How tall do you think a center back has to be? Is there a certain height you think a center back should be?
I personally dont think the height matters IF the centre back can jump high enough to beat taller players for the ball in air. That is the only concern i can see with a short centre back.
Size isn't anything, look at Puyol of FC Barcelona. He is 5 ft 10" and he can defend against players 6 ft +.
5'10" isnt short, when i hear short i think 5'5 - 5'8. That makes a difference if you cant jump when crosses are coming in vs a player 6+.
Well no, if there was a defender Messi's size then I think they'd lack in explosive jumping or heading against someone taller.
Ideally, a tall centerback (at least 5'11"/6'0") would be the most desirable. However, shorter centerbacks like Puyol and Cannavaro have been more than adequate. I think shorter centerbacks (5'8"/5'9") can manage just fine when paired with a taller centerback. But they do have to make up for lack of height with great athleticism or great positioning.
Cannavaro...all that needs to be said really. 5'9" 1/2 Had a great leap, read the game beautifully, was quick, good when he had to tackle, good with his feet, and was excellent in the air. Granted there are not many Cannavaro's out there, he's obviously a bit of an anomaly in the world class CB world though to be fair. But just shows you can't really say a certain height for a CB, it depends on the player. I've played with and coached CBs who were not the tallest but were still great in the air and were able to set themselves apart by their pace and reading of the game. Can't tell you how many times I've been saved by a quick CB who was able to track down a player who was in on goal...similar story where I've had a smaller CB who won a lot of headers by simply being very good in the air by excellent positioning and leaping and timing won headers off a bigger CF.
To add on to everyone else's advice, you can also do plyo's/gym work to get your vertical leap up. That's the point of being tall in football, to reach high balls, so counter it by having the ability to jump high. Look at Tim Cahill for example, sure he's not a defender, but he's barely 5'10 I believe and he has the biggest vert' in the EPL. Because of this he scores loads of headed goals and can out leap any defender. even if they have 5 inches on him.
Fabio Cannavaro (5'9") and Danny Blind (5'9") were world-class center backs in their respective primes. And last season the LA Galaxy won the MLS title with A.J. delaGarza (5'8") starting at center back for most of the season. Often anticipation and positioning can compensate for lack of height and/or vertical leap: it doesn't matter how high a striker can jump if he has to go through the defender (and commit a foul) in the process. And there are a few unorthodox center backs, like Michael Parkhurst (5'11" with below-average vertical), who rarely win the ball in the air, but are uncommonly good at containing a striker after he receives the ball. That said, successful teams that field a short center back almost always pair him with a much taller partner.
It's a funny one. I remember when there was a clamour at Arsenal because they didn't have any tall commanding centre halves anymore once Adams and campbell were gone. They had Gallas (6ft) and Toure(6ft), and later Vermalen (6ft) and Koscielny (6ft 1). People were saying they were vunerable in the air and thats why teams like Bolton and Stoke and players like Drogba (who got a lot of joy out of Arsenal centre backs) were exploiting their "soft centre." I remember reading in one paper how the writer sarcastically referred to Koscielny as a "veritable giant" considering Arsenal's defence. There was pressure put on Wenger from the media and the fans to go and buy a big tall stopper to command like adams and campbell had done. I remember Kenny Sansom arguing that Wenger should go and buy Christopher Samba(6ft 4) from Blackburn. So i suppose there is a general sense out there that anything from 6 ft 1 under is regarded as satisfactory to short in height for a centre half. Of course we know that Wenger did react and bought Mertasacker (6ft 6) If you think about the really good partnerships we have seen in the premier league over the years one guy will be smaller about 5'11 to 6ft'1 and the other guy will be taller 6ft'2 to 6ft'6. Adams (6ft 3) and Keown (6ft 1) Pallister (6ft 4) and Bruce (6ft) Hyppia (6ft 5) and Henchoz (6ft 2) Hyppia (6ft 5) and Carragher (6ft 1) Stam (6ft 3) and Henning Berg (6ft) Desailly (6ft 2) and Lebouef (6ft) Campbell (6ft 2) and Toure (6ft) Terry (6ft 2) and Carvalho (6ft) Ferdinand (6 ft 2) and Vidic (6ft 1)
Small center backs is a weakness when playing a good direct attacking teams against good big strikers especially when they have the wind in their favor. You can compensate by using a big stopper or and a big defensive mid. Have your backs staggered for depth with good spacing and a sweeper/keeper. Idea is also for the back to get up first while holding down the striker. Good to have an extra bigger back on your bench. He starts in those situations.
Yep. Good insight. I'd agree with it. But you must also note that a team may be under pressure in the air from set pieces, and you are always going to concede set pieces no matter what game your playing in. In those situations although you can get any player from any position back, you generally depend on your centre halves to deal with them. If you don't have a pair that can; such as Baresi and Beckenbauer, you'll concede needless goals.You need a stopper in their. A tall stopper who is dominant and aggresive in the air. Personally I would never feel safe watching my side if they didn't have one in the line up. For me they are as essential as a goal scoring centre forward, as vital as a brilliant keeper, and can't be done without if you want to be a top side.
[Wolves and England legend Billy Wright was another example of this playing in both of the "CD" positions/roles that he lined-up in over the course of his career.]
I've seen two performances in the last few days that confirm every belief I have in the need for tall stong stoppers. Giorgio Chellini for Juve v Napoli at the weekend: A huge top of the table clash, he wa coming up against one of the best strickers in the world right now in Edinson Cavani. He did a thankless job on him. He pushed, pulled and harassed him as he battled with him over the 90 mins. Cavani is a 6ft 2 strong powerful centre forward; you need someone who has the toughness, physicality and personality to stand up to that and be confident enough to know that when you push and kick him around the place and you get your own back that you'll be more than able to take it and give it back with credit. Players like scirea, beckenbauer and moore didn't get involved in this sort of stuff. Itwasn't their game or their style, but it's soooo necessary if a team wants to be succesful. Your team needs to be built on that type of strength and defiance from the back Also...Nemanja Vidic tonight v Real. Magnificent. He was absolutely dominant in the air. He won headers when he was running backwards and stretching backwards. Those are headers a cb of 5ft 9 or 5ft 10 simply couldn't get to because no matter how good a leap they may have; if your moving backwards you can't get any momentum. A leap comes into play when you can attack the ball. Anyone, no matter what height they are can get up and win a header when they attack it but the real test in the air is from a standing position or a position when your stretching backwards. Vidic dominated. Madrid never looked a threat in the air and it was down to him. Two examples of how tall teak tough no nonsense stoppers, whoa aren't very graceful or necessarily much good on the ball and certainly won't bring it gracefully out from the back setting up attacks, moreover they know their limitations and pass it on simply and reliably to more talented teammates; are essential to a good team. Essential to build a team around.
Depends a lot on the league and prevailing style of play. Shorter CBs are rarer in England, where teams have a tendency to play very direct and physical (with only the very top teams a bit less so). It's less of a liability in places like Spain and maybe Italy, where the ball is played on the ground more and there's more of an emphasis on technical play. In those places, some teams may even put foot skills ahead of size and physicality. Fabio Cannavaro (Italy captain and player of the tournament at the 2006 World Cup) was a great example of a smaller CB dominating play. Amateur soccer in the US tends to be more direct and an emphasis on athleticism so smaller CBs are at a perceived disadvantage and may not be given an adequate look by coaches, even if they may deserve it. (Note: I don't personally subscribe to the philosophy of the last paragraph but I've gotten the sense that many US coaches do)
Anything shorter than 6'2, especially in England, and possibly Germany, and you are at an immediate disadvantage, and will mainly be deployed as a ground tackler. Shorter than 5'10 or 5'11 and you probably end up as a full-back or a defensive midfielder, like Younes Belhanda (who is now an attacking midfielder in fact). In Spain, however, it probably isn't such a problem due to the lack of aerial play over there.
I am a believer in height within the spine of the team normally. As in center striker, offensive mid, defensive mid and at least one center back and at the keeper position. You need to make adjustments to that depending what kind of team your playing. But if you do that you still need the right players on defense on opponents corners and other free kicks. I always wanted to try and get Brian McBride to be open to comming back to the national team as a center back years ago. But he would have to be open to that.