How to Play Defense in Soccer

Last Update: September 18, 2008

Video By: LIVESTRONG.COM

Playing good defense in soccer is essential to keeping the ball out of your team's goal. Learn how to use good defensive fundamentals properly from a professional soccer head coach in this sports video.

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  • Defend & attack
  • Use passes
  • Give and go
  • Keep ball on offensive

About this Author

Adrian Heath is the head coach for the Austin Aztex. Adrian played soccer for twenty years and has twenty years of coaching experience.

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Video Transcript

Hi, my name is Adrian Heath. I'm the head coach of the Austin Aztex. We're going to go through some basic principles of defending. So if we can get the ball here, Wes. Wes is going to defend. What we're looking for Wes is for you to get out there nice and quickly. Can you slow him down? And then can you work him in one direction if you're there?--so that you're cutting all his angles off. So we if can down there, Ez. So as you see, Wes, he's going down nice and quickly, stops there. And he is going to try and show in to the touchline. And can you make a tackle, Wes? Can you make a tackle? And then he goes. And you call him, let's go around again. Come around here Carlos after. You try and run down towards the touchline, down towards the corner flag, yeah. So see if you can get in there, sliding down that way. So out he goes, Wes. Get there nice and early, yeah, show him then there, and out it goes. I think it's important that when Wes gets out there, he shows him one way or the other. This way, he's showing him out, it's perfect, because he's showing him away from the goal. So can he get there? He doesn't want to go too quickly, so pass him the ball. If I go too quickly, he runs passed me. So you've got to get there Wes at the same as the ball and slow him down. Can you get nice and low where you can see the ball? So let's go through it again. So what I'm looking for Wes is to get there nice and quick. Can you stop him? Can you get down? And can you get about a yard from him? So as then, he's got a decision to make. So if we go through it again, Wes is going to the ball, there you go. And now he's got a decision to make. Can you make a tackle Wes? Can you go in through it? And then you go, very, very basic angle of approach, speed of approach. You're not going too quickly that he runs passed you, and you're not going too square. So if you pass it to Ez now. Go square onto him, Ez. If he goes square, look it can go either side--it can go inside or it can go outside. So he's going to get nice and low and try and show him one way or the other. Whether he shows him infield or outfield, it's his decision. Well that's what we're looking for. So, we'll have a last one of that. So, if you can get out to him nice and early. Wes, he's got it nice and early. There he goes, stops him, stops him, and then he goes, and plays you out--a few basic principles of defending.

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