Attacking from the Midfield

Four midfielders work the ball through a middle-third 4v3, play it into an attacker up top, and the passer sprints forward to join a 3v2 finish.

Building from the midfield means the mids don't just pass forward — the one who plays the ball in gets forward too, joining the attack in the attacking third.

Ages 9+4v3 in the middle third, 2v2 in the attacking third, plus a keeper20 minCones, pinnies, balls, full-size goal

Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive

Grab: Cones to mark the thirds, pinnies for the defensive players, an ample supply of balls, and the full-size goal.
Build: Divide a full field into thirds with the cones — the game lives in the middle third and the attacking third.
Place: Two attackers against two defenders in the attacking third, four attacking midfielders against three defensive midfielders in the middle third, a keeper in the goal — and you on the sideline with the balls.

Show me the setup picture

A field split into thirds — a 4v3 of midfielders in the middle third, a 2v2 in the attacking third, the keeper in the goal, and the coach on the sideline with balls.

One thing to remember: Building the attack from the midfield — proper spacing and angles of support, attackers checking in, midfielders getting forward and playing off the attackers, and quickly swinging the ball to take advantage of numbers-up situations.

How it runs — the whole game in one sentence

You serve into the midfield 4v3; the mids penetrate by playing into an attacker, the passer joins the attacking third for a 3v2, and the attack goes to goal.

1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Set the 2v2 in the attacking third and the 4v3 in the middle third, defensive players in pinnies. Keeper in the goal, you on the sideline with an ample supply of balls.
Coach says
Everybody has a third — that's home. Mids, the game starts through you.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk the pattern — you serve a ball into the attacking midfielders, and they look to penetrate immediately by playing into an attacker in the attacking third. Everyone stays in their assigned third except the midfielder who makes that pass — they advance, join the attack, and play 3v2 to goal. If the defensive players win the ball, they play keep-away from the attacking team.
Coach says
Mids — find your attacker early. Whoever plays that pass — go, you just joined the attack. Defenders — win it, keep it.
3Play▾
Coach does
Restart the series whenever you like — you have the balls. Watch the spacing and angles to receive, the attackers checking back into the midfield players, and the ball swung quickly through the midfield to take advantage of the numbers-up.
Coach says
Swing it — quick! You're a player up in there. Attackers, check to the ball!
Look for: The midfielder following the pass — into the attacking third, playing off the attackers, arriving in the attack.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
Keep the serves coming. For later rounds, change who joins — the furthest player from the ball steps in instead of the passer — or increase or decrease the numbers to tilt the focus toward the offensive attack or the defensive shape.
Coach says
New rule — the passer stays. Furthest player from the ball, you're the runner now!

If it's not working

If the ball never leaves the middle third, tip the numbers toward the attack until penetration comes — then walk it back a step at a time.

Want to go deeper? Optional — not needed to run the game.

Why are we doing this?

Locking players into their thirds isolates the movement the drill exists for — the pass into the attacking third and the midfielder who follows it in to make the 3v2 — and with you restarting at will, that movement gets rep after rep.

What are they learning?

Building the attack from the midfield — proper spacing and angles of support, attackers checking in, midfielders getting forward and playing off the attackers, and quickly swinging the ball to take advantage of numbers-up situations.