Midfield players are not all made the same. There are several different midfield roles- all with unique characteristics. For this article, we’ll specifically be looking at the ball winning, box to box and destroyer midfield roles.
In summary, the box to box, destroyer and ball winning midfield roles are all physically and technically demanding. A box to box midfielder covers every blade of grass on the field and participates in both attack and defence. A destroyer midfielder functions primarily to disrupt the oppositions attacks and offload the ball to creative players. They typically do so within one zone of the pitch. The ball winning midfielder shares, more or less, the same duties as the destroyer. The main difference being that they cover all areas of the pitch in search of the ball.
Let’s take a closer look at what this all means.
Table of Contents
What is a box to box midfielder?
A box to box midfielder (BBM) is probably the most popular central midfield role out there. As the name would suggest, these midfielders are tasked with covering about every area of the field during the game. While doing so, they are expected to contribute both from a defensive and an offensive perspective.
These players are also known as shuttlers and are responsible for being the link between the attack and the defence. In that respect, a BBM is similar to a Carrilero. For more information on the Carrilero role, check out this article.
In defence, a BBM specialises in cutting passing lanes, intercepting loose balls and closing down the opposition. In offense, a BBM specialises in short quick passes when the team is building up attacks. Another trait that a BBM shows in offense is the ability to arrive late in the box to score goals or assist.
As such, it is important that a BBM has extremely high stamina, great short passing ability, positional awareness and game intelligence. Being a good finisher and possessing creative abilities is just gravy. However, there have been several attack minded BBMs in recent history.
For a more in-depth description of BBMs with creative responsibilities, take a look at this article.
Good Example: Paul Scholes
Embed from Getty ImagesA good example of a BBM is Paul Scholes. The former Manchester United midfielder was somewhat of an unsung hero during his playing days. It seems as though it was only after his second retirement in 2013, that the masses realised just how special he was.
He embodied several midfield roles for United. However, in his early playing days he was well known for being a BBM. He later transitioned to a deep lying playmaker role during the twilight of his career. He covered every blade of grass on the field and often scored beautiful goals.
Other examples
Additional examples of BBMs include Cesc Fabregas, Arturo Vidal and Steven Gerrard.
What is a midfield destroyer?
Destroyer or “spoiler” is a term used to describe a midfielder whose main purpose is to disrupt the opposition when when out of possession. They do so by reading the game, tracking opposing attackers, making tackles and regaining possession of the ball.
It is also the job of a destroyer to constantly put the opposing attackers under pressure to force mistakes. In other words, they destroy the attacks of the opposition.
Once they have retrieved the ball, they will then look to pass it to creative players who are more adept at starting attacks. This is because destroyers are typically not the most creative players on the pitch.
Therefore, to get the most out of a midfield destroyer, it is wise to pair them with creative midfielders, and visa versa.
A destroyer is usually positioned in the deep lying midfield role (in front of the defensive line, but behind the midfield line). In this position, their main job is to act as the first line of defence against attacks-the shield.
However, it should be noted that destroying is a task that is useful in all areas of the pitch. It is not uncommon for destroyers to play in the advanced midfield position. In this position they defend from the front. Destroyers tend to mostly operate in one specific zone of the pitch.
As you can imagine this is a very demanding role. Players that fit the destroyer mold must be highly industrious and aggressive in their approach to the game. They must have immense tackling abilities and be just as comfortable making standing or sliding challenges.
However, due to the focus on aggression and defensive output, it is not always necessary for destroyers to have great passing abilities.
Good Example: Claude Makélélé
Embed from Getty ImagesMaybe the best example of a destroyer since the turn of the century is Claude Makélélé. This is not necessarily because he is the best destroyer of the past 20 years or so (although that is up for debate). He is the best example, because despite being retired for several years, many still refer to the destroyer role as ‘The Makélélé role’.
After Moving to Chelsea in 2003, Claude Makélélé redefined the role of a defensive midfielder in English football. In the early 2000s, most English teams were using a 442 system with essentially two BBMs.
However, Jose Mourinho turned the EPL on its head by mainly using a 433 system. One player in that midfield three was tasked with sitting in front of the defence and destroying – The Makélélé role.
Makélélé’s job description essentially involved disrupting the oppositions attack and quickly releasing the ball to Frank Lampard or Joe Cole. With him shielding the defence, Chelsea were able to concede only 15 goals in the 2004/05 EPL season.
Other examples
Example of players who have adopted the destroyer role in deep lying midfield positions include Javier Mascarano, and Nemanja Matic.
Moreover, examples of players that have played the destroyer role in advanced midfield positions include Gennaro Gattuso and Radja Naingolan.
What is a ball winning midfielder?
The ball winning midfielder (BWM) role shares many of the characteristics of both the destroyer and BBM. Like the destroyer, they are tasked with breaking up the play and disrupting the oppositions attacks. However, unlike the destroyer and more like the BBM, they are constantly on the move and track the ball across the field.
Therefore, a BWM is not restricted to only one section of the pitch. In simple terms, a BWM is expected to have the defensive capabilities of a destroyer and the industrious work rate of a BBM.
A BWM is primarily focused with winning the ball back for their team and is not expected to contribute heavily in offense. However, they do often find themselves in goal scoring positions, when pressing high up the pitch.
Good Example: Michael Essien
Embed from Getty ImagesMichael Essien is a great example of a BWM. Another player from the Chelsea team that dominated the premier league between 2004 and 2006. Essien was an absolute physical tank on the field and seemed to run on everlasting batteries. He would often win the ball with ease with his crunching tackles and immediately look to start attacking plays.
In addition to this, he could hammer a ball from distance. I’ll personally never forget his equalizing goal against Arsenal in the 2005/06 season.
Other examples
Further examples of effective ball winning midfielders are N’golo Kante, Roy Keane and Patrick Viera
Why are destroyers, box to box and ball winning midfielders important?
Without these player roles, teams would all but crumble. Attackers would not be able to do their jobs, and defenders would be too overwhelmed to cope.
Eric Cantona once referred to Didier Deschamps (a highly regarded destroyer) as the “water carrier” of the team. The meaning behind this was that the destroyer does the job that the attackers do not want to do (i.e. carry the water).
While Cantona was likely just being a bit cheeky, there is a clear opinion about destroyer type players in most people’s eyes. They do the dirty work that flashier, more technical players shy away from. As a result of this, they do not tend to get the same recognition.
When Real Madrid sold Claude Makélélé to Chelsea and replaced him with David Beckham, Florentino Perez (the Real Madrid president) was under the impression that he would not be missed.
The Real Madrid players, on the other hand, did not seem to share that sentiment. When commenting on the transfer of Beckham, Zinedine Zidane even said, “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?”.
Instituto Cervantes de Tokio
It would be difficult to find anyone that considers a player such as Claude Makélélé as one of the greatest players or even midfielders of all time. However, many would not hesitate to put Frank Lampard or Zinedine Zidane in both of categories.
The irony in this is that without the defensive work and dedication from Makélélé, both of those players would not have been able to shine like they did.
On the other hand, BBMs are different from destroyers and BWMs in terms of public opinion, as they do receive much praise and acclaim. This is likely due to the fact that they pop up in every area of the pitch and contribute to just about all facets of the game. Essentially, they are always on the TV screen.
Which is role more used in the modern game?
Football roles and positions have gone through several evolutions over the course of football history. As a result of this, many positions that were once relevant have been replaced with more appropriate counterparts. However, with the fast-paced nature of the modern game, the BWM, BBM and destroyer roles are more relevant than ever.
It would not make sense to state that any one role is more used than another. All roles can highly effective given the correct football formation and team dynamic.
It should also be noted that BWMs, BBM and Destroyers are all roles, and not positions. And further to this, players do not strictly have to be one of these types of midfielders at any one time.
Each of the abovementioned midfield roles contain traits that are important for all professional football players, and not just midfielders. As such, there are several cases where a midfielder may be classified as all of the above; a BWM, B2B and a destroyer.
Embed from Getty ImagesGood examples of midfielders that have embodied destroying, ball winning and box to box characteristics include Yaya Toure, Arturo Vidal, Luka Modric, Leon Goretska and Georginio Wijnaldum among, many more.
For more detailed descriptions of player roles and positions, be sure to check out the articles below: