Bad timing of a tackle could result in being sent off, giving away a penalty or letting a player through on goal. Some defenders are not skilled at shooting or dribbling past opponents, but there are players who are exceptions, such as Barcelona’s Dani Alves, an attacking defender. The midfielders are the workhorses of the team. They are good at winning tackles and can shoot and dribble past players. They are specialists at neither. A midfielder’s main strengths are her ability to maintain possession of the ball and looking for passes that can start attacks. Different midfielders have different weaknesses. A central midfielder may lack pace, while a winger may be light and easily pushed off the ball.
The primary role of the attacker, or striker, is to score goals. An attacker must be an accomplished shooter, whether it with his foot or head. A cool head in front of the goal can lead to a high-percentage shot. Attackers have to be able to score from unlikely positions. Many strikers are selfish in front of the goal. This can be a weakness as they do not spot teammates with better opportunities to score. The fullbacks of a soccer team monitor the attacking players on the opposing team, attempting to stop them from dribbling or passing the ball downfield. All fullbacks must be confident, aggressive and unafraid of charging oncoming attackers. Stoppers are a special type of fullback that aggressively pursue opponents to stymie offensive maneuvers.
