Otherwise known as a striker, an attacker refers to the player that plays close to the goal of the opposing team. It is one of the four main positions in football. It is their responsibility to score goals as much as they can. They are also called as a forward player.
Sergio Aguero
Roles of an Attacker in Football
The role of the attacker is different from center-forward. Although their roles are often interchanged, both players are always at the forefront of the game. There are cases when a player is suited to play for both positions. Nevertheless, both their roles are to score goals.
The role of attackers is divided into three players. There is a first striker, a second striker, and if need be, a third striker. Each has its specific role to play. However, these three need to work together to successfully carry on their responsibility.
• Maintain Possession: First Striker
The first role of an attacker is to maintain possession of the ball and get into an open space to move forward. They are known to take on with the defenders, using their blind side and get into a scoring position. To successfully do this, the player needs to train hard on the technical side of attacking, passing and dribbling. These skills are essential to the team if they wish to take score a goal.
Attackers are usually fast and quick players. The ability to control the ball is needed to gain an advantage against the opposing team. If the attacker is faced with a tall defender, their agility and speed can work to their advantage.
• Support: Second Striker
The responsibility of the second striker is to provide support to the first attacker. They do not need to provide support at the forefront of the field. They can provide it from different angles or different positions of the first attacker.
The second striker is often the ones creating space for the first attacker. While the first attacker is engaging the defender of the opposing team, the second striker heads towards the ball, creating a wall pass.
• Complicating Defense: Third Striker
The third striker is the rest of the players. They are the ones responsible for creating complications of the defense tactics of the opposing team. Their role is to separate the defensive team so that the second attacker can move forward.