Individual Defending

One thing that coaches are often guilty of doing, is brushing over defending as a topic to cover during training sessions, particularly during high school seasons, when your time is limited due to the number of matches. In addition, some coaches, like me, play the game in a much more attacking way, which tends to focus on the time from gaining possession to scoring. Self-admittedly, this overlooks one key factor- to gain possession, you must first DEFEND.

Defending is also a much less glamorous position to hold and a much less exciting component or skill to practice. Every player wants to get out on the field, beat guys 1v1 and score goals . . . ALL DAY! But a team that struggles to defend- individually or as a unit- will struggle to win games. Therefore, we must focus on defensive responsibilities of individual players and as a team regularly.

Roles of the Individual Defender

1. Closing down the attacker- taking away the space between the nearest defender and the attacking player. This should be done quickly, however, defenders should slow down their pace as they approach the attacker. Moving at full pace limits the defenders opportunities at reacting to the movement of the ball due to momentum.
2. Pressure- the nearest defender should move toward the ball to slow the attack and prevent a forward pass.
3. Stance- players should always utilize a proper defensive stance- knees are bent, chest is leaning slightly forward, feet are about shoulder-width apart and staggered (one foot forward), always be on the balls of your feet (toes), remain active in order to make small adjustments
4. Steering the attacker- positioning your defensive stance in a way that shepherds or pushes an attacker into a desired location on the field (toward the touchline, inside, etc.)
5. Jabbing at or gaining possession of the ball- timing an attempt at poking away or winning the ball.

Golden Rules of Individual Defending:

1. Always defend from the “goal side”- Position yourself between the goal and the attacker
2. Be patient- "contain" attacking players toward the flanks or at midfield to allow your teammates to cover. This also forces attackers to have to think about what they are going to do, which often leads to mistakes or poor touches.
3. Recovery- When you get beaten, recover to the “goal side” (back and center of the field) as fast as you can before trying to win the ball
4. No Diving- Do not “dive in” to try and steal the ball. A skilled player is just waiting for a defender to do this so that he can use a move to get by the defender.
5. Don't turn your back- players often want to turn their backs on a shot or pass as a means of avoiding the pain of getting hit with the ball. But turning your back to avoid getting hit is only setting you up to be beaten by a “fake” move. With your back to the player, you have little opportunity to react appropriately and end up chasing them down.
6. Limit Slides- Slide tackling should only take place if you are certain you will get the ball or you are in an act of desperation. Poor tackling can lead to costly fouls and penalties.

Key Principles of 1 v. 1 Defensive Pressure:
Quick Pressure- The player nearest the ball must “close the space” as quickly as possible as soon as the ball is played to his opponent. You should close ground on your opponent as the ball is traveling to the attacker, do not wait until he/she has received the ball. Defender has three priorities:

• Intercept the Pass- if you can anticipate the attackers’ actions, but never commit to this unless you are sure you can get there.
• Challenge the First touch- Be in a position that you can “steal” the ball off of a poor first touch.
• Contain the attacker- Deny space to turn or pass in a penetrating manner.

Touch Tight Pressure (within touching distance/arms length)- When closing down space, it is important that you don’t overrun the play. As a rule you should slow down about 5 yards from the attacker and gradually take away the remaining space in a controlled defensive position.

• You want to be in a position that the attacker feels uncomfortable, and if he makes a mistake you can win the ball.
• You are close enough that you limit the attackers’ vision of the field.
• You cut off forward passing lanes, making play more predictable for your supporting defenders.

Patient Pressure- Good defenders will recognize that they do not need to win the ball immediately. If you approach the attacker quickly and under control, taking away his space, you will shift the initiative to the attacker. Most attacking chances are created through poor and impatient defending. General rules for “Patient pressure” are:

• Don’t Dive In
• Be Cool and Alert- Ready to take the ball when it’s exposed
• Tackle with Confidence-  Be quick enough to poke the ball away or hard enough to send the ball forward through the attacker.

Problem Areas for Defenders
As you can see the role of the first defender is vital to the success of team defending. If we do a poor job in applying pressure to the ball and taking away the attackers options the whole defensive system will suffer. It is very important that we spend time teaching each player the principles of individual defending. The 1 vs. 1 is the foundation of the game. This doesn’t just apply to the attacking principle, but defensive as well.