I still remember that Sunday, January 19th like it was yesterday. The clock showed 5 p.m., and the Ynares Center was buzzing with anticipation. Our team was down by one goal, and I found myself in that critical space between defense and attack - the middle field. That's when it hit me how crucial middle field soccer strategies every player needs to master for better control truly are. The ball came to my feet, and instead of panicking, I remembered the three-second rule my coach drilled into us. I took exactly two touches - one to control, one to pass - and suddenly we were breaking through their defensive line.

You know what separates good midfielders from great ones? It's not just technical skill; it's spatial awareness. During that game at Ynares Center, I noticed how their midfield was leaving gaps about 15-20 yards between players. That's practically an invitation to exploit the space. I started making diagonal runs rather than straight lines, and suddenly their defensive structure began crumbling. Statistics show that teams with midfielders who consistently create passing angles win approximately 68% more possession in crucial areas. Now, I'm not sure if that number's perfectly accurate, but I've seen enough games to know it feels about right.

What really changed my perspective was realizing that midfield control isn't just about what you do with the ball. It's about what you do without it. That January evening taught me that the best midfielders are constantly scanning, anticipating, and positioning themselves. I developed this habit of checking my shoulders every three seconds - left shoulder, right shoulder, assessing where everyone is. It became second nature, and suddenly I had so much more time on the ball. The game seemed to slow down, and I could see openings before they even developed.

I've come to believe that the most underrated middle field strategy is knowing when to break the rhythm. Most players get stuck in predictable patterns - pass, move, receive, repeat. But during that 5 p.m. match, I tried something different. Instead of always playing one-touch football, I occasionally held the ball for those extra two seconds, drawing opponents in before releasing it. It created chaos in their defensive organization. Personally, I think modern soccer overemphasizes speed at the expense of tactical patience. Sometimes the best play is to slow things down, especially when you're trying to regroup or change the point of attack.

The transformation in my game didn't happen overnight though. After that eye-opening experience at Ynares Center, I spent hours working on my weak foot until I could deliver passes with 85% accuracy with both feet. That percentage might not be scientifically precise, but it's what my coach tracked during our training sessions. Being truly two-footed in midfield opens up so many more possibilities - you don't need to adjust your body position, which means you can play that killer pass a split-second faster. And in modern soccer, that split-second is often the difference between a scoring opportunity and a missed chance.

Looking back, that Sunday in January was a turning point in how I understood the game. The middle field isn't just a position - it's the engine room, the creative hub, the strategic center of everything. Mastering control in this area requires both technical proficiency and what I like to call "soccer intelligence." It's about reading the game, understanding space, and making decisions that might not always be flashy but are consistently effective. These middle field soccer strategies every player needs to master for better control have become the foundation of my game, and honestly, I wish I'd learned them years earlier.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.