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Balancing Central Midfield

  • Central midfield = defensive midfielders (DM) + centre midfielders (CM)

An appropriate responsibility distribution* in central midfield can be achieved by considering key tactical roles, symmetry and counterbalancing combinations.

The information provided for each of these considerations is explained in the Playing System Balance guide and the associated tactical theory* guides that it links to.

Example combinations of player roles and duties in central midfield are provided in the Example Tactics article.

Key Tactical Roles

It is recommended to use covering central midfielders*, pressing central midfielders*, number-eight central midfielders*, central midfield water-carriers* and central midfield creators*, as detailed below.

Covering Central Midfielders

General Usage

Recommended minimum number of players: 1 (or 2 if needed for symmetry – discussed below).

However, if you use a vacating player* as a covering central midfielder then you may want to also use an alternative covering central midfielder.

Vacating players:

  • Wide-dribbling central midfielder => Run Wide With Ball + DM/CM

A wide-dribbling central midfielder can be a sufficient alternative covering central midfielder to another wide-dribbling central midfielder.

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions:
    • Deep-dropping player
    • Cautious player (or fairly cautious player) => decreased player CLOSING DOWN slider
    • Zonal-marking player
    • Loose-marking player
    • Easy-tackling player => Ease Off Tackles
  • Required unactive tactical instructions:
    • Offensive player => Get Further Forward
    • Roaming player => Roam From Position
    • Channel-running player => Move Into Channels
    • Drifting player
    • Aggressor (or fairly aggressive player) => increased player CLOSING DOWN slider
    • Man-marking player => Mark Specific Player/Position
    • Tight-marking player => Mark Tighter
    • Hard-tackling player => Tackle Harder
  • Other useful tactical instructions:
    • Restricted-dribbling player => Dribble Less
    • Disciplined-dribbling player
  • Atypical tactical instructions:
    • Dribbling player => Dribble More
    • Wide-dribbling central player (if not also a restricted-dribbling player) => Run Wide With Ball (if Dribble Less is not active)
  • Typically also:
    • Number-six central midfielder (analysed below).
    • Protecting central midfielder (analysed below).

Player Roles & Duties

  • 5.0 – Specialist – Anchor Man (DM Defend)
  • 3.5 – Specialist – Deep Lying Playmaker (DM Defend/Support)
  • 3.5 – Specialist – Half Back (DM Defend)
  • 3.0 – Designated – Deep Lying Playmaker (CM Defend/Support)
  • 2.0 – Designated – Defensive Midfielder (DM Defend)
  • 1.5 – Designated – Central Midfielder (CM Defend)

Pressing Central Midfielders

General Usage

Recommended minimum number of players: 1 (separate to the covering central midfielder; or 2 if needed for symmetry – discussed below).

However, if you use a vacating player* as a pressing central midfielder then you may want to also use an alternative pressing central midfielder.

Vacating players:

  • Offensive centre midfielder => Get Further Forward + CM
  • Deep-dropping defensive midfielder => Half Back (DMC Defend)

If you use two wide and off-centre pressing central midfielders in order to achieve symmetry (as detailed below) and one is an offensive centre midfielder then the other can be a sufficient alternative pressing central midfielder.

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions:
    • Aggressor (or fairly aggressive player) => increased player CLOSING DOWN slider
    • Man-marking player => Mark Specific Player/Position
    • Tight-marking player => Mark Tighter
    • Hard-tackling player => Tackle Harder
  • Required unactive tactical instructions:
    • Cautious player (or fairly cautious player) => decreased player CLOSING DOWN slider
    • Zonal-marking player
    • Loose-marking player
    • Easy-tackling player => Ease Off Tackles

Player Roles & Duties

  • 5.5 – Specialist – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Defend)
  • 5.5 – Supplementary – Wide Playmaker (WM Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 4.0 – Supplementary – Wide Playmaker (WM Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 3.5 – Supplementary – Advanced Playmaker (CM Attack)
  • 3.5 – Supplementary – Defensive Winger (WM Defend – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 3.0 – Supported – Deep Lying Playmaker (CM Defend/Support)
  • 3.0 – Supplementary – Advanced Playmaker (CM Support)
  • 2.5 – Specialist – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supplementary – Roaming Playmaker (CM Support)
  • 2.0 – Supported – Defensive Midfielder (DM Defend)
  • 2.0 – Supported – Roaming Playmaker (DM Support)
  • 2.0 – Supplementary – Defensive Winger (WM Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 1.5 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Defend)
  • 1.5 – Supplementary – Box To Box Midfielder (CM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supplementary – Defensive Midfielder (DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Carrilero (Off-Centre CM Support)
  • 0.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Support)

Vacating:

  • 4.0 – Supplementary – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Attack) – offensive centre midfielder
  • 3.0 – Supplementary – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Support) – offensive centre midfielder
  • 1.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Attack) – offensive centre midfielder

Number-Eight Central Midfielders

General Usage

Recommended minimum number of players: 1 (or 2 if needed for symmetry – discussed below).

However, if you use a vacating player* as a number-eight central midfielder then you may want to also use an alternative number-eight central midfielder.

Vacating players:

  • Wide-dribbling central midfielder => Run Wide With Ball + DM/CM

A wide-dribbling central midfielder can be a sufficient alternative number-eight central midfielder to another wide-dribbling central midfielder.

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions:
    • Offensive player => Get Further Forward
    • Roaming player => Roam From Position
    • Channel-running central player => Move Into Channels
    • Drifting central player
  • Required unactive tactical instructions:
    • Sitting player => Hold Position
    • Deep-dropping player
    • Disciplined-running player => Hold Position
  • Other useful tactical instructions:
    • Dribbling player => Dribble More
    • Wide-dribbling central player => Run Wide With Ball
  • Atypical tactical instructions:
    • Restricted-dribbling player => Dribble Less
    • Disciplined-dribbling player
    • Safe-passing player => Fewer Risky Passes

Player Roles & Duties

  • 5.5 – Supplementary – Inverted Wing Back (FB Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 5.5 – Specialist – Inverted Wing Back (WB Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 5.5 – Supplementary – Wide Playmaker (WM Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 4.0 – Supported – Libero (SW Attack – auxiliary DM)
  • 4.0 – Specialist – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Attack)
  • 4.0 – Supplementary – Wide Playmaker (WM Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 3.5 – Supported – Advanced Playmaker (CM Attack)
  • 3.0 – Supported – Advanced Playmaker (CM Support)
  • 3.0 – Specialist – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Support)
  • 3.0 – Supplementary – Inverted Wing Back (WB Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 2.5 – Supported – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supplementary – Regista (DM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supplementary – Roaming Playmaker (CM Support)
  • 2.5 – Designated – Inverted Winger (WM Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 2.0 – Supplementary – Roaming Playmaker (DM Support)
  • 2.0 – Designated – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Attack)
  • 1.5 – Supplementary – Box To Box Midfielder (CM Support)
  • 1.5 – Supported – Inverted Winger (WM Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 1.0 – Designated – Central Midfielder (CM Attack)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Defensive Midfielder (DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supplementary – Carrilero (Off-Centre CM Support)
  • 0.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Support)

Central Midfield Water-Carriers

General Usage

Recommended minimum number of players: 1.

However, if you use a vacating player* as a central midfield water-carrier then you may want to also use an alternative central midfield water-carrier.

Vacating players:

  • Offensive centre midfielder => Get Further Forward + CM
  • Deep-dropping defensive midfielder => Half Back (DMC Defend)

A deep-dropping defensive midfielder can be a sufficient alternative central midfield water-carrier to an offensive centre midfielder and vice versa.

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions:
    • Safe-passing player => Fewer Risky Passes
    • Restricted-dribbling player => Dribble Less
    • Disciplined-dribbling player
    • Restricted-passing player => decreased player PASSING DIRECTNESS slider
    • Restricted-shooting central midfielder => Shoot Less Often
    • Disciplined player.
  • Required unactive tactical instructions:
    • Ball-playing player => More Risky Passes
    • Dribbling player => Dribble More
    • Wide-dribbling central player (if not also a restricted-dribbling player) => Run Wide With Ball (if Dribble Less is not active)
    • Passer => increased player PASSING DIRECTNESS slider
    • Shot-taking central midfielder => Shoot More Often
  • Other useful tactical instructions:
    • Disciplined-running player => Hold Position
  • Atypical tactical instructions:
    • Roaming player => Roam From Position
    • Channel-running player => Move Into Channels
    • Drifting player
  • Typically also:
    • Withdrawn central midfielder (analysed below).
    • Protecting central midfielder (analysed below) or pressing central midfielder (analysed above).

Player Roles & Duties

  • 5.5 – Specialist – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Defend)
  • 5.0 – Specialist – Anchor Man (DM Defend)
  • 2.5 – Supplementary – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Support)
  • 2.0 – Supplementary – Defensive Midfielder (DM Defend)
  • 1.5 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Defend)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Defensive Midfielder (DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support)
  • 0.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Support)

Atypical:

  • 1.5 – Supported – Box To Box Midfielder (CM Support) – roaming player
  • 0.5 – Supported – Carrilero (Off-Centre CM Support) – drifting player

Vacating:

  • 3.5 – Supplementary – Half Back (DM Defend) – deep-dropping defensive midfielder
  • 1.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Attack) – offensive centre midfielder

Atypical and vacating:

  • 3.0 – Supported – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Support) – offensive, roaming and channel-running centre midfielder

Central Midfield Creators

General Usage

Recommended minimum number of players: 1.

However, if you use a vacating player* as a central midfield creator then you may want to also use an alternative central midfield creator.

Vacating players:

  • Offensive centre midfielder => Get Further Forward + CM
  • Deep-dropping defensive midfielder => Half Back (DMC Defend)
  • Wide-dribbling central midfielder => Run Wide With Ball + DM/CM

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions:
    • Ball-playing central player => More Risky Passes
    • Dribbling player => Dribble More
    • Wide-dribbling central player => Run Wide With Ball
    • Hold-up player
    • Passer => increased player PASSING DIRECTNESS slider
    • Creative player
  • Required unactive tactical instructions:
    • Safe-passing central player => Fewer Risky Passes
    • Restricted-dribbling player => Dribble Less
    • Disciplined-dribbling player
    • Restricted-passing player => decreased player PASSING DIRECTNESS slider
    • Disciplined player
  • Other useful tactical instructions:
    • Restricted-shooting central midfielder => Shoot Less Often
    • Roaming player => Roam From Position
    • Drifting player
  • Atypical tactical instructions:
    • Shot-taking central midfielder => Shoot More Often

Player Roles & Duties

  • 5.5 – Specialist – Inverted Wing Back (FB/WB Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 5.5 – Specialist – Wide Playmaker (WM Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 4.0 – Supplementary – Wide Playmaker (WM Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 3.5 – Supplementary – Deep Lying Playmaker (DM Defend/Support)
  • 3.5 – Specialist – Advanced Playmaker (CM Attack)
  • 3.0 – Specialist – Libero (SW Support – auxiliary DM)
  • 3.0 – Supplementary – Deep Lying Playmaker (CM Defend/Support)
  • 3.0 – Specialist – Advanced Playmaker (CM Support)
  • 3.0 – Supplementary – Inverted Wing Back (FB/WB Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 2.5 – Supplementary – Regista (DM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supplementary – Roaming Playmaker (CM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supplementary – Inverted Winger (WM Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 2.0 – Supplementary – Roaming Playmaker (DM Support)
  • 1.5 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Defend)
  • 1.5 – Supported – Box To Box Midfielder (CM Support)
  • 1.5 – Supplementary – Inverted Winger (WM Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Defensive Midfielder (DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Carrilero (Off-Centre CM Support)
  • 0.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Support)

Atypical:

  • 4.0 – Specialist – Libero (SW Attack – auxiliary DM) – shot-taking player
  • 2.0 – Supported – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Attack) – shot-taking player

Vacating:

  • 4.0 – Designated – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Attack) – offensive centre midfielder
  • 3.0 – Supported – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Support) – offensive centre midfielder
  • 1.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Attack) – offensive centre midfielder

Other Tactical Roles

Central Midfield Goal-Scorers

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions:
    • Shot-taking central midfielder => Shoot More Often
  • Required unactive tactical instructions:
    • Restricted-shooting central midfielder => Shoot Less Often
  • Other useful tactical instructions:
    • Offensive central midfielder => Get Further Forward
    • Dribbling central midfielder => Dribble More
  • Atypical tactical instructions:
    • Sitting central midfielder => Hold Position
    • Deep-dropping central midfielder
    • Restricted-dribbling central midfielder => Dribble Less
    • Hold-up central midfielder

Player Roles & Duties

  • 5.5 – Supported – Inverted Wing Back (FB/WB Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 4.0 – Designated – Libero (SW Attack – auxiliary DM)
  • 3.0 – Supported – Inverted Wing Back (WB Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 2.5 – Supported – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supported – Regista (DM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supported – Roaming Playmaker (CM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supported – Inverted Winger (WM Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 2.0 – Supported – Roaming Playmaker (DM Support)
  • 2.0 – Designated – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Attack)
  • 1.5 – Supported – Box To Box Midfielder (CM Support)
  • 1.5 – Supported – Inverted Winger (WM Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre CM)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Defensive Midfielder (DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Carrilero (Off-Centre CM Support)
  • 0.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Support)

Atypical:

  • 5.5 – Supported – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Defend) – holding and restricted-dribbling player
  • 4.5 – Supported – Inverted Wing Back (WB Defend – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM) – sitting player
  • 3.0 – Supported – Libero (SW Support – auxiliary DM) – sitting player
  • 3.0 – Supported – Inverted Wing Back (FB Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM) – sitting player
  • 2.0 – Supported – Defensive Midfielder (DM Defend) – holding and restricted-dribbling player
  • 1.5 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Defend) – holding player

Vacating:

  • 4.0 – Supported – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Attack) – offensive centre midfielder
  • 3.0 – Supported – Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Support) – offensive centre midfielder
  • 1.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Attack) – offensive centre midfielder

Atypical and vacating:

  • 3.5 – Supported – Half Back (DM Defend) – holding, deep-dropping and restricted-dribbling defensive midfielder

Number-Six Central Midfielders

The number-six central midfielder role category is similar to the covering central midfielder role category but it does not take into account the performance of providing defensive cover*.

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions:
    • Deep-dropping player
  • Required unactive tactical instructions:
    • Offensive player => Get Further Forward
    • Roaming player => Roam From Position
    • Channel-running player => Move Into Channels
    • Drifting player
  • Other useful tactical instructions:
    • Restricted-dribbling player => Dribble Less
    • Disciplined-dribbling player
  • Atypical tactical instructions:
    • Dribbling player => Dribble More
    • Wide-dribbling central player (if not also a restricted-dribbling player) => Run Wide With Ball (if Dribble Less is not active)

Player Roles & Duties

  • All of the covering central midfielders listed separately above.
  • 5.5 – Designated – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Defend)

Restrained Central Midfielders

The restrained central midfielder role category is a ‘broader’ version of the covering central midfielder role category.

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions: as for covering central midfielders required active and suitable tactical instructions detailed above.
  • Required unactive tactical instructions: as for covering central midfielders detailed above.
  • Other useful tactical instructions: as for covering central midfielders detailed above.
  • Atypical tactical instructions: as for covering central midfielders detailed above.
  • Typically also:
    • Withdrawn central midfielder (analysed below).
    • Protecting central midfielder (analysed below).

Player Roles & Duties

  • All of the covering central midfielders listed separately above.
  • 0.5 – Supplementary – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support)
  • 0.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Support)

Withdrawn Central Midfielders

The withdrawn central midfielder role category is a ‘broader’ version of the number-six central midfielder role category.

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions: as for number-six central midfielders required active and suitable tactical instructions detailed above.
  • Required unactive tactical instructions: as for number-six central midfielders detailed above.
  • Other useful tactical instructions: as for number-six central midfielders detailed above.
  • Atypical tactical instructions: as for number-six central midfielders detailed above.

Player Roles & Duties

  • All of the covering central midfielders listed separately above.
  • 5.5 – Designated – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Defend)
  • 3.0 – Supplementary – Libero (SW Support – auxiliary DM)
  • 3.0 – Supported – Advanced Playmaker (CM Support)
  • 2.5 – Supported – Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Defensive Midfielder (DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support)
  • 0.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Support)

Atypical:

  • 3.5 – Supported – Advanced Playmaker (CM Attack) – dribbling player

Protecting Central Midfielders

Tactical Roles

  • Suitable tactical instructions:
    • Cautious player (or fairly cautious player) => decreased player CLOSING DOWN slider
    • Sweeper playing position
    • Zonal-marking player
    • Loose-marking player
    • Easy-tackling player => Ease Off Tackles
  • Required unactive tactical instructions:
    • Aggressor (or fairly aggressive player) => increased player CLOSING DOWN slider
    • Man-marking player => Mark Specific Player/Position
    • Tight-marking player => Mark Tighter
    • Hard-tackling player => Tackle Harder

Player Roles & Duties

  • All of the covering central midfielders listed separately above.
  • 5.5 – Supplementary – Inverted Wing Back (WB Attack – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 4.5 – Supplementary – Inverted Wing Back (WB Defend – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 3.0 – Supplementary – Inverted Wing Back (WB Support – auxiliary wide and off-centre DM)
  • 2.5 – Supplementary – Regista (DM Support)
  • 2.0 – Supported – Roaming Playmaker (DM Support)
  • 2.0 – Supplementary – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Attack)
  • 0.5 – Supplementary – Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support)
  • 0.5 – Supported – Carrilero (Off-Centre CM Support)
  • 0.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Support)

Vacating:

  • 1.0 – Supported – Central Midfielder (CM Attack) – offensive centre midfielder

Symmetry

If using one or more wide and off-centre central midfielders; for example, when using positional structures* such as …

  • … A lone central midfielder,
  • A staggered central midfield partnership,
  • A three-man centre midfield,
  • An asymmetric box central midfield,
  • A diamond central midfield, or
  • Lone wide players, …

… or when using one or more narrow wide midfielders as auxiliary wide and off-centre central midfielders, then it is recommended to use covering, pressing and number-eight central midfielders symmetrically.

For example, for covering central midfielders this can be achieved by using:

  • A wide RDM or RCM, as well as a wide LDM or LCM,
  • A (non-wide) RDM, LDM, RCM or LCM, or
  • A CDM or CCM …

… As covering central midfielders.

Counterbalancing Combinations

It is recommended to assign appropriate counterbalancing* tactical roles* when using particular types of restrained central midfielder, pressing central midfielder and number-eight central midfielder.

Restrained Central Midfielders

A restrained central midfielder who focuses more on providing defensive cover*, such as …

  • … Anchor Man (DM Defend), or
  • Half Back (DM Defend), …

… Or, to a lesser extent, …

  • … Deep Lying Playmaker (DM Defend/Support), or
  • Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support), …

… Can be balanced with either:

  • Two pressing central midfielders (listed above), or
  • … Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Defend/Support) …

… Or, to a lesser extent, …

  • … Defensive Midfielder (DM Support),
  • Box To Box Midfielder (CM Support),
  • Advanced Playmaker (CM Support/Attack),
  • Roaming Playmaker (CM Support),
  • Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Support/Attack),
  • Defensive Winger (WM Defend/Support), or
  • Wide Playmaker (WM Support/Attack).

Pressing Central Midfielders

A pressing central midfielder who focuses more on applying defensive pressure*, such as …

  • … Ball Winning Midfielder (DM/CM Defend/Support), …

… Or, to a lesser extent, …

  • … Defensive Midfielder (DM Support),
  • Box To Box Midfielder (CM Support),
  • Advanced Playmaker (CM Support/Attack),
  • Roaming Playmaker (CM Support),
  • Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Support/Attack),
  • Defensive Winger (WM Defend/Support), or
  • Wide Playmaker (WM Support/Attack), …

… Can be balanced with either:

  • Two restrained central midfielders (listed above), or
  • … Anchor Man (DM Defend), or
  • Half Back (DM Defend), …

… Or, to a lesser extent, …

  • … Deep Lying Playmaker (DM Defend/Support), or
  • Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support).

Number-Eight Central Midfielders

A number-eight central midfielder who focuses more on stretching play*, such as …

  • … Regista (DM Support),
  • Roaming Playmaker (DM/CM Support),
  • Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Attack),
  • Central Midfielder (CM Attack),
  • Box To Box Midfielder (CM Support),
  • Mezzala (Off-Centre CM Support/Attack),
  • Carrilero (Off-Centre CM Support),
  • Inverted Wing Back (FB/WB Attack / WB Support),
  • Wide Playmaker (WM Support/Attack), or
  • Inverted Winger (WM Attack) …

… Can be balanced with either:

  • One restrained central midfielder (listed above) and (separately) one withdrawn central midfielder (listed above), or
  • … Deep Lying Playmaker (DM Defend),
  • Anchor Man (DM Defend), or
  • Half Back (DM Defend).