Okay, so I’ve been trying to really get my head around playing that number 10 spot in soccer. You know, the playmaker type right behind the strikers. It always looked cool, the way some players just glide around and make things happen. So, I decided to actually try and practice it myself, not just watch it on TV.
Getting Started
First thing I did was just go out to a local field. Honestly, I didn’t have a grand plan. I just started dribbling the ball, trying to keep it close in tight spaces. I imagined defenders closing me down. It felt awkward at first, lots of stumbling and losing the ball, even with no one actually there! I spent quite a bit of time just getting comfortable moving with the ball, turning quickly, using both feet. It wasn’t fancy, just basic control.
Working on Passing and Vision
Then I realized, the number 10 isn’t just about dribbling. It’s about connecting the play. So, I started focusing on passing. Found a wall – best training partner sometimes! – and just practiced different kinds of passes. Short, quick ones, longer passes aimed at specific spots on the wall. I tried to work on hitting the ball first time, imagining I’d just received it under pressure.
The vision part was trickier. You can’t really practice that against a wall. So, when I played pickup games with friends, I made a conscious effort to look up more. Before I got the ball, I tried to scan the field, see where my teammates were, where the space was. This was tough. My instinct was always to look down at the ball. It took a lot of reminding myself: Look up! Scan!
- Practice dribbling in tight areas.
- Work on quick, accurate passes (short and medium).
- Consciously try to scan the field before receiving the ball.
- Tried receiving the ball on the half-turn to face forward faster.
Trying it in Games
Putting it all together in a game, even a casual one, was the real test. I tried to position myself between the opponent’s midfield and defense, looking for those pockets of space. Sometimes it worked! I’d get the ball, turn, and maybe play a simple pass to a forward making a run. Those moments felt great, like I was actually influencing the game.
But plenty of times, it didn’t work. I’d get marked tightly and couldn’t find space. Or I’d receive the ball and take too long, getting tackled. Sometimes I’d try a killer pass that just wasn’t on, and we’d lose possession. It was frustrating, for sure. I realized how quickly you need to think and act in that position. There’s often very little time or space.
What I Learned (So Far)
So, after spending some time really trying to embody this role, here’s what stuck with me. Being a number 10 is less about fancy tricks (though they can help!) and more about intelligence and awareness. You gotta constantly be thinking, scanning, anticipating. Where’s the space? Where’s my teammate moving? Where’s the defender?
Finding space is maybe the most important thing. You have to be clever with your movement off the ball to even get a chance to receive it in dangerous areas. And then, when you do get it, you need the technical skills – the close control, the passing range – to actually do something useful with it quickly. It’s a really demanding position, mentally and technically.
It’s definitely a work in progress for me. Some days I feel like I get it, other days I feel completely lost out there. But it’s been a fun process trying to learn and apply the principles of playing as a number 10. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for the players who make it look easy.
