What 'dictating the tempo' means

You may have heard that some players 'Dictate the tempo of the game' and wonder what exactly that entails.

As an example, Michael Carrick has changed Manchester Utd's season. He is the link between defence and attack and Manchester Utd's results have seen directly effected by Carrick's inclusion.. and Carrick learnt it from the master, Paul Scholes.

To put it simply you need to be the player closest to the ball at all times when you are in possession. This involves following your passes. You need to be an option for every player on your team. So it means collecting the ball from defenders. Going back when things need to be calm and making space to go forward when you need a goal. It's about picking the right moments going forward and not forcing it and it's about being patient when players aren't moving into the space they should be. You also need the execution of a 10 yard pass or a 50 yard pass. If you do these things and you do them right, it will be you who is dictating the tempo of the play. It will be on your say so whether things happen or don't happen.

This was the Alex Ferguson's philosophy, he famously said 'Give me Zidane and 10 logs and I will win you the Champions League.' He meant by this, give me basic players who can pass the ball back to Zidane when he wants it and Zidane will control that game.

This is important because it means tactics can be implemented through that player. If a team needs to defend a lead then the player should slow the play down meaning he creates space in the middle of the park for players to pass to him, not unlike a training exercise. When the team needs a goal the player should move the ball quickly and the players should respond with increased movement allowing the player to make more passes.

Back to the example of Carrick, this is why he has been so influential. Manchester Utd have good players but they currently are not strung together, when Carrick plays, he threads everything together and turns United into a well oiled machine.

To be king of this role it really is back to basics. Pass and move. Keep it simple and play it to feet. All of this, of course, is much easier said than done.