Central Midfielder Roles | Football Manager 2022 Guide

Central midfielder roles include all player roles in central midfielder playing positions*, which are:

Defensive midfielder (DM)
Centre midfielder (CM)

Provided below is an analysis of how tactical theory* concepts relate to each central midfielder role (including all of the variations for each role), if used with its default player instructions. This information will be used in subsequent guides as part of the framework for creating tactics.

For a general analysis of all player roles and duties see the Player Roles & Duties guide. For an analysis of how to combine roles and duties so as to balance central midfield see the Balancing Central Midfield guide.

Detailed for each central midfielder role, where relevant, are:

Description – the description of the role in terms of its component* (and composite*) role types and its auxiliary playing position role types* (used for auxiliary players* – players who move into other positional areas*).

Penetration score – the number that the role adds to the team’s penetration score*. This is based on the role’s use of the Get Further Forward and Hold Position player instructions.

Solidity score – the number that the role adds to the team’s solidity score*. This is also based on the role’s use of the Get Further Forward and Hold Position player instructions.

Role specialisation* – a summary of the extent to which the role performs positional responsibilities*, including positional responsibilities performed in other positional areas as a result of an auxiliary playing position role type.

Focus level* – the extent to which the role concentrates on performing particular positional responsibilities. This determines how appropriate the role is for your team’s system fluidity, as detailed in the System Fluidity guide. Focus levels are calculated as 1.0 multiplied by the number of conflicting role types* plus 0.5 multiplied by the number of adverse role types*.

Role categories* – the groups that the role can be categorised in according to its role specialisation.

Role category implementations – any implementations that apply to the role. These are explained in the tactical theory Role Categories* guide.

Defensive Midfielder

Defensive Midfielder (DM Defend)

Description:

Holding and restricted-dribbling defensive midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.75

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing cover; providing attacking cover.

Supported responsibilities – providing defensive cover; applying defensive pressure.
- Atypical – taking chances (holding and restricted-dribbling player).

Supplementary responsibilities – playing safe.

Weak-supported responsibilities – creating chances.

Non-contributive responsibilities – stretching play.

Focus level: 2.0

Role categories:

Central midfield anchor
- Covering central midfielder
  - Designated – restrained central midfielder
  - Number-six central midfielder
    - Designated – withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
  - Supported – protecting central midfielder
- Supplementary – central midfield water-carrier

Ball-winning central midfielder
- Withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
- Supported – pressing central midfielder
- Central midfield water-carrier

Central midfield destroyer
- Number-six central midfielder
- Pressing central midfielder

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer (atypical – holding and restricted-dribbling player)

Defensive Midfielder (DM Support)

Description:

Supporting and fairly aggressive defensive midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.50

Role specialisation:

Supported responsibilities – providing attacking cover; stretching play; playing safe; creating chances; taking chances.

Supplementary responsibilities – applying defensive pressure.

Weak-supported responsibilities – providing cover; providing defensive cover.

Focus level: 0.5

Role categories:

Ball-winning central midfielder
- Supported – withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
- Supplementary – pressing central midfielder
- Supported – central midfield water-carrier

Central midfield dynamo
- Pressing central midfielder
- Supported – number-eight central midfielder

Free-role central midfielder
- Number-eight central midfielder
- Supported – central midfield creator

Versatile central midfielder
- Central midfield water-carrier
- Central midfield creator

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer

Deep Lying Playmaker

Deep Lying Playmaker (DM Defend)

Description:

Holding, restricted-shooting, creative and fairly cautious defensive midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.75

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing attacking cover.

Specialist responsibilities – providing cover.

Supported responsibilities

Supplementary responsibilities – providing defensive cover; creating chances.

Weak-supported responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – stretching play; taking chances.

Focus level: 3.5

Role categories:

Covering central midfielder
- Specialist – restrained central midfielder
- Number-six central midfielder
  - Designated – withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
- Supplementary – protecting central midfielder

Supplementary – central midfield creator

Role category implementations:

Deep-lying-playmaker* (creative central midfield creator)

Deep Lying Playmaker (DM Support)

Description:

Holding, restricted-shooting, creative and fairly cautious defensive midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.75

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing attacking cover.

Specialist responsibilities – providing cover.

Supported responsibilities

Supplementary responsibilities – providing defensive cover; creating chances.

Weak-supported responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – stretching play; taking chances.

Focus level: 3.5

Role categories:

Covering central midfielder
- Specialist – restrained central midfielder
- Number-six central midfielder
  - Designated – withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
- Supplementary – protecting central midfielder

Supplementary – central midfield creator

Role category implementations:

Deep-lying-playmaker* (creative central midfield creator)

Deep Lying Playmaker (CM Defend)

Description:

Holding, restricted-shooting and creative centre midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.50

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing cover; providing attacking cover.

Supported responsibilities – providing defensive cover; applying defensive pressure.

Supplementary responsibilities – creating chances.

Weak-supported responsibilities – playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – stretching play; taking chances.

Focus level: 3.0

Role categories:

Covering central midfielder
- Designated – restrained central midfielder
- Number-six central midfielder
  - Designated – withdrawn central midfielder
- Supported – protecting central midfielder

Central midfield destroyer
- Number-six central midfielder
- Supported – pressing central midfielder

Supplementary – central midfield creator

Role category implementations:

Deep-lying-playmaker* (creative central midfield creator)

Deep Lying Playmaker (CM Support)

Description:

Holding, restricted-shooting and creative centre midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.50

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing cover; providing attacking cover.

Supported responsibilities – providing defensive cover; applying defensive pressure.

Supplementary responsibilities – creating chances.

Weak-supported responsibilities – playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – stretching play; taking chances.

Focus level: 3.0

Role categories:

Covering central midfielder
- Designated – restrained central midfielder
- Number-six central midfielder
  - Designated – withdrawn central midfielder
- Supported – protecting central midfielder

Central midfield destroyer
- Number-six central midfielder
- Supported – pressing central midfielder

Supplementary – central midfield creator

Role category implementations:

Deep-lying-playmaker* (creative central midfield creator)

Ball Winning Midfielder

Ball Winning Midfielder (DM Defend)

Description:

Holding, restricted-dribbling, restricted-passing, safe-passing, disciplined and hard-tackling defensive midfield aggressor

Defensive midfielder aggressor (if off-centre) => defensive phase auxiliary narrow and hard-tackling wing back

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.75

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing attacking cover.

Specialist responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; playing safe.

Supported responsibilities
- Atypical – taking chances (holding and restricted-dribbling player).

Supplementary responsibilities
- On the flank (if off-centre) – applying defensive pressure.

Weak-designated responsibilities – providing cover.

Non-contributive responsibilities – providing defensive cover; stretching play; creating chances.

Focus level: 5.5

Role categories:

Number-six central midfielder
- Designated – withdrawn central midfielder => pivot

Ball-winning central midfielder
- Withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
- Specialist – pressing central midfielder
- Specialist – central midfield water-carrier

Central midfield destroyer
- Number-six central midfielder
- Pressing central midfielder

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer (atypical – holding and restricted-dribbling player)

Auxiliary pressuring wide player (if off-centre; atypical)
- Supplementary – auxiliary pressing wide player (if off-centre; atypical – deep wide player)

Ball Winning Midfielder (DM Support)

Description:

Supporting, restricted-passing, disciplined and hard-tackling defensive midfield aggressor

Defensive midfield aggressor (if off-centre) => defensive phase auxiliary narrow and hard-tackling wing back

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.50

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities

Specialist responsibilities – applying defensive pressure.

Supported responsibilities – providing attacking cover; stretching play; taking chances.

Supplementary responsibilities – playing safe.
- On the flank (if off-centre) – applying defensive pressure.

Weak-supported responsibilities – providing cover; creating chances.

Non-contributive responsibilities – providing defensive cover.

Focus level: 2.5

Role categories:

Ball-winning central midfielder
- Supported – withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
- Specialist – pressing central midfielder
- Supplementary – central midfield water-carrier

Central midfield dynamo
- Pressing central midfielder
- Supported – number-eight central midfielder

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer

Auxiliary pressuring wide player (if off-centre; atypical)
- Supplementary – auxiliary pressing wide player (if off-centre; atypical – deep wide player)

Ball Winning Midfielder (CM Defend)

Description:

Holding, restricted-dribbling, restricted-passing, safe-passing, disciplined and hard-tackling centre midfield aggressor

Centre midfield aggressor (if off-centre) => defensive phase auxiliary narrow and hard-tackling wing midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.50

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing attacking cover.

Specialist responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; playing safe.

Supported responsibilities
- Atypical – taking chances (holding and restricted-dribbling player).

Supplementary responsibilities
- On the flank (if off-centre) – applying defensive pressure.

Weak-designated responsibilities – providing cover.

Non-contributive responsibilities – providing defensive cover; stretching play; creating chances.

Focus level: 5.5

Role categories:

Number-six central midfielder
- Designated – withdrawn central midfielder

Ball-winning central midfielder
- Withdrawn central midfielder
- Specialist – pressing central midfielder
- Specialist – central midfield water-carrier

Central midfield destroyer
- Number-six central midfielder
- Pressing central midfielder

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer (atypical – holding and restricted-dribbling player)

Auxiliary pressuring wide player (if off-centre; atypical)
- Supplementary – auxiliary pressing wide player (if off-centre)

Ball Winning Midfielder (CM Support)

Description:

Supporting, restricted-passing, disciplined and hard-tackling centre midfield aggressor

Supporting centre midfielder => attacking phase auxiliary sitting, restricted-passing and disciplined attacking midfielder

Centre midfield aggressor (if off-centre) => defensive phase auxiliary narrow and hard-tackling wing midfielder

Penetration score: 0.25

Solidity score: 0.25

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities

Specialist responsibilities – applying defensive pressure.

Supported responsibilities – providing attacking cover; stretching play; taking chances.
- Atypical in central attack – taking chances (sitting player).

Supplementary responsibilities – playing safe.
- On the flank (if off-centre) – applying defensive pressure.
- In central attack – providing attacking cover; playing safe.

Weak-supported responsibilities – providing cover; creating chances.
- In central attack – creating chances.

Non-contributive responsibilities – providing defensive cover.

Focus level: 2.5

Role categories:

Ball-winning central midfielder
- Supported – withdrawn central midfielder
- Specialist – pressing central midfielder
- Supplementary – central midfield water-carrier

Central midfield dynamo
- Pressing central midfielder
- Supported – number-eight central midfielder

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer

Auxiliary pressuring wide player (if off-centre; atypical)
- Supplementary – auxiliary pressing wide player (if off-centre)

Supplementary – auxiliary withdrawn central attacker

Supplementary – auxiliary restricted central attacker

Supported – auxiliary central attack goal-scorer (atypical – sitting player)

Anchor Man

Anchor Man (DM Defend)

Description:

Holding, restricted-dribbling, safe-passing, restricted-shooting and cautious defensive midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.75

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing attacking cover; providing defensive cover.

Specialist responsibilities – providing cover; playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; stretching play; creating chances; taking chances.

Focus level: 5.0

Role categories:

Central midfield anchor
- Covering central midfielder
  - Specialist – restrained central midfielder
  - Number-six central midfielder
    - Designated – withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
  - Designated – protecting central midfielder
- Specialist – central midfield water-carrier

Half Back

Half Back (DM Defend)

Description:

Holding, deep-dropping, restricted-dribbling and cautious defensive midfielder

Deep-dropping defensive midfielder => attacking phase auxiliary holding and restricted-dribbling centre back

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 1.00

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – providing defensive cover.
- In central defence – providing attacking cover.

Specialist responsibilities – providing cover; providing attacking cover.

Supported responsibilities
- Atypical – taking chances (holding, deep-dropping and restricted-dribbling player).

Supplementary responsibilities – playing safe.
- In central defence – playing safe.

Weak-supported responsibilities – creating chances.
- In central defence – creating chances.

Non-contributive responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; stretching play.

Focus level: 3.5

Role categories:

Central midfield anchor
- Covering central midfielder
  - Specialist – restrained central midfielder
  - Number-six central midfielder
    - Specialist – withdrawn central midfielder => pivot
  - Designated – protecting central midfielder
- Supplementary – central midfield water-carrier

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer (atypical – holding, deep-dropping and restricted-dribbling player)

Auxiliary orthodox central defender
- Designated – auxiliary withdrawn central defender

Auxiliary safe-playing central defender
- Supplementary – auxiliary restricted central defender

Role category implementations:

Half-back* (deep-dropping defensive midfield anchor)

Regista

Regista (DM Support)

Description:

Supporting, roaming, creative and fairly cautious defensive midfield passer

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.50

Role specialisation:

Supported responsibilities – taking chances.

Supplementary responsibilities – providing defensive cover; stretching play; creating chances.

Weak-supported responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – providing cover; providing attacking cover.

Focus level: 2.5

Role categories:

Luxury central midfielder
- Supplementary – protecting central midfielder
- Supplementary – number-eight central midfielder
- Supplementary – central midfield creator

Free-role central midfielder
- Number-eight central midfielder
- Central midfield creator

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer

Role category implementations:

Deep-lying-playmaker* (creative central midfield creator)

Roaming Playmaker

Roaming Playmaker (DM Support)

Description:

Supporting, roaming, dribbling and creative defensive midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.50

Role specialisation:

Supported responsibilities – providing defensive cover; applying defensive pressure; taking chances.

Supplementary responsibilities – stretching play; creating chances.

Weak-supported responsibilities – playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – providing cover; providing attacking cover.

Focus level: 2.0

Role categories:

Luxury central midfielder
- Supported – protecting central midfielder
- Supplementary – number-eight central midfielder
- Supplementary – central midfield creator

Central midfield dynamo
- Supported – pressing central midfielder
- Number-eight central midfielder

Free-role central midfielder
- Number-eight central midfielder
- Central midfield creator

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer

Role category implementations:

Deep-lying-playmaker* (creative central midfield creator)

Roaming Playmaker (CM Support)

Description:

Supporting, roaming, dribbling, creative and fairly aggressive centre midfielder

Supporting centre midfielder => attacking phase auxiliary sitting, roaming, dribbling and creative attacking midfielder

Penetration score: 0.25

Solidity score: 0.25

Role specialisation:

Supported responsibilities – taking chances.
- Atypical in central attack – taking chances (sitting player).

Supplementary responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; stretching play; creating chances.
- In central attack – creating chances.

Weak-supported responsibilities – providing defensive cover; playing safe.
- In central attack – playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – providing cover; providing attacking cover.
- In central attack – providing attacking cover.

Focus level: 2.5

Role categories:

Central midfield dynamo
- Supplementary – pressing central midfielder
- Supplementary – number-eight central midfielder

Free-role central midfielder
- Number-eight central midfielder
- Supplementary – central midfield creator

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer

Supplementary – auxiliary central attack creator

Supported – auxiliary central attack goal-scorer (atypical – sitting player)

Role category implementations:

Deep-lying-playmaker* (creative central midfield creator)

Segundo Volante

Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Support)

Description:

Supporting and fairly cautious off-centre defensive midfielder

Penetration score: 0.00

Solidity score: 0.50

Role specialisation:

Supported responsibilities – providing attacking cover; stretching play; playing safe; creating chances; taking chances.

Supplementary responsibilities – providing cover; providing defensive cover.

Weak-supported responsibilities – applying defensive pressure.

Focus level: 0.5

Role categories:

Supplementary – restrained central midfielder
- Supported – withdrawn central midfielder
- Supplementary – protecting central midfielder

Luxury central midfielder
- Protecting central midfielder
- Supported – number-eight central midfielder
- Supported – central midfield creator

Free role central midfielder
- Number-eight central midfielder
- Central midfield creator

Versatile central midfielder
- Supported – central midfield water-carrier
- Central midfield creator

Supported – central midfield goal-scorer

Segundo Volante (Off-Centre DM Attack)

Description:

Offensive, shot-taking and fairly cautious off-centre defensive midfielder

Offensive defensive midfielder => attacking phase auxiliary sitting, dribbling and shot-taking off-centre attacking midfielder

Penetration score: 0.25

Solidity score: 0.25

Role specialisation:

Designated responsibilities – stretching play; taking chances.
- Atypical in central attack – taking chances (sitting player).

Supported responsibilities
- Atypical – creating chances (shot-taking player).
- Atypical in central attack – creating chances (shot-taking player)

Supplementary responsibilities – providing defensive cover.

Weak-supported responsibilities – applying defensive pressure; playing safe.
- In central attack – playing safe.

Non-contributive responsibilities – providing cover; providing attacking cover.

Focus level: 2.0

Role categories:

Luxury central midfielder (atypical)
- Supplementary – protecting central midfielder
- Designated – number-eight central midfielder
- Supported – central midfield creator (atypical – shot-taking player)

Free role central midfielder (atypical)
- Number-eight central midfielder
- Central midfield creator (atypical)

Designated – central midfield goal-scorer

Supported – auxiliary central attack creator (atypical – shot-taking player)

Designated – auxiliary central attack goal-scorer (atypical – sitting player)