, and the ability to be a team player and pass the ball to other positions on either side of the line. Center midfielders don’t need to focus on speed since they don’t need to go far with the ball.
Their primary aim is winning the ball from opponents and distributing it to players with attacking positions. Since center midfielders must have excellent dribbling and passing techniques focused on defending their side of the field, being fast is not a major advantage.
The Benefits Slow Soccer Players Bring To The Game
Speed might arguably be the most desired quality for a soccer player, and it is only because the focus is on scoring and getting the ball through the field to the opponent’s side. But some qualities are overlooked- often from slow players – and what leads to the game’s success.
Here are examples of how slow players can benefit the game through their skills and abilities:
Defending The Goal
Scoring is the aim of soccer. That is how you win the game. But what happens if you don’t have a good defense? The opposing team will be able to score several times easily. Slow players are generally in defensive positions, like the goalkeeper or center back which helps the team prevent the opponents from scoring.
Without a strong defense, the goal won’t be as safe as possible, and the opposition can get through the field quickly. Slow players have focus, alertness, strength, and communication skills that make them strong defenders. This keeps the ball away from the goalpost as much as possible.
Distribution Of The Ball
Fast players are placed in their positions because it helps to get the ball across the field as quickly as possible and pass the opposing defenders. Fast players need to cover a lot of ground with the ball and are not majorly focused on passing the ball, which can even get it taken away by opponents.
Slow players are quite the opposite. They don’t need to cover much ground. Instead, they must get the ball away from opponents and pass it on to fellow teammates as quickly as possible. Slow players get the ball away from their side of the field by distributing it without hesitation.
Communicating Effectively
When players are chosen for specific positions, coaches often look at slow players for communication skills. They might not be fast enough, but their communication skills are clear, effective, and usually authoritative.
They also have an overlook of the game because they stand in defending positions. That means they can see what’s going on, if anything needs to change, who has better chances of scoring, and which of the opponent’s defensive players are strong or weak.
They then communicate this to fellow players throughout the game and during halftime. They typically know what to say and how best to say it that will be quick, effective, and get the message through without much effort. It often puts them in a leadership position, gaining the respect and trust of teammates.
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