In these modern football days I've come to realize that the position where it's easiest to find quality players, is in the attacking midfield position. The reason for this is simple: it's not an actual "position". If you're a versatile striker, you'll play as an AM. If you're a winger who can do more than just run with the ball and cross, you might also be played behind the striker. If you're a central midfielder with an extra knack of scoring goals, then you "qualify" as well.
Rooney, Hazard, Dempsey, Özil, Gerrard, Iniesta, Tevez, Götze, Cazorla, Fellaini, Lampard, Kagawa, Silva, Mata and Oscar. These are just some of the quality players out there who has appeared in the AM position relatively often in recent years. But how many of them fall under the category pure attacking midfielder?
The first thing we need to do is to find out exactly how we are going to define "pure attacking midfielder". In my opinion, a pure attacking midfielder is a player who obviously thrives in the hole behind the striker. In other words: he should not be equally good(or better) playing as a striker, winger or central midfielder. He should be obviously better as an attacking midfielder. His level is supposed to drop significantly when played out of that position. He can still be good outside the AM position of course, but there should be no doubt where his "home" is. He should have great vision, passing, close-control, and a decent goals/assist return. He's a player who thrives under quick tempo and pressure, who's pretty much the cogwheel of all the attacks. He is not a second striker, not a versatile winger, not an offensive central midfielder, but an offensive playmaker.
Keeping all this in mind, I think the number of attacking midfielders drop dramatically. Players like Rooney, Hazard, and Götze will definitely not make the list.
So, who makes the list?
I'll start us off by saying; Kagawa. He is a pure attacking midfielder in every sense of the word. Sure, he can do a good job on the wing and even in CM, but there's no doubt that he plays way better as an attacking midfielder. Based on the football that I've seen, I can't think of another current player who's such a specialist in the AM position.
Rooney, Hazard, Dempsey, Özil, Gerrard, Iniesta, Tevez, Götze, Cazorla, Fellaini, Lampard, Kagawa, Silva, Mata and Oscar. These are just some of the quality players out there who has appeared in the AM position relatively often in recent years. But how many of them fall under the category pure attacking midfielder?
The first thing we need to do is to find out exactly how we are going to define "pure attacking midfielder". In my opinion, a pure attacking midfielder is a player who obviously thrives in the hole behind the striker. In other words: he should not be equally good(or better) playing as a striker, winger or central midfielder. He should be obviously better as an attacking midfielder. His level is supposed to drop significantly when played out of that position. He can still be good outside the AM position of course, but there should be no doubt where his "home" is. He should have great vision, passing, close-control, and a decent goals/assist return. He's a player who thrives under quick tempo and pressure, who's pretty much the cogwheel of all the attacks. He is not a second striker, not a versatile winger, not an offensive central midfielder, but an offensive playmaker.
Keeping all this in mind, I think the number of attacking midfielders drop dramatically. Players like Rooney, Hazard, and Götze will definitely not make the list.
So, who makes the list?
I'll start us off by saying; Kagawa. He is a pure attacking midfielder in every sense of the word. Sure, he can do a good job on the wing and even in CM, but there's no doubt that he plays way better as an attacking midfielder. Based on the football that I've seen, I can't think of another current player who's such a specialist in the AM position.
