to u all defenders out there...i need ur help.i play as a stopper.When i challenge for 50-50s i always win bcos of my strength n speed but when attackers run at me...i mean they try to dribble pass me,i will be caught flat footed and will put in late tackles n conceed fouls.are there anyway to help me?and wad is the proper posture a defender shd haf when players take them on?
i play defender as well. When players take you on, always try to watch the ball and stand on the balls of your feet so as not to get flat footed. Don't go for any fakes(e.g. stepovers, body swerves) and never stab. Make the offensive man coming at you make a mistake and then you take the ball away. As to the proper posture for defending it depends on where you are defending. When defending on the sideline, i always try to position myself as to make the attacking player go towards the sideline and not into the middle. By doing this i can prevent him from getting off a shot. In the middle of the pitch, just try to keep him in front of you.
wad do u mean by standin on the balls of ur feet?do u mean at the heels or toes?and which foot should be at the back and which at the front,the anchor foot or the one going for the tackle?
he meens on ur toes, i am also a defender and i try to keep them on there weeker foot, i try not to dive in as u get cort out, if ur left footed, try and keep that foot at the front to swipe the ball and vice verser if ut right footed, but dnt always dive in. chirs.
You need to be stuck to the attacker the moment he gets the ball, this will cause him/her to make a mistake, get so close that you put him out of balance, especially if his back is towards you, then get close quickly and don't let him turn. If he's coming at you with the ball move back a bit and when he puts the ball a bit too far, go for it that instant. Otherwise you should face him sideways with your face towards the direction you want to push him (his weaker side or to the sideline). Your knees are bent and when he tries to go round your back you can push your back leg out and catch the ball, this way you'll cover a lot more room than facing him. If he gets past your back (which is extremely difficult if you have the correct position), you need to be able to turn real quick and not let him past you.
Being a stopper means you typically have no help behind you, unlike an outside defender. That means your prime responsability is that the player does not get past you and does not get a shot off - not to steal the ball from them. Retain correct position, be alert, watch the ball and don't go for fakes. If you have to give up space to do this, do it.
It is very important to bend you knees when positioning. This will help you cut and change direction. Watch the best defenders, they don’t play straight up. You will be very surprised how much there knees are actually bent.
Some good advice here. Just to reiterate... As a stopper you definitely want to be right on the forward if the forward is trying to receive the ball. If a midfielder is breaking through with the ball and is approaching you, you want to stand sideways and "force" the player to go one way or another. Essentially, you will over mark him to one side so that he will have to go the other direction. So if you are in the center of the field, and let's say the midfielder is right footed and is dribbling towards you...you would want to stand sideways with your left side closest to him. You will also not want to be straight on with the midfielder, you want to position yourself so that the player will not have the option of dribbling to the right to set up his right-footed shot. So from his perspective, you will be standing about 3 feet to his right, so that when he dribbles up to you, he will be forced to dribble to his left (which he won't want to do because he probably won't be able to shoot lefty).
I have also found it to be helpful to take the initiative when possible. When retreating and containing (Sheperding) an attacker who is dribbling at you try to throw in some head fakes or stutter steps to make them react to you. Be sure and PRACTICE this first or you can be made to look very foolish. It is the same principle as marking closely when they receive the ball or forcing them to their weaker foot i.e. don't let them get comfortable, don't let them do what they want. In your position if you can delay or force a back pass you have done a good job. You simply can't let them get by cleanly therfore don't be afraid to commit a foul, just pick your spot to challenge wisely.
Yes this is a good tip to. I often do that. When I see an attacker coming at me and he's trying to take me on then first I try to slow him down and then sometimes make a fake step to force him make his move before he's ready. Then often he puts the ball too far and then it's time to make the tackle.
Here is the BBC links: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/football/skills/newsid_2071000/2071668.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/football/video_masterclasses/newsid_3159000/3159971.stm It amazes me after playing soccer so long how many people still run full speed up to someone dribbling the ball, only for the dribbler to take a little step to the side and go right by the defender. Of course the best defenders are right on top of the person receiving the ball before they get it. If I am defending against a player without the ball, I literally am about two inches from them with my hand on their lower back. Nothing aggravates a player than having another player in their personal space giving them a little nudge once in awhile.
I find that the best way to defend is to stand side-on to the attacker to force him out wide and force a mistake.Crouch slightly, knees-bent and on your toes.
Exactly. If you "fake" going back, the attacker will take another touch forward. As he does this, get stuck straight in and take the ball away. Through practice, you will find this is your best weapon, particularly against a quick forward. Failing that and everything posted above, stop him from shooting at all costs.
I used to get my time split 'tween stopper and sweeper. They are as different as Coke and Pepsi. Try to force the attacker in a direction that benefits your side, then tackle the ball when attacker tries to change direction. NEVER cross your feet. Split your attention between the ball and attackers navel (they cannot go somewhere without it, and cannot fake you with it). Another piece of advice is to get your coach in on this. They should be able to instruct you in a technique that they want used.
Be patient. just try to contain the attacker and make them make a mistake before going for a tackle. the best way not to get beat is not to jump into a tackle, unless you are 100% sure you will get the ball. just keep your self between the player and the goal. the more they dribble and pass the better the chance you have of letting them make the mistake. that and you give your team mates time to help.
You need to stay on your toes in a defencive stance almost like basketball. always be ready to move like a boxer. Keep little distance between you and run backwards, wait for him to either make a mistake or make a move and then tackle the ball. Or force him into another of your defenders.
A great defender not only will be able to shut his man down 1 v 1. but also can isolate attackers by cutting off passes to the other attackers.
Lot's of good info here. Just my two cents. 1) as a stopper in the middle of the field first try not to let your man turn on you if he is receiving the ball. 2) if he receives the ball tackle on the 1/2 turn 3)if he turns force him one way or the other...preferrably towards his weaker foot(you can usually tell the preferred foot after a bit in the game) 4)NEVER dive in...let the man with the ball make the mistake and then even a simple toe poke tackle can cause him to lose possession, but once you dive in and miss the ball you are BEATEN. 5)play tight enough that if he's going to shoot you can get a foot up to block As for proper stance:flexed knees, balls of the feet, ready to move. I think the most important thing is not to dive in, I've seen way too many people get beaten diving in...it makes them look silly. Remember more than likely the man with the ball at his feet is going to take a touch too far or make some other mistake that will allow you to get a touch on the ball that doesn't even have to be a solid 50-50 tackle. Good Luck.