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Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey and Tottenham's Erik Lamela.

Midfielders

Midfielders

On this page, we're going to take a look at different types of midfielders and the language that is used to describe them.

  • A holding midfielder - a holding midfielder is sometimes also known as a defensive midfielder. It's the holding midfielder's job to protect the defence. The holding midfielder doesn't attack very often and is very important when the team doesn't have the ball. The holding midfielder will often be the player who wins the ball back and then passes it to more creative teammates. N'golo Kante did a great job as a holding midfielder for Leicester City to help them win the Premier League title.
  • A creative midfielder - a creative midfielder is a player who usually plays in an attacking midfield position or on the wings (the sides of the pitch). A creative midfielder is someone who has the ability to play a fantastic pass and create a lot of chances for teammates. Creative midfielders are known for a great range of passing, a good first touch and good awareness of what is happening around them. Arsenal's Mesut Ozil (pictured) and West Ham's Dimitri Payet are good examples of creative midfielders.

Mesut Ozil.

  • A box-to-box midfielder - A box-to-box midfielder is a player who plays in the middle of the pitch but is good at both defending and attacking. A box-to-box midfielder can often be seen in both penalty boxes. Maybe heading a corner away from danger or scoring a goal at the other end of the pitch. Box-to-box midfielders are known for a high work rate and good stamina levels. They need to work hard. Manchester Utd's Bastian Schweinsteiger is a good example and Chelsea's Frank Lampard was one of the best ever box-to-box midfielders seen in the Premier League.
  • A goalscoring midfielder - This is a midfielder who scores a lot of goals. They often run late into the penalty box when defenders are marking strikers to score their goals or they may make a long run to get on the end of a through ball from a defender. They need to have good timing and make runs at the right moment. A good example of a goalscoring midfielder was Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.
  • A midfield general - Every team needs a leader on the pitch and the midfield general is usually the leader. He's not always the captain but he's very vocal and can be seen shouting at his teammates to encourage them to play better. They show great determination and always give 100% to the team. Good examples of midfield generals were Patrick Viera at Arsenal and Roy Keane at Manchester Utd.

​​What types of midfielder were these three Premier League stars?

Think about vocabulary

Now you've looked at five different types of midfielder, look at the definitions again. Do you understand the words in red? Look at the sentences around each word to help you understand. It can also help to use your knowledge of football. Think about the type of midfielder and what he does on the pitch. Does this also help your understanding?

Have a look at the activity below and check your understanding of different types of midfielder and the words that are used to describe them.

 

Midfielder vocabulary

Activity: There are many different ways to describe midfielders. In this activity, match the word with the type of midfielder. Try not to look back at the text above!!
Can you match the vocabulary to the type of midfielder?

How well do you know Premier League midfielders?

Let's have a bit of fun. Can you guess the midfielder using the vocabulary from above?
In the quiz, look at the description and decide which Premier League midfielder it describes. We've included Premier League midfielders from the past and present to make it more difficult!

 

Quiz

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Describe a midfielder

Can you use the vocabulary above to describe a Premier League midfielder?
Write your description and let other learners guess who it is!

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Comments

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
14/05/2020
TR
6536
points

I was playing for Manchester United on the right flank.
I was playing very creative long passes.
Eventually I put the ball on a plate for all the strikers I played with.
My Free-kicks were usually goals or at least dangerous.
I think I was a creative goalscoring midfielder :)

Who am I ?


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
14/05/2020 06:01
Turkey
Manchester United
6536

I was playing for Manchester United on the right flank.
I was playing very creative long passes.
Eventually I put the ball on a plate for all the strikers I played with.
My Free-kicks were usually goals or at least dangerous.
I think I was a creative goalscoring midfielder :)

Who am I ?

Khaldoun83's picture
Khaldoun83
10/09/2017
DZ
325
points

He is an Arsenal middle fielder, he is know by his first touch, great passion and awairness about what is going around him, I think that he considred as the best play maker in Premier League last season . Germany is a lucky to have a great player like him.


Khaldoun83's picture
Khaldoun83
10/09/2017 15:23
Algeria
Liverpool
325

He is an Arsenal middle fielder, he is know by his first touch, great passion and awairness about what is going around him, I think that he considred as the best play maker in Premier League last season . Germany is a lucky to have a great player like him.

Ahmed Adam Mamado's picture
Ahmed Adam Mamado
17/04/2017
SD
2903
points

A Frenchman box-to-box midfielder plays for Man Utd.


Ahmed Adam Mamado's picture
Ahmed Adam Mamado
17/04/2017 07:21
Sudan
Liverpool
2903

A Frenchman box-to-box midfielder plays for Man Utd.

hbk91
21/08/2016
IT
178
points

Mahrez is a creative midfielder, though, he scored lots of goals last season.


hbk91
21/08/2016 10:17
Italy
Sunderland
178

Mahrez is a creative midfielder, though, he scored lots of goals last season.

VladimirPanov's picture
VladimirPanov
10/08/2016
RU
16
points

I am a favorite of Alex Fegguson and creating, also goalscoring midfielder. I am also a graduate of "class 92' " by Man United. It was an icredible goal from the middle of the pitch in the 17 of August, 1996, Wimbledon were beaten. Since my carrier was gowing up. Who are you?


VladimirPanov's picture
VladimirPanov
10/08/2016 13:44
Russia
Manchester City
16

I am a favorite of Alex Fegguson and creating, also goalscoring midfielder. I am also a graduate of "class 92' " by Man United. It was an icredible goal from the middle of the pitch in the 17 of August, 1996, Wimbledon were beaten. Since my carrier was gowing up. Who are you?

davilillons
04/08/2016
ES
951
points

He has a great vision of play. Usually he see the best option of pass and he give a lot of assistants. He's a Clesea's creative midfielder.Do you know who I talk? Correct me


davilillons
04/08/2016 18:47
Spain
Arsenal
951

He has a great vision of play. Usually he see the best option of pass and he give a lot of assistants. He's a Clesea's creative midfielder.Do you know who I talk? Correct me

yct
01/08/2016
PT
197
points

i like your definition for goalscorer.


yct
01/08/2016 11:34
Portugal
Manchester United
197

i like your definition for goalscorer.

kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
29/07/2016
GH
4779
points

@elgoul I support Rich's answer on your player guessing


kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
29/07/2016 05:55
Ghana
Manchester United
4779

@elgoul I support Rich's answer on your player guessing

MasterSilver500's picture
MasterSilver500
29/07/2016
VN
437
points

I'm am a great player in Real Marid .I'm always make a hat-trick in every match.Who am i Guess who!


MasterSilver500's picture
MasterSilver500
29/07/2016 02:57
Vietnam
Manchester United
437

I'm am a great player in Real Marid .I'm always make a hat-trick in every match.Who am i Guess who!

aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
29/07/2016
ME
3557
points

Obviously Cristiano Ronaldo:-)


aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
29/07/2016 12:58
Montenegro
Arsenal
3557

Obviously Cristiano Ronaldo:-)

aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
28/07/2016
ME
3557
points

A Premier League midfielder has to be hard working player, tough in duels, a modern box to box player and ready to endure 120mins if neccessary on the pitch.


aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
28/07/2016 17:43
Montenegro
Arsenal
3557

A Premier League midfielder has to be hard working player, tough in duels, a modern box to box player and ready to endure 120mins if neccessary on the pitch.

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016
PS
3705
points

Mahrez is a good choice for the team.


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016 17:23
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

Mahrez is a good choice for the team.

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016
PS
3705
points

I think kante is good for the team with Payet.


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016 17:22
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

I think kante is good for the team with Payet.

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016
PS
3705
points

I think


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016 17:21
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

I think

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016
PS
3705
points

I tried to get to the fantasy football team but it id not work, can you help me please?


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016 17:21
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

I tried to get to the fantasy football team but it id not work, can you help me please?

Rich's picture
Rich
28/07/2016
ES
594
points

HI Assemjuve

Can you tell me more details? Is it a problem with registering on the fantasy league website or finding the Premier Skills Private League?

This link will help find the Premier Skills League: http://premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org/fans/fantasy-football/fan...

And this will help with any problems log in problems on the Fantasy Football page: http://www.premierleague.com/news/66379

If you have any more questions, let me know and I will try to help.

Rich - The Premier Skills EEnglishTeam


Rich's picture
Rich
28/07/2016 22:24
Spain
Liverpool
594

HI Assemjuve

Can you tell me more details? Is it a problem with registering on the fantasy league website or finding the Premier Skills Private League?

This link will help find the Premier Skills League: http://premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org/fans/fantasy-football/fan...

And this will help with any problems log in problems on the Fantasy Football page: http://www.premierleague.com/news/66379

If you have any more questions, let me know and I will try to help.

Rich - The Premier Skills EEnglishTeam

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
31/07/2016
PS
3705
points

Thank u,it worked.


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
31/07/2016 20:34
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

Thank u,it worked.

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016
PS
3705
points

Steven Gerrard is a big legend for Liverpool,He is a goalscorer midfielder,he scored over 100 goals for Liverpool in through the 17 years he played at Liverpool.


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
28/07/2016 17:20
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

Steven Gerrard is a big legend for Liverpool,He is a goalscorer midfielder,he scored over 100 goals for Liverpool in through the 17 years he played at Liverpool.

elghoul's picture
elghoul
28/07/2016
DZ
3988
points

I am a outstanding creative mildfielder and an surprising goalscorer who was better than a lot of strikers. Who I am. Playing in Premier League.


elghoul's picture
elghoul
28/07/2016 17:12
Algeria
Manchester City
3988

I am a outstanding creative mildfielder and an surprising goalscorer who was better than a lot of strikers. Who I am. Playing in Premier League.

aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
29/07/2016
ME
3557
points

Mesut Ozil?


aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
29/07/2016 13:01
Montenegro
Arsenal
3557

Mesut Ozil?

Rich's picture
Rich
28/07/2016
ES
594
points

Is it Alexis Sanchez?


Rich's picture
Rich
28/07/2016 22:26
Spain
Liverpool
594

Is it Alexis Sanchez?

admin's picture
admin
28/07/2016
GB
560
points

We've got three good strikers. Now we need some midfielders. I reckon we need 2 top players, two solid, but less expensive players and a bargain for the bench. 


admin's picture
admin
28/07/2016 11:35
United Kingdom
Arsenal
560

We've got three good strikers. Now we need some midfielders. I reckon we need 2 top players, two solid, but less expensive players and a bargain for the bench. 

Leaderboard

Top Scorers
RankNameScore
1Alex_from_Ukraine6573
2mobeckham6536
3hsn5557
4wsanta5086
5kwesimanifest4779
6Liubomyr4417
7elghoul3988
8assemjuve3705
9aragorn19863557
10Gergő Nagy3396
Country ranking
RankNameScore
1Colombia74670
2Ukraine33836
3Spain29439
4Serbia27426
5Brazil23401
6Albania20578
7Vietnam20437
8Turkey20095
9Macedonia19074
10Bosnia and Herzegovina16333
Club ranking
RankNameScore
1Manchester United146586
2Liverpool111204
3Chelsea90125
4Arsenal86324
5Manchester City58726
6Tottenham Hotspur19418
7Newcastle United10560
8West Ham United7667
9AFC Bournemouth4915
10Everton4533

Level

3
Average: 3 (1 vote)

Goals

Learn 10 words that describe midfielders or the qualities of a good midfielder.