Winger and wide midfielder
Stretch the pitch, take on your full-back, and create or score goals from wide.
Six-week programme for winger and wide midfielders
Where you stand
The same player, four different moments. Play it through and watch how the team's tactic moves you. You are the solid orange player; your teammates are orange rings.
Your job
What every coach will ask of you, whatever the tactic.
With the ball
- Stay wide to stretch the other team, even when the ball is on the other side.
- Take on your full-back 1v1: outside to cross, inside to shoot.
- Arrive at the back post when the ball is crossed from the other wing.
Without it
- Track back with their full-back.
- Press their full-back so they cannot play forward.
- In a 4-4-2 or a low block, drop into the midfield line.
When it changes hands
- When we win it, sprint into the space down your side. You are the counter-attack.
- When we lose it, press the nearest player at once, then track back.
How tactics change your game
Your coach's tactic decides a lot of what you do. Here is the same position under different plans.
Wide
Hug the touchline. The wider you are, the bigger the gaps in their defence.
Narrow
Come inside to combine, and let the full-back overlap outside you.
Counter-attack
When we defend, stay a little higher, ready to break. Sprint the moment we win it.
Keep the ball
Be patient. Keep your width, and wait for the ball to be switched to you.
Crossing team
Get to the byline, cross low and early. Your strong foot should be on the outside.
Inside forward
Play on the opposite side to your strong foot, and cut inside to shoot.
Try it yourself: change the tactic in the team builder and tap your position to see your job change.
Roles in this position
Coaches ask for different versions of the same position. Know which one you are playing.
Wide midfielder
Works up and down the flank.
With the ball. Give width, and get crosses in.
Without. Track their full-back and make a line of four in midfield.
Wide playmaker
Comes inside to pass, leaving the flank to the full-back.
With the ball. Drift inside into the pocket to receive and pass. Your full-back gives the width.
Without. Back to your side of the midfield line.
Winger
Stays wide and beats the full-back.
With the ball. Stay touchline-wide, even when the ball is on the other side. Go past your full-back to cross.
Without. Track their full-back back into the midfield line.
Inside forward
Cuts inside to shoot.
With the ball. Start wide, then cut inside onto your stronger foot to shoot or combine. Your full-back overlaps.
Without. Track back into the midfield line.
Wide outlet
Stays high when we defend, ready to counter.
With the ball. Stay high and wide, ready for the ball over the top.
Without. Stay up the pitch on your side, ready to break when we win it.
Practise it in three steps
First the technique on your own, then the decisions in a small game, then the whole team's idea in the match.
Step 1 On your own
ball mastery · 10 min · Just you
The cone weave
Dribble in and out of a line of cones using every part of both feet. Small touches, ball close, eyes up.
dribbling · 10 min · Just you
Run with the ball, then stop it dead
Run with the ball at speed over 20 m, then slow down and stop it on the line with the sole of your foot.
shooting · 15 min · Just you, or with a friend in goal
Strike the corners
Push the ball out of your feet and strike it low into a corner. Accuracy first, then power.
Step 2 In a small game
dribbling · 12 min · You and a friend
1v1 to the line
One attacks, one defends. Score by stopping the ball on the end line. Swap after every go.
dribbling · 15 min · Pairs, any number
1v1 to the gates
An attacker scores by dribbling through either of two gates. If the defender wins it, they attack the other two.
crossing · 15 min · 6 to 12, plus a goalkeeper
Low crosses and cut-backs
A wide player runs down the line and plays the ball low across the goal or back to the edge of the box. Two runners attack it: one to the near post, one to the penalty spot.
Step 3 In the match
- Width and depthWhen your team has the ball, spread out. Wide players stretch the pitch across, a striker and a deep midfielder stretch it from front to back.
- Switch the playWhen the other team crowds one side, move the ball quickly to the other side, where there is space.
- The overlapThe winger takes the ball inside; the full-back runs round the outside into the space the winger left.
Skills to masterstep-over · body feint · double touch · Striking with the laces
What would you do?
Two quick ones for your position. Pick an answer, then see why.
Your match moments
Full moments where your position has a job: see it in a match, make the choice, then practise it.
- We have just won itSprint the moment we win it, wide and forward.
- Make a chance from the wingGet to the byline, then look up before you pass.
- A winger runs at youTrack back on the inside, not behind the winger.
- Press togetherCurve your run to cut off the pass inside.
- Defend a cornerStay up near halfway for the counter.
- Press their goal kickWait level with their centre-back, not too close.
- Take a quick throw-inStay wide and high, then spin in behind as the ball comes back to the thrower.
- Defend a throw-inMark the thrower when they step on, so the return pass is gone.
- A free kick near their boxRun over the ball to make the wall jump or move.
- Take a cornerTake it quickly, before they are set.
- Through on goalSprint in level with the striker, never behind the ball's line.
- Go round themFar winger: stay wide even when the ball is miles away.
- Go over themMake the same run on the outside, so their full-back has to drop too.
- The keeper starts the counterStay up the pitch so the counter has a target.
- Their keeper has itStay wide, so the second ball has somewhere to go.
- Two against oneSprint back on the inside, goal side, then turn to face the ball.
- Three against two on the breakHold the far side so the third defender cannot help.
- An overlap against youIf their full-back runs, go with them, on the inside.
- They switch itSprint back and make it two against one.
- Follow in the reboundRun to the far post as the shot is taken.
- Five minutes left, one upKeep the ball near their corner. Shield it, or play it back.
- Our kick-offStart wide. Run as soon as the ball is played.
- A penalty for usEdge of the box, ready to run in.
Take it into your next match
Look for
- Is their full-back showing me inside or outside?
- Is the ball on the far side? Then stay wide and ready.
- Is the cross coming from the other wing? Then the back post is mine.
Your challenge. In your next match, take on your full-back at least three times, and get to the back post every time we cross from the other side.
In your head
Wingers lose the ball a lot, because they take risks. That is the job. Try again.
For younger players
Wide players learn to be brave 1v1. Praise the attempt, even when they lose the ball.