Defensive soccer players need to develop a specific set of skills. These skills may not be glamorous or flamboyant, but they are nonetheless vital for the success of an individual defender and the team as a whole.
Tackling
Tackling is all about timing. You need to watch the ball and the body angles of your opponent to preempt his next move. Winning the ball with a clean tackle is not easy, and mis-timing the move could result in a foul, a penalty or the embarrassment of watching your opponent skip past you. Patience is important, and that requires discipline. Sometimes it is better to stall or slow down your opponent without diving in for the tackle, a skill known as containing or jockeying.
Heading
Defenders need to head the ball frequently, especially central defenders. Crosses and corners are dangerous situations, and a defender must clear the ball as far from the danger area as possible. It is better to head the ball out to either side of the goal, rather than into an area directly in front of the goal, says the BBC Sport Football website. You can increase your jumping ability through training, making you a more effective and combative defender when the ball is in the air.
Ball Control
Good ball control is a vital attribute for all soccer players. For attacking players, ball control is essential for fluid offensive plays and ball retention. For defenders, ball control, particularly a good first touch, is important for avoiding potentially disastrous errors. You are the last line of defense, and a sloppy first touch can give away possession and lead to an open goal scoring opportunity for the opposition.
Passing
As a defender, it is not your job to unlock the opposing defense with precise passing. However, defenders must possess good passing skills to contribute effectively to the overall team strategy. Attacks often build from the back line. Defenders pass the ball between themselves while waiting for the team's formation to settle, and for midfielders and forwards to find space. Defenders can also initiate counter attacks and launch long ball attacks if they have good passing skills.
Positional Awareness
An unaware defender is a liability to the team as a whole. You must always be aware of your own position and the movement of opposing players, with and without the ball. You must keep in line with your fellow defenders. This makes it easier to catch opposing players in an offside position. At the same time, you need to watch your opponents and stay close to any player that your coach has told you to mark. Positional awareness is difficult to master, but will become a more instinctual skill with experience.
Member Comments