Midfield Position Quotes

Growing up I've been playing as an attacking midfielder, more central in the midfield. I wouldn't say if I'm most comfortable there but that's where I grew up playing.

I love to play in the middle to be in contact with the ball all the time. I'm very happy to play in that position.

I can be the only defensive midfielder and try and break up play. Or I can play a little more forward.

In my time at Milan, the club played with a 4-3-1-2 formation, and I was the player behind the two strikers. At Real, I play behind three. There is a greater defensive obligation, but I try to work around the area.

When I play in central midfield, that's my favourite position.

I like the idea of playing with a bit more tactical freedom, either in a deeper role or supporting the strikers more often.

I am a central midfielder, and that's where I like to be.

I started out at youth level as a holding midfielder.

I just want to be able to be an attacking influence and have that effect further up the pitch; whether that's from an attacking midfield position or one of the wider positions coming in, I'm not too fussed.

If you are playing on the left of a four-man midfield, there are a lot more defensive duties to do, so you can't find the times to keep attacking. But if you're on the left of a 4-3-3, I find that position really good as well.

Over the long term, it is definitely my ambition to play in the midfield.

I've grown up playing in central midfield more, and I think my natural game is about coming inside from wide.

When I arrived at Benfica I'd been playing like a No. 10 in the team, but the first thing the coach did was tell me: 'You are going to be a defensive midfielder here.'

I have been playing box-to-box more for Everton as a two, so I have felt comfortable in that position, but anywhere across the midfield I can play.

I'd like to think I'm an attacking creative midfielder who can assist with goals.

For United, I'm more likely to be left wing of a four-man midfield with only two centre-mids, so it's a bit more difficult for me to maybe make those runs to get in and score those goals when I've got to think about my defensive duties as well.

My position at Tottenham was in the centre of midfield, and I have played there for Croatia, I feel I am best there.

Once I reached about 14 or 15, I started to steady myself and get into a midfield role and carried that on until I was 17. Then I dropped into right-back, and I have played there ever since.

I've always enjoyed getting forward, pushing up-field to help us in our attacks, but I think you can still do that from a central position, too. You don't have to sit deep all the time.

I played fly-half in rugby, so I could influence the game, and midfield in hockey too. So it is part of my sporting DNA to want to be in the game at all times, to affect what is going on. That's down to genetics and being ginger, I reckon. We're special specimens.

Tactically, I know how to play on one side even though I remain convinced that I can play better through the middle.

Roy Hodgson destroyed me. He made me play in the centre of midfield.

In my country, they used to call players who play in my position a defensive midfielder, but it is not defensive.

I'm not really a defensive midfielder.