problems with my game

[fscat]

I play recreational soccer and in pick-up games. I can play pretty much anywhere on the pitch, except 'keeper, but prefer to play more up. However, when I play in the back, either as a fullback or centerback, I rarely win the ball from whomever I'm marking. It seems to me my reflexes are much too slow to either step in and win the ball from my marker or intercept any attempted passes. I try to mark my man tight and stay in front of him, however I'm always too slow to stop anything. Is my problem that I'm depending too much on my reflexes and should attempt to anticipate more? Some tips to play defense would be much appreciated.

[Kevin8833]

I play recreational soccer and in pick-up games. I can play pretty much anywhere on the pitch, except 'keeper, but prefer to play more up. However, when I play in the back, either as a fullback or centerback, I rarely win the ball from whomever I'm marking. It seems to me my reflexes are much too slow to either step in and win the ball from my marker or intercept any attempted passes. I try to mark my man tight and stay in front of him, however I'm always too slow to stop anything. Is my problem that I'm depending too much on my reflexes and should attempt to anticipate more? Some tips to play defense would be much appreciated.
You need to anticipate and not react, try to read the play ahead of the time, also when you decide to make your tackle you need to go in hard.

[fscat]

You need to anticipate and not react, try to read the play ahead of the time, also when you decide to make your tackle you need to go in hard.

That sounds good, but I have a follow-up question. Say I'm marking my man tight, and he can't really dribble around me, so he's looking to pass. I'm not going to be able to stay aware of opposing players around me, how are you able to anticipate a pass if you can't track other players?

[Lurko]

Here's what I do: you pull the fake first. When a guy comes up on you with the ball at his feet, dribblng, you act like you're going to tackle right and then IMMEDIATELY go left. If you learn to sell the fake, he will bite right into where your left foot is actually going and you can take it off his foot.

You have to fake out the offensive player.

[peanut91]

I think that you just need to wait. Dont dive in, stand your ground and stand up the other player. Wait a bit allow him to make a mistake. Or how ever you deal with it. But dont just dive in, 9 times out of 10 if u dive in he will turn you. Not many strikers are good taking on a defender with pationts. Hope this helps

[fscat]

How much do you watch your marker's eyes when you are marking him?

[dav13dav13]

When you play offense you kind of wait for the ball to come because people pass it to you. When people pass the ball to you you just wait for it. Playing defense is little different, ball passed is not intented for you so you try to go to the ball first before it touches or reaches the offensive player. But if it reaches player force him to the sidelines and DO NOT DIVE because the offensive player would pass you. Like it was said before in this thread try to fake offensive player, kind of show that you would go close to the player but then go out.

Just random defensive tips:

stay between goal and defender at all times
force him wide
when offensive player has a ball, do not dive, wait for him to make mistake
when ball in the air, Always try to get it before offensive player receives it even if he receives it before you he would make a trapping mistake because he would have to trap under pressure
If some parts doesn't make sense ask me to clarify

[fscat]

When you play offense you kind of wait for the ball to come because people pass it to you. When people pass the ball to you you just wait for it. Playing defense is little different, ball passed is not intented for you so you try to go to the ball first before it touches or reaches the offensive player. But if it reaches player force him to the sidelines and DO NOT DIVE because the offensive player would pass you. Like it was said before in this thread try to fake offensive player, kind of show that you would go close to the player but then go out.

Just random defensive tips:

stay between goal and defender at all times
force him wide
when offensive player has a ball, do not dive, wait for him to make mistake
when ball in the air, Always try to get it before offensive player receives it even if he receives it before you he would make a trapping mistake because he would have to trap under pressure
If some parts doesn't make sense ask me to clarify

No those are some good tips. I do some of those already, but I'll try to incorporate all of these tips into my game. I appreciate all the feedback.

[ranova]

Here is a link to a discussion of defensive basics in the coaches forum:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=637902

What you should take away from that discussion is that defending is a team effort that even in man-to-man defenses involve a mixture of zone defense away from the ball and man marking close to the ball. The large size of the field and goals makes it difficult to defend against an attack.

When you play there should be someone organizing your defense, typically the sweeper or keeper because they are in the best position to see the attack develop. Listen to them and if you are unsure of how you are supposed to be playing, ask them. In pick up games it may be there is no organization, but it never hurts to ask.

PS: I wanted to add two things that I don't think were mentioned by anyone:
1) If the opponent is much better skilled and faster than you, your best bet to avoid his advantages is to intercept the incoming pass before it gets to your opponent. Your distance from the opponent is determined by how far away the ball is. You must be close enough that you can still intercept the ball. The farther the ball is away, the more time you have to move to intercept.

2) If the opponent is dribbling fast up the field on the flank, you can gain ground on him by running more toward the goal instead of chasing him. If he stays out wide with you in-between him and the goal, he is not as dangerous as if he had beat you and come inside, even if you are not closely marking him. You can always move closer after you have cut him off from going to goal.

[rca2]

How much do you watch your marker's eyes when you are marking him?

I watch the player's center of mass and the ball. Hands, head, shoulders, feet can fake a move, but not the center of mass. If my mark has the ball, I will watch for him to look up because players normally look up just before they pass or shoot. Its not the eyes, but his head that moves. If your opponent is good he will be looking up all the time.

[soccerislife7]

Back to your origional problem; my coach played internationaly and all that, and one thing he emphisizes is that a lot of people are "jack of all trades, master of none". You should work on one position and its skills, and then if you focus on that skill, you'll stand out in that area.

[Antonio81]

Positioning. A good defender always positions himself perfectly between the offensive player with the ball and the goal, and plays off of him just enough so that regardless of how fast he is, he can´t be beaten, and he can see the feint comming and have time to react to it.

If the other defenders are doing their jobs properly you shouldn´t have to worry much about intercepting a pass to another player. Fowards are usually left open when there is a star dribbler and defenders decide to double or tripple-team him and leave the other one(s) free, when the simplest thing to do is just man-mark the star.

[fhcsoccer12]

When I play fullback, I love marking the douche bags who think they're Cristiano. I give them the line, and kinda step in to force them to it. They keep doing stupid stepovers thinking they're going somewhere, and I just stand my ground. And as soon as they push the ball down the line, I beat them to it and throw my body into their stomach to give them a little message.

[adidaslov8]

While guarding my man, i like to keep things tight and physical, hands up and if he does get the ball its only for a second of that

i recently got moved up to mid so im the general so i dont worry bout guarding as much, but keep it tight and dont b afraid of some professional fouls but dont b stupid and dont b all out pissed