Introduction

Modern football demands midfielders capable of interpreting the game even before receiving the ball. During her time at Arsenal, Mariona Caldentey has shown how cognitive excellence can redefine a player’s role, applying the Individual Fundamentals by Position (IFP) required in her new position at an exceptional level.

Her evolution from an associative winger to a high-level midfielder is built on three core pillars: perception, support, and passing.

Perception: Reading the Game Before Acting

One of Mariona’s biggest strengths is her constant awareness of her surroundings. Before every reception, she performs multiple head scans to identify opponents, teammates, spaces, and best potential passing options.

This behaviour allows her to anticipate the next action, receive with the correct body shape, and make decisions with an advantage. In central areas — where space is limited and pressure is constant — this cognitive resource becomes decisive.

Her body orientation is exemplary and rooted in small details that give her time and clarity:

• She opens her body to keep options both forward and backward.
• She uses her far-side foot to protect the ball while maintaining the possibility to turn.
• She adapts her orientation depending on the pressing angle and the height of the next line.

Thanks to this constant scanning, she receives to progress, not just to keep possession. Her perception is proactive: it aims to generate advantages, not only to avoid pressure.

Support: Offering Real Solutions, Not Just Presence

Mariona understands supporting from the midfield as an active action to create passing lines, not simply a movement to accompany the ball-carrier. As a midfielder, she remains constantly available:

• She approaches the ball-carrier to offer a clean solution.
• She adjusts her height and angle to ensure a clear visual line of the pass.
• After playing the ball, she continues her movement to provide a second passing option and maintain the rhythm of circulation.

Her ability to provide progression support is equally distinctive. She does not limit herself to short receptions; she positions herself between the lines, attracts opponents, and frees teammates around her. At Arsenal, it is common to see her alternating heights, dropping to the first line or pushing forward depending on the needs of the moment.

Every reception becomes a structural connection inside the midfield. Her mobility provides tempo and coherence, enabling Arsenal to maintain long, purposeful possessions even under high pressure.

Passing: Intention That Creates Advantage

Mariona’s passing is not defined by distance but by intention and advantage. Her control of tempo and her understanding of the receiver allow her to adjust speed, direction, and surface according to what the action requires.

• In short combinations, she plays firm, well-oriented passes into the receiver’s most useful foot.
• In the half-space, she uses guided passes that invite forward movement.
• In longer distances, she looks for diagonal passes with curve, especially towards players holding the width.

Her goal is not merely to connect passes—she plays to continue the advantage already created. Each pass simplifies the next action. Combined with her perception and spatial intelligence, this level of precision makes her a highly reliable midfielder.