Football terminology : holding midfielder and midfield anchor. What's the difference?

Question

I'm a person on the other side of the earth.
I'm interested in English football terminology.
In particular, holding midfielder(holding player) and midfield anchor(anchor midfielder, anchor player)

I have known that these signify 'defensive midfielder'.
By the way, I have some questions.

(Question 1)
Did the term ‘holding midfielder' trace back to 'holding back' the freedom of the opponents to attack?
Otherwise, What does 'holding' in holding midfielder mean?


(Question 2)
Where was the term 'anchor' in midfield anchor derived from?
What does 'anchor' in midfield anchor mean?
I entreat you to explain it minutely.

(Question 3)

in 4-3-3

---------CF------- centre-forward
-LW--------RW- winger
----CM----CM-- central midfielder
--------DM------- defensive midfielder

In the figure above, can the term 'defensive midfielder' be replaced either by holding midfielder or by midfield anchor?

in 4-2-3-1

---------CF----------
-LM---AM----RM-
------DM-DM------

In the figure above, can the term 'defensive midfielder' be replaced either by holding midfielder or by midfield anchor?


In other words, Are the holding midfielder and midfield anchor exactly the same terminology to use them? Isn't there any difference in using the two terms?
Irrespective of midfield shape(flat, diamond, reverted triangle, triangle), all along have the two terms been employed to point to 'defensive midfielder'?

Please let me know.

Answer 1

In summary, both Holding Midfielder and Midfield Anchor are Center Midfielder, but they play slightly different role.



A Holding Midfielder is someone who play in front of the defenders, behind the attacking members. Key purpose is to destroy opposition play and protect the back 4.



Good example : Claude Makelele of Chelsea



A Midfield Anchor is a Center Midfielder playing behind the striker, and at the same time control the centre park. Setup important play from the center.



Good example : Xabi Alonso of Liverpool

Answer 2

Holding midfielder & midfield anchor are relatively new descriptions of a midfield players role, over-complicating a relatively simple midfield organisation.

The holding midfielder plays in front of his defensive unit to screen/prevent balls played into opposition strikers/advanced players.

He is also responsible for breaking up midfield attacking play, simply winning the ball and getting it to more creative team-mates or into better attacking areas (win it & give it).

I consider the anchor man to be similar but can be the pivotal player in the team, patrolling central midfield and spraying passes around for his team-mates to attack/counter-attack. Often the holding player will win the ball, give it to the midfield anchor, who will penetrate, break down the opponents with quality passing and movement.



Examples: Holding Claude Makelele & Owen Hargreaves

Anchor Andrea Pirlo & Michael Carrick (David Beckham

could carry out this role excellently at this point in his

career)



My personal coaching philosophy is that every team needs a midfield destroyer and a creator/playmaker, 4-5-1 without the ball, 4-3-3 (even 4-1-5 at times) when in possession, although players win games not formations!

Answer 3

Holding midfielders are usually players who stay back and help out the defenders, they also rarely go forward but do from time to time. One of the players who perfected the position of holding mid is Claude Makelele. One of the best currently now at this position include Mascherano, Yaya Toure, Lorik Cana, Lass Diarra, Marcos Senna and Felipe Melo. The midfield anchor would be players like Gerrard, Lampard who play central midfield but move around all over the midfield. Most teams use only one holding mid and two central mids.

Answer 4

A holding midfielder is generally the two central mids, in a 4-4-2 they are supposed to be stay infront of the ball at all times and protect the two central defenders behind them.



an anchor is a defensive mid that rarely goes up, they are most common in a 4-3-3 (diamond formation) they are supposed to like an an anchor stay put, one player that is always between and infront of the two central defenders.

Answer 5

For the anchor role, let's make it more clear.

Say for example he has been told to mark anyone in the centre circle

and keep put in that area and anything that moves in that area is his.

I doesn't drift, he's their to break up play in the centre of the park and pick anyone up who moves into his zone.



A defensive midfielder or a holding midfielder is more of a free role,

it's his job to help out the centre backs and also provide cover for when other midfielders go foward.

Answer 6

Anchor Football

Answer 7

Xabi Alonso Schweinsteiger Yaya Toure Essien Busquets Khediara Tiote De Rossi Fernando Gago Scott Parker

Answer 8

your '4-3-3' formation is more like a 4-5-1 formation.... the 4-3-3 is an attack formation where as many as 5 of the players can go up in attack, like barcelona used when they still had 'Dinho......its not that common anymore to see, with the new complex formations and it leaves you quite open to counter-attacks



anyway- everything that X-Factor said is true. an example on chelsea of both players is John Obi-Mikel is a "holding midfielder" and Michael Essien is a "midfield anchor" .... he fills every role and can shift over depending on the tactics or situation. they could potentially mean the same thing, like saying "lone striker" and "center forward"

Answer 9

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Answer 12

I kind of thought these were synonymous terms myself, more describing a position on the field rather than a style of player that plays in that position. But after reading these answers maybe I am wrong, lol!

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