Marcelo Biesla and Josep Guardiola are both managers who play a very high line with their respective sides and who both demand that all players be technically proficient with the ball. Part of playing a high line means that there is a lot of space behind the defense and that the defenders have to be somewhat proficient on the ball as a mistake can be fatal. One of the recent developments in the game as of late is for managers like Biesla and Guardiola to feature a midfielder playing in the position of centerback. It has been quite common for midfielders and even strikers to be converted into fullbacks, but is there a significant difference with converting a midfielder to play as a centerback?

With Chile, Biesla usually preferred to use defensive midfielders across the backline in his 3-3-1-3/4-2-1-3. Biesla maintained that classic centerbacks would often not have the requisite skills needed to play in his romantic attacking system. Biesla argued that a defensive midfielder would have better distribution, better anticipation, better ability in open space, and better ability in advanced positions than a centerback. As Biesla valued those qualities supremely, he would often make great use of midfielders in the backline while managing Chile (Gary Medel, Arturo Vidal, Marco Estrada, Gonzalo Jara). Since taking the role at Athletic, Biesla has almost completely reversed the style in which Los Leones play; while that direct emphasis is maintained, Biesla prefers a vastly different formation and overall gameplan from previous Athletic sides. One notable feature has been the use of starlet MC Javi Martinez at DC. Martinez is big enough to play as a DC, but his skills as a creator and passer are far more akin to his natural MC position. While he has looked a bit uncomfortable to start with, Martinez shows a lot of promise as a DC in the future for executing Biesla’s gameplan.

Pep Guardiola has quietly been building Barcelona into a side full of passing midfielders. The Tiki-Taka attempts to replicate the movement and attacking prowess as Totaalvoetbal, with the main difference being use of the ball to rapidly move instead of the player. Using the ball to rapidly move and create confusion in the defense helps to conserve energy in the attacking phase and retain possession in such a manner that is conducive to providing opportunities for the incisive break. To do so takes a total commitment to technical quality and keeping the ball using intelligent positioning and a relentless press to win the ball back from the opposition. Of course, it is easier to keep the ball if you do not lose it. All Barcelona players are required to be adept with the ball at their feet; to not have this ability in a single player could unravel the entire framework of the side. In order to accomplish these goals, Guardiola has experimented (with success at times) with using midfielders in DC positions. Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano, both defensive midfielders, have regularly featured in the backline for Barcelona. While both sometimes struggle as “classical” DCs, they play the game well for the position in terms of what Barca actually need from the role.

This sort of movement is not exclusive to the Spanish game. While Blackpool never did so, Liverpool could perhaps feature Charlie Adam as a DC - a position Adam has said would be a great fit for him and his game. Adam has the size to play as a traditional DC (although he could perhaps lack the aerial ability), and Adam loves to see the entire field to give him the most options in his deep-lying playmaker style. While perhaps not the same as being a libero, Adam could perhaps make an excellent ball-playing defender and give Liverpool an excellent creative weapon from deep.

Another point comes from the natural evolution of the game itself. More and more sides are building their attacks down the flanks and relying on their strikers to drop deep or pull wide. An opposition 4-6-0 lacks striker as do formations that ask for high mobility from their strikers. Perhaps you do not need a DC to counter that? It could be better to utilize the players in ways that are better suited to your side if the opposition are not playing with a standard striker.

In Part II, we will continue with a look as to how you could play with a midfielder in the backline - why and why not?

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