Mastering the Defence

Such has been football’s evolution, it could be argued that today’s top level defenders have the technical ability of midfielders from previous generations. There appears to have been a major shift in how defenders are both developed and assessed. Often, fullbacks who struggle defensively are still viewed as being world-class on account of their attacking talents (see Joao Cancelo & Trent Alexander-Arnold). With the focus now on building out from the back and playing through the thirds, It sometimes feels as though defending is a dying art.

There does remain, however, a small group of truly elite defenders. Italian pair Georgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, pictured above, continue their nation’s proud history of producing world-class centre-halfs. Virgil van Dijk, meanwhile, has demonstrated that you can be a rolls royce on the ball while still dominating opponents without possession.

With the help of the individuals already mentioned, as well as the likes of Sergio Ramos and Diego Godin, this article will outline how players can go about mastering the defence. Because defending well is so often about avoiding calamity, we will also look at some common mistakes.

Dominating Ground Duels

Arguably the key ingredient of world-class defending involves being able to dominate 1v1 situations. There are a number of technical details that go into this aspect of the game, and we will try to pinpoint each of these components in this section.

Firstly, when engaging in a ground duel, it’s important that you show the ball-carrier away from goal. At a fundamental level, defending is obviously about preventing the opposition from getting shots on goal in dangerous areas. In the majority of circumstances, defenders should therefore position their body in a way that blocks off the attacker’s route to goal.

Additionally, it is essential that the defender takes up a ‘side on’ body shape and bends his knees slightly. This will help them be prepared for the possibility of a foot race down the line, should the player on the ball try to knock it into space.

In the GIF below, we see Van Dijk demonstrating each of the details discussed above. Facing rapid French star Kylian Mbappe, the Dutchman uses his body to guide the forward away from goal while maintaining a side on shape with bended knees.

Another important thing to note in these scenarios is that your primary focus should be on the ball. The attacking player may try to fool you with feints and dummies, but as Sergio Ramos once said “the ball can’t trick you”. Keep your eyes on the ball, stay calm, and wait for your opportunity to steal possession or make a block.

In the first clip below, we see Ramos applying this principle. Meanwhile, the second clip shown what can happen if you respond to the attacker’s tricks.

As mentioned, the best defenders remain composed in 1v1s, waiting for the right time to make their move. But when is the right time? Ultimately, deciding on the correct moment to attempt a tackle or a block comes down to two things: opportunity and threat. Firstly, an opportunity to steal possession may present itself by way of a loose touch from the attacker, or hesitance on the ball. Former PSG and Barcelona left-back, Maxwell, stresses the importance of biding your time as a defender.

“If I know that you have control of the ball, it will be harder for me. You have the advantage. When the ball is close to your feet, if I move it’s too easy for you to go past me.”

Alternatively, you may be forced to make your move because the threat has become great. For example, the attacker is now in a shooting position and ready to fire an attempt on goal (Like we saw with Van Dijk’s block against Mbappe).

In the next video, we see Chiellini, Ramos, and Bonucci exercising patience in ground duels before finally making their move when the opportunity exists. The final clip shows what can happen if you choose not to wait for a good opportunity to steal possession, with the attacker skipping past the defender’s attempted challenge and running through on goal.

As we discussed earlier, it is crucial for defenders to avoid getting caught ‘square’ in 1v1s. This is because the ball-carrier then has all the momentum if and when he tries to dribble past you. By the time you have responded by turning your body, you will already have lost most attackers. This error is shown below.

In the opening section, we have focused on the key factors involved in good 1v1 defending. We saw the importance of getting side on, showing the attacker away from goal, bending your knees, focusing on the ball, and waiting until either the opportunity or threat is great enough before making an attempt to steal possession. If defenders practice each of these components regularly, they should able to dominate their ground duels.

Applying Pressure & Covering for Teammates

Quite often, defenders will be forced to step out of the back-line in order to apply pressure to an attacker or to contest an aerial duel. In these scenarios, it is important that they push up at the right time, and that their defensive teammates provide cover for them. This section will focus on the concepts of pressing and covering as a defender.

When an opposing player receives possession in the space between defence and midfield, it is the responsibility of the nearest defender to step out quickly to apply pressure to the ball. Otherwise, the attacker has the opportunity to turn and drive towards goal, putting the defending team on the backfoot.

Because the defender is likely to be coming from the attacker’s ‘blindside’, this should mean that he can catch him off guard, enhancing the chances of a turnover occurring.

It is important to step out only when a clear opportunity to win the ball exists and when no midfield teammate is close enough to the ball-occupant to apply immediate pressure.

In the video below, we see Chiellini leaving his backline to engage with attackers, preventing them from turning towards goal. In each instance, the Juventus stalwart also manages to make a successful tackle. The final clip shows David Luiz pushing out of the Brazil defence, despite there being no obvious need for him to do so and with poor timing, creating a gap for Germany to exploit.

On occasions whereby the ball-carrier is already facing towards goal with passing options ahead of him, any attempts to step out and engage with him must be done in the right way to limit the danger.

This is demonstrated by Kalidou Koulibaly below, with the Napoli defender approaching the attacker at an angle that shuts off the most threatening passing route through to the right winger.

While the examples so far have shown how defenders can react effectively when forward players receive possession between the lines, many defenders try to be proactive wherever possible.

Once again, the key here is to make your move at the right time. For example, if a pass is played towards the attacker you are marking, decide quickly whether or not you have the physical attributes required to step in front of the receiver before the pass arrives. Additionally, it is important to assess if adequate cover exists behind you to provide back-up in the event that you don’t recover the ball. If neither of these conditions are present, simply hold your ground and focus on making sure the attacker can’t turn towards goal, as well as attempting a blindside dispossession if possible.

In the GIF below, former Atletico Madrid player Diego Godin demonstrates how to time interceptions perfectly.

Up until now, we have looked at the ways in which defenders can step out of their backline to apply pressure to attacking players and complete turnovers. As mentioned, it is crucial in these situations that nearby teammates take up covering positions to make sure the team doesn’t suffer if the duel is lost.

When the team in possession attempts to play a long ball up to the strikers, defenders may be required to push out to contest an aerial duel. Ideally, the rest of the backline should then drop deeper to sweep up any knock-ons.

In the next video, we again see Bonucci and Chiellini working in tandem, with one going up for the header and the other stepping back to cover for him. In the final clip, however, we see what can happen when teammates fail to provide cover for aerial duels.

Of course, the same principle applies to ground duels. For example, if a fullback is engaged in a 1v1 with the opposing winger, the nearest centre-back should be readying himself to shift across and cover.

In the GIF below, Manchester City’s reliable defender Ruben Dias assesses the situation and is prepared to sweep up after his teammates get beaten by their opponent.

In this section, we saw the importance of stepping out of defence to prevent attackers from turning on the ball and driving towards goal. Meanwhile, we also discovered how defenders can close off passing lanes at the same time as applying pressure to the ball-carrier, as well as sometimes jumping ahead of the attacker to intercept passes from deep. Finally, as demonstrated by Chiellini and Dias, we saw how crucial it is for defenders to take up covering positions when nearby teammates are contesting duels, effectively providing their team with an insurance policy.

Defending the Box

When preparing to deal with a cross from wide areas, the first thing to consider is whether the ball is being delivered from a deep position or from the byline. If the cross is coming from deep, defenders should aim to push up to the edge of their penalty area. This will allow them to maintain an offside line, with the goalkeeper expected to come and sweep up behind them. If the ball is being played in from the byline, defenders must drop back towards their own goal while cutting off crossing routes and making sure no attackers are left unmarked.

Particularly when defending crosses or cutbacks from the byline, defenders should try to keep an open body shape that allows them to retain an awareness of both the attacker and the ball. A good maxim for this is; if the attacker can see the number on the back of your shirt, you’re in trouble.

Should the cross arrive in your zone, it is now your responsibility to make the clearance. There are a few factors to consider here also. If clearing with your feet, the aim should be to do so with the foot furthest from goal, hopefully reducing the chances of you slicing the clearance into your own net. Additionally, the defender should try to clear the ball either as far away from danger as possible, to a teammate who can launch a counter attack, or out of play so your team can regroup.

In order to achieve any of these targets, it’s important for the clearing player to move towards the ball as it comes towards them. This should give you momentum and therefore increase the distance of the clearance, but should also prevent attackers from running in front of you at the last second to steal the ball. This is demonstrated below by Chiellini, Thiago Silva, and Fabio Cannavaro. The final clip shows what can happen if you remain static and wait for the ball to come to you.

When defending the box, it is essential that you constantly maintain an awareness of your surroundings. This will ensure that you know where the attacking players are at all times. To achieve this, defenders should scan, or ‘check their shoulder’ regularly.

All the top defenders and attackers can be observed scanning repeatedly, helping them make better decisions and avoid getting blindsided. In the next video, we see the benefits of scanning from Atletico Madrid centre-back Felipe, World Cup winner Raphael Varane, and Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic. Finally, David Luiz shows us what can happen if a defender fails to stay alert to what’s around them.

In the previous clips, there were some good examples of last ditch defending. As discussed earlier, when the threat becomes great it is important for defenders to make their move quickly, delivering a goal-stopping block or tackle. On some occasions, it will be necessary to dart behind your goalkeeper to cover the goal line. As with all defending, the key in these situations is to read the developing play and prepare yourself accordingly.

The final point we will discuss centres on the idea of pushing up or dropping off as a defensive unit, depending on the circumstances. Most young players are taught to move up the pitch as a collective when their attacking teammates are applying pressure to the ball. This ensures that gaps don’t appear between the lines for the opposition to exploit. Meanwhile, when there is little or no pressure on the ball, the defence must drop off in anticipation of a long ball over the top.

Despite this being a simple principle for players to understand, we still see plenty of examples of teams failing to apply it at the very highest levels of the game. As shown by the GIF below, if the ball-occupant is not under pressure and you fail to drop off, the team in possession can simply play a lofted pass in behind the defence for an attacker to get clean through on goal.

When defenders do drop off to prepare for a long ball, it is also important that they get into a side on position as this will allow them to chase back quickly without having to turn and risk losing balance. Lastly, there should always be clear communication coming from a defensive leader, ensuring that the entire defence is on the same page at all times.

Throughout this section, we saw the importance of defenders maintaining good positioning and awareness when protecting the penalty area. We also learned that attacking the ball will help you get distance on clearances and prevent forwards from getting ahead of you to meet the cross.

Building the Attack

In the final section of this article, we will take a relatively brief look at how defenders can help their teams build attacks from deep. If you would like to learn more about building out from the back, you can read our pieces on Tim Walter and Erik ten Hag, available on the ‘Phases of Play’ page.

As we saw previously, scanning is an important tool when defending. However, it is also crucial to frequently check your surroundings when your team has the ball. Much like with defending, scanning before receiving possession helps you to collect information on the positioning of your teammates and your opponents, which should in theory lead to a better decision being made once you have the ball at your feet. If you wait until you have the ball before looking around and deciding what to do, chances are it will probably be too late.

This is shown by Nicolas Otamendi below, with the Manchester City centre-back failing to scan effectively and notice that fellow Argentinian Emi Buendia was preparing to close him down.

When making a decision on who to pass the ball to, defenders should always look for the furthest available option. This means that if the centre-forward is free to receive between the lines or in behind the opponent’s defence, you should try to pick him out with an accurate long pass. Ultimately, if you can reach the goal with one pass, why make 10.

Another thing for defenders to note when building out from the back is that if space exists in front of them, they should take it. Football, like many sports, is a space-invasion game. So, if the space is there for you to progress the play before making your first pass, then that’s what you should do. Furthermore, dribbling should invite pressure from opposing players, thereby opening up space and passing options further forward. Arsenal’s new signing, Ben White, demonstrates this principle below.

When passing out from defence, it is important to consider whether the ball should be played ‘safe side’ or to the receiver’s ‘backfoot’. If the receiving player has defenders nearby, the focus might be on passing to the foot furthest from the opponent to aid retension of possession. Meanwhile, if the player is in space, it may be more appropriate to pass the ball in front of them so they can run onto it. This should aid the flow of the game and keep the play moving forward at pace.

Sometimes, the options ahead of the ball will be made weak by the opposition’s strong defensive structure. In these situations, players must have an understanding of how to generate new options by manipulating the opponents with the ball.

Two strategies that can help to acheive this are the ‘bounce pass’ and quick horizontal circulation of the ball. Bounce passes work because defending players are naturally drawn towards the ball. By passing forward to a player who has his back to goal, nearby defenders will most likely apply pressure to him. This, in turn, will open up space behind them. In the first video below, Otamendi makes use of a bounce pass to create space for Kevin De Bruyne to receive between the lines and play through the opposition’s defence.

Bounce passes generally help teams open space between the lines in a vertical sense. In other words, it should increase the distance between the opponent’s defence and midfield. Other strategies can be used to generate space horizontally (increasing the distance between players on the same line).

This is where horizontal circulation comes in, which involves simply passing quickly from one side of the pitch to the other. As the opposing players move in accordance with the ball, the spaces between them may increase as they shift at slightly different speeds. If and when these gaps appear, the team in possession should have the opportunity to break through the lines and progress the play. The second video below highlights this concept.

In this section, we have seen how defending players can help their teams build attacks from deep. Scanning before receiving, passing to the right foot at the right time, carrying the ball through open space, and generating new space using the ball to attract opposing players are all tools that ball-playing defenders at the highest level must learn to execute.

Conclusion

Throughout this article, we focused mainly on the key components of effective defending. However, such is the modern game, it was also important that we looked at ways in which defenders can support their team’s attacks.

The best defenders of today are all capable on the ball, but they understand that their primary role in the team is to prevent the opposition from scoring, and they never neglect that duty. On the importance of defending effectively, former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson say’s:

“Attack wins you games, but defence wins you titles.”