You lose the ball in the 70th minute. Your two advanced midfielders have moved toward the attack, leaving the space in front of your center-backs exposed, and the opponent's CAM receives between the lines with a free turn. The problem isn't a lack of runners. It's a lack of clearly defined responsibilities.
That is the quiet advantage of code soEwdQU&2qg9. It does not ask three midfielders to be good at everything. It asks Guijarro to hold, Karchaoui to run, and Espart to create—three jobs that only work because the other two exist.
The Anchor: Guijarro Holds the Space the Counter Leaves Behind
The Counter instruction encourages your front three to make forward runs when you regain possession. That aggression creates space behind them. Patri Guijarro on Holding / Defend is the player responsible for covering it.
On her 89 TOTW card, Guijarro has 87 defensive awareness, 85 standing tackle, and 91 short passing. The Holding role is built around screening the backline during attacks and covering against counters, with limited attacking support. That limited support is the entire point. When Espart moves into the half-space to offer another passing option, Guijarro stays home. When Karchaoui bursts into the box, Guijarro stays home.
Her defensive profile makes her a natural fit for holding the central lane, especially when the Box-to-Box midfielder has moved forward. Her 91 short passing also gives you a reliable reset after she wins the ball, rather than a panicked clearance that invites a second wave.
The Runner: Karchaoui Covers Ground the Anchor Cannot
Sakina Karchaoui is the physical opposite. On her 87 base card, she has 92 acceleration and 90 stamina. Those two numbers are why she fits the Box-to-Box / Balanced instruction in this shape, not just a "good all-rounder."
The Box-to-Box role connects both ends of the pitch, contributing in attack and defense. On Balanced, Karchaoui covers the center of the pitch in both phases. She is the one arriving late when Adeyemi drops deep as the False 9 and pulls a center-back with him. Her acceleration makes her better equipped to exploit that vacated channel than a slower midfielder would be. The same stamina helps her maintain involvement when the move breaks down and the opponent switches play.
Without that recovery capacity, the 61-depth line has less protection. Karchaoui is not a luxury runner. She is the player whose movement profile makes the aggressive line more survivable.
The Creator: Espart Gives the Attack a Route That Isn't the Forced Ball
Xavi Espart on Playmaker / Build-Up is the escape hatch from the "Predictable in Possession" trap. His 85 Future Stars card carries 87 short passing and 83 vision—clean distribution without needing to be the fastest player on the pitch.
The Playmaker role gives him license to roam and create space, often acting as the creative fulcrum of the midfield. On Build-Up, he looks to move forward and support attacks, but his value also comes from finding space between the lines when the direct route is blocked. When the lane to López is shut and Raphinha's run is covered, Espart drops into the half-space. He receives from Guijarro, changes the angle, and forces the opposition midfield to shift. That shift is what reopens the central lane for the next vertical attempt.
The role description also warns that a Playmaker can be caught out of position if the opposition counters. That risk is precisely why Guijarro exists behind him. Espart's roaming is a feature—as long as the Anchor is covering.
How the Three Jobs Connect in One Possession
Here is the sequence that makes the triangle tangible. Guijarro picks up the ball from the center-backs and holds her position in midfield. Espart drops into the half-space to offer a second passing angle, helping the team escape central pressure. Karchaoui makes the forward run into the space between midfield and defense, giving Guijarro a vertical option. If the move breaks down, Guijarro is already screening the center, and Karchaoui's stamina allows her to recover into the midfield line. One possession, three distinct responsibilities, each supporting the other two.
What Breaks When One Job Disappears
Swap Guijarro for a second Box-to-Box and the 61-depth line loses its screen. The first turnover leaves the center-backs exposed to a direct counterattack. Swap Espart for a third runner and the only forward pass becomes the forced ball into an isolated frontline. Swap Karchaoui for a stationary Playmaker and the front three lose their late-arriving support, because the midfield loses the dedicated player responsible for making those forward runs and recovering afterward.
A balanced midfield is not built by choosing three players with the best all-around stats. It is built by giving each player a responsibility the other two do not have to cover. Load soEwdQU&2qg9, then read the roles: Guijarro protects, Karchaoui connects, Espart creates. That division is what keeps the structure intact when the ball turns over.
