Coaching Insights: Rise of the elite central midfielder

It used to be centre-forwards who smashed transfer records as a matter of course, but 2023 has been the year of the elite central midfielder.

Enzo Fernandez, Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo all cost their new clubs over £100million plus add-ons, in what is clear evidence that Premier League managers are placing more importance than ever on dominating the middle third of the pitch.

He is not for sale but if Manchester City’s Rodri - widely considered the finest defensive midfielder on the planet - became available for transfer, he would undoubtedly fetch another British record fee.

Recruited to knit all three units together with their technical ability, athleticism, intelligence, defensive acumen, and forceful drive, they are a collection of tremendously influential players.

Yet none is a prolific goal-getter, a genial creator, or somebody that wows fans with their mesmeric wizardry on the ball.

They simply do the basics, with and without the ball, better than anybody else.

So, why is there suddenly such a high demand for what this type of footballer has to offer?

A changing game

To fully understand the authentic value of a rounded central midfield maestro, it is important to recognise how football continues to move forward in a tactical sense.

The top tier evolves year on year, but right now passing out from the back and controlled possession, pressing and transition attacks, are strategies that are very much in vogue.

Beating the press

Across the last 10 seasons we have seen a remarkable shift in the importance of turnovers.

As you can see, the rise in turnovers and chances that present themselves from those situations has climbed throughout the last decade.

Therefore, the presence of a composed press-resistant central pivot in midfield has become incredibly important to head coaches who want to play out from the back.

Deploying a technically sound midfielder at the base of their engine room limits mistakes and costly goals conceded.

Rodri’s passing accuracy inside his own half stands at an impressive 95.64 per cent, with Rice (95.44 per cent), Fernandez (94.47 per cent), and Caicedo (93.2 per cent) all among the division’s leading lights.

Rarely caught out, they help their respective teams bypass the opposition press with consummate ease.

Incredible changes from goal-kicks

*A goal-kick under 32m is considered short

As shown in this table (above) there is far more need for central midfielders to be comfortable receiving passes in and around their own box than there was a few seasons ago.

Rising from 13.8 per cent of goal-kicks played short in 2014/15, the current campaign has surpassed 50 per cent for the first time.

Insurance policies

At various times in and out of possession we now see a lot of coaches adopting a 2-3-5 or 3-2-5 shape, and this has placed an even greater emphasis on the pivot midfielder.

When a press has been bypassed by the opposition, big holes can appear down the spine of the pitch.

This tests the mobility and defensive attributes of that sitting player, who is relied on to slow down those attacks and to break up play.

The quartet we are focussing on are all athletic, quick across the ground, and expert ball winners.

Intelligent readers of the game, they recover possession with the minimum of fuss.

Having a player of this ilk behind a press provides the players in front of them with added confidence and conviction when they commit to closing down.

Controlling matters

Dictating matches has become increasingly important to head coaches at the top end of the Premier League too.

The current top eight, at the time of writing, all average over 52 per cent of possession, with the four leading outfits Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool boasting a mean of 60.85 per cent.

When you compare the number of patient 10+ pass sequences from a decade ago with what we are seeing in 2023/24 there is a massive difference.

Going back 20 years, the average number of passes in a Premier League match was 748, with accuracy levels at 71.09 per cent.

Last season’s figures stood at 905.2 passes per game, with pass accuracy levels of 81.3 per cent.

For these reasons finding control through sustained possession is high on the list of priorities for many of the leading head coaches.

These three £100m plus players, plus Rodri, are dominant on the ball, moving it prolifically and accurately over the course of 90 minutes.

All of them feature in the top 10 for Premier League midfielders with the most successful passes per match.

Interestingly, they are also superb at finding teammates with longer passes too.

When facing sides who sit off behind the ball it is vital to provide varied distribution that keeps defenders on their toes.

This quartet have the quality and confidence to deliver lengthy but crisp switch passes, or accurate through balls in behind.

Premier League midfielders 2023/24

Priceless versatility

Recruiting multi-purpose performers is another trend among coaches at the highest level.

Systems have become so fluid that midfielders are rarely asked to just stay at the base of an engine room to protect a back four, or to act as a deep-lying quarterback in possession.

This group of highly-valued assets contains tremendous tactical adaptability.

At Chelsea, Caicedo can operate at right back, as a box-to-box player or as the No.6, while record buy Fernandez has been used as a No.10 and sat back within a double pivot this season.

Rodri and Rice are also wonderfully versatile players who regularly pop up all over the field, either showing for the ball, or to shut off space for their opponents.

They are just as influential as a DM or as a No.8.

Like two players rolled into one, Rice and Rodri support attacks as often as they prevent them, and as an added bonus they are outstanding ball carriers too.

Spain international Rodri makes 25 ball carries per 90 minutes (ranking him 2nd in the Premier League) while Rice averages 18 carries (21st) for the Gunners.

This duo break lines with their passing, and with the ball at their feet.

All-rounders shining

The focus of this piece has been on the most expensive midfield commodities, but everywhere you look around the Premier League you can see engine room stars who offer the full package.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma is a fine example.

He has built his reputation on being a terrific defensive midfielder (he is one of the league’s best tacklers and interceptors), but so far this term he also ranks second behind Rodri for the most successful passes inside the opposition half from a midfielder.

Completing 18 dribbles, Bissouma even ranks fourth in that department too, behind a trio of attacking midfielders known for their flair.

Joao Palhinha, Conor Gallagher, Douglas Luiz and Bruno Guimares are others who are catching the eye as players who deliver off-the-ball bite and brilliance on the ball in equal measure.

The way top-flight football has developed from a tactical perspective, head coaches are demanding so much more from their central midfield talents.

Those who are shining brightest are consistently displaying rounded skill sets that add incredible value to the teams they represent.

It is little wonder the premium you must pay for these gifted individuals has risen so dramatically.

Also in this series

Part 1: Postecoglou’s bold approach paying off
Part 2: Academy coaches highlight value of sharing best practices
Part 3: How Coach Scheme helps Fuller inspire Stoke's young stars