The destroyer’s role is far from as dramatic as it sounds. The destroyer is the one who tries to bring order and control into a game of many variables, paths and patterns.
The player in the middle of the pitch to break up play, regain control, and begin a planned attack. The best example in the current game is Manchester City’s Rodri. Any young midfielder should study Rodri and his movements to understand just how key he is to Manchester City’s success, he is a serial winner, who’s football intelligence combined with his physical attributes make him a destroying force to be feared in the heart of midfield.
Football is of course a game of balance, and Rodri’s success has also been impacted by the incredible talents around him, both at City in players like Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden – then with Spain Pedri plays alongside Rodri and the pair cause havoc to whoever they face.
One thing to note is that this role cannot operate alone, if you look through the English footballing pyramid, you’ll see that the destroyer role can be somewhat of a luxury, and is often a part time position operated by midfielders who need to put on multiple hats and switch into more traditional box to box roles to help their teammates.
The Destroyer usually operates as a single pivot in the deepest point of the midfield with a role of breaking up an attack before it develops, collecting the ball and moving it along. Simply put, search and destroy.
Another fine operator of this role in recent times is Casemeiro, more during his Real Madrid days. He brings his different traits to the game though, perhaps more aggressive and not as composed or effortless as Rodri, but a fine and fiery example of the destroyer role in action.
In the ever developing game of football, this role chops and changes, if you look back 20 years, the Makelele role as it was known, was an early example of this destroyer. Now it has been brought into the modern day by players like Rodri, and is now being progressed further by someone like Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi.
Zubimendi again does not possess the physical prowess of Rodri, nor is he as regarded, but he’s undoubtedly a fine talent who has adapted to the Premier League and now should push on in his position under management of Mikel Arteta.
The destroyer role is adapting and changing, but it is a line of midfield defence that is not be underestimated, and I’m sure the role will progress further as they all do, but for now we must study Rodri to know further just how the destroyer operates.
