It is always said that to win a soccer match the most important thing is always to score goals, something very obvious. However, let’s also remember that there are defensive situations that can be worth the same or even more than a goal, especially if you deny your opponent the opportunity to equalize or defeat you during a dangerous attack. For this, it is important to have the best defenders, and if you don’t have them, you must train your players so that they can become outstanding defenders.
Let’s remember that the main job of a defender is to prevent the player of the opposing team from scoring. To help you perform well on the field of play, we bring you 6 tips to defend better, which will be very useful in real soccer situations, where a play can be worth a very important match or even a championship.
6 Tips to Defend Correctly
Intercepts the Ball Before it Reaches the Attacker
If the defender can cut the ball before it can reach the attacker of the opposing team, it is already a great advantage, since it avoids the individual duel and reduces the risk of a foul, therefore avoiding a dangerous play for his goal.
To anticipate a striker, the defender must position himself to one side of the attacker and move next to him in order to clearly observe the moment in which the ball will be passed to his opponent and thus successfully cut the play.
Attack the Ball When the Attacker is Ready to Turn
If the steal of the ball failed in the first instance, a good option is to attack the ball when the player of the opposing team is going to make a turn towards your goal.
Force the Attacker to Cover the Ball With His First Touch
Do not allow the attacker of the opposing team to make a turn towards your goal, as this creates great danger for your team. If you make the attacker have a failed first touch you will be moving him away from your goal, reducing the risk situation.
Try to Predict the Attacker’s Moves
A good defender detects the precise moment when the attacking player of the opposing team is about to turn to position himself in the direction of your goal. The defender has to try to cut the ball at the moment the opposing player leaves it exposed.
These defensive moves are impossible to do unless the opposing player has the ball exposed. The normal thing would be that the rival player is protecting the ball with his back to you and at that moment you should take into account a couple of things:
Never support yourself with your arms or your body in a strong way while the attacker covers the ball, as this creates a foul in favor of the opposing team.
Never lose sight of the ball, if this happens in a matter of seconds you could lose your rival and the play could end in a goal. You always have to be alert to the situations that arise in the match.
Direct the Attacker to the Least Dangerous Space
Once the attacking player has the ball in his possession, the defender must take it with a personal mark and very close to the lateral lines or to the position of a defending teammate, causing him to gradually close in and reduce the dangerous situation.
If the defender tries to take the ball from the attacker using his speed, two things can happen:
The defender goes very fast to try to steal the ball: the attacker can use this to leave the defender behind with a simple movement to the sides and the defender would be poorly positioned inside the field of play, leaving his team at a numerical disadvantage. time to defend your bow.
The defender goes very slowly to try to steal the ball: the attacker can use his speed to leave him behind or he can simply make a pass between the lines to another rival player.
That is why it is important to have a good vision of the game as a defense and to be attentive to the plays of the game.
Recover Run
If the defender is defeated in the confrontation for the ball with the rival team, then you must run and position yourself between the attacker and the goal in order to close the shooting angle. Thus, you will reduce the chances that the rival player will successfully shoot on goal.
Normally, these types of plays end with the ball bouncing off the defender’s body. So always remember to take care of your hands so that the ball does not hit them and generate a foul close to the goal.
What are the priorities of a soccer defender?
The defender must worry about two important things: whether or not to make contact with the ball and knowing the position to be placed when defending.
The defender’s priority in a soccer game is to prevent the ball from reaching the attacker’s feet. If this fails, the other thing he should do is prevent the attacker from being able to turn around to face the goal. The defender must always force the attacker with his body, strength, and good position. To give the ball to another player or simply lose it with his mark from him.
On the other hand, a good defense should take the attacker to a place on the field of play that is less dangerous or more likely to lose the ball. This would be the sideline streak or ultimately make him stop until help from a teammate arrives.
Lastly, the defender must try to hurry when it comes to stopping the attacker. With deceptive movements or changes of pace, forcing the opposing player. To make mistakes that can cost him losing the ball before even having it in his possession.
Conclusion
For a soccer team to be successful, it doesn’t just have to score goals. Although this is the main thing to win a game, we must also remember how important it is to have a solid defense to keep a clean sheet. Therefore, do not leave these tips only on paper. And put them into practice so that you develop your skills and can improve day by day.
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