One thing about the sport that I didn't realize until I became older was that it is possible to play a style of soccer that allows virtually all field players to be attack-minded (though not all at the same time necessarily). It's often useful to generate attacks from different points on the field in order to expose the opposing team's tactics, formations, or assignments.
For example, sometimes, simply "switching fields," or playing a cross to the other flank, can expose that the other team has pitted their best defender on your striker. If you know that, you can see where there are holes in their defense. If you move your striker to the right, you might expose space to the left. If you move your striker deep, you might be able to see how aggressively and effectively the defense is playing the offsides trap.
This means that it is essential in today's game to have attack-minded players all over the field. Your goalkeeper should see opportunities to generate attack or maintain possession. So too should even your most defensive players. Bringing up a defender to join in the offense can create mismatches--size, speed, numbers, etc.-- or just introduce something new for the opposing team to think about and account for. For example, on the youth club level, where a team is not limited to three substitutions, having an attack-minded defender might cause the other team to switch from two strikers to a striker and a midfielder, so the midfielder can keep an eye on the lurking defender. Thus, even if your defender never touches the ball, his eye for the offense may have caused the other team to play less offensive.
Keep this in mind when you're out on the field playing next time. Even though your position might say "defense," that doesn't mean you can't sneak up and get involved in the offense, even if it's just pushing up to ask for a support pass and then play a cross to switch fields.
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