Okay, so in other sports the sentiment seems to be watch the man (i.e. look at their belly button) but I have always found that it benefits me more to watch the ball. You don't get suckered by step-overs and feints, and you are better able to time a play on the ball because you know when it is away from the offensive player. Now you may not be as able to anticipate the movement of an attacker, but by knowing where the ball is you can disrupt moves by poking out the ball or putting yourself between the ball and the attacker. Anyway, that's my view. What is yours and what do you coach?
I coach U-14 boys select (travel) soccer, and while your poiint may have merit (after all, you won't be picking the man out of the net, will you?), an attacking player who gives away the ball becomes very dangerous. We try to coach our players to watch the game, not the ball. If you don't believe me, look at two of the three goals scored against Washington Freedom in the Founder's Cup, and to a lesser extent, the one scored against DC United in last Sunday's league match. Granted, it was late in the game when form tends to fall off, but defenders were caught ball-watching and were in poor positions to stop attackers.
Re: Re: 1 v 1 defense, watch the ball or watch the man? oh, absolutely what I'm talking about is when you are the defender with a man in possession of the ball right in front of you. Not talking about the flow of play, I'm talking about that moment when it you vs. them and the offensive player is about to make a move on YOU. You come up tight, pressure the ball, try to cut off passing/shooting lanes so the attacker has to either pass back or try to beat you one on one. Now what?
In the situation you are discussing a player should always watch the ball for the very reasons you alluded to in your first post.
You should always watch the ball. The man might run off and leave the ball for someone from behind to pick it up. Ot his body movement can "throw you off". Not only that, it's only a goal against you if the ball, and not the man lands in the back of your net.
Re: Re: Re: 1 v 1 defense, watch the ball or watch the man? Ah, now I understand... By all means, then, watch the ball. The idea is to close cautiously and wait for the "big move". If the attacker tries to wait the defender out, the defender's won because the ball has not advanced and the time he's used should have brought defensive cover to seal off the attack. If the attacking player goes for something, the defender reacts to the ball, which should smother the 1v1.
If you have to chose between the ball and the man, then the ball is what to watch. However, there is no reason a player can't watch both the ball and the player's feet. Obviously, you want to put less emphasis on the moves of the player with the ball because that player is going to try to do something to throw you off. However, the feet, many times, tell you what his next move may be.
In the 1 v. 1, you don't "get up tight". Too close and he will pass you. Holding off about a yard from him is about the correct distance. He will generally be looking towards your goal, and you have your back to it. If he makes a run for goal, you still have to turn around. That "yard off" is your recovering time to turn around yourself. Also you don't pressure the ball, you pressure the man. It's the player that will make the mistake, not the ball. In that way you try to get him to make the mistake and not you. If for example, he is left footed, then make him play going to his right, and vice versa. Always try to force him away from the direct line to goal, out on to the wings for example, or better still, backwards. When moving in on the player, move at speed, and then slow over the last two yards, so he doesn't side step you, when you are travelling at spped. Also adopt a slighting crouching position, leading with one leg forward, so, should he go by you, you can "push off" to gain speed in the pursuit.
I'm a player and a defender. Watch the man's midsection and force him to the nearest sideline. NEVER force him to the middle which will give him a chance to shoot. Never watch the ball, that'll just get you juked .
Defender23 said "I'm a player and a defender. Watch the man's midsection and force him to the nearest sideline. NEVER force him to the middle which will give him a chance to shoot. Never watch the ball, that'll just get you juked ." ---------------------------------------- Here is how you stand up tackle. It is all about timing and form not about being physical or big or even contact with the player. it is about winning the ball, then starting your teams attack. The idea is not to crash into the dribbler. The idea is to win the ball from the dribbler. You don't go for the tackle when the dribbler has close control of the ball. You do close space on the dribbler. Meaning if the dribbler is alone you close that open space within two yards of the dribbler. That alone limits the dribbler options, his view of the goal and also his passing options. Then you position yourself to be ready to tackle. You get into a side ways position, and again you wait for the moment where the dribbler does not have close control of the ball. Then at that time you go for the tackle. So it is a lot about the timing of the tackle knowing when to tackle. You never go straight into the player. Your not looking to bang into him just take the ball away from him. Then you can start your teams own attack. You come in from an angle to the left or the right of the dribbler not straight into the dribbler. You tackle using only the inside of the foot with a bended knee not stiff legged. You want to hit the center of the ball so your tackling foot should be slightly off the ground with the heal down, and toes up ankle locked. It looks very similar to the form you use for push passes. So you hit the center of the ball, and the tackling foot follows through riding up the ball. That gives the ball top spin. You want to put top spin on the ball to help the ball go over the dribblers right or left foot depending on the angle you took. You want to put the ball behind the dribbler off the dribblers left or right shoulder. Then you go to the ball, and win the ball and start your teams attack. If you don't hit the ball over the dribblers foot the first time. Immediately tackle the ball again, and keep tackling until you do win the ball. When you tackle you will hear a noise of your foot hitting the ball, not your foot hitting the dribbler. Do not turn your inside of the foot after the touch. Keep it square with the ball just like you do with the push pass. The tackling foot also faces in the direction you want the ball to go. Also the non tacking foot points the direction you want the ball to go. EYE ON THE BALL, and tackle coming in from an angle, hitting the ball with the inside of your foot so it goes straight over one of the dribblers feet with your top spin follow through. You don't want to hit the ball into the dribblers body. You don't go for a tackle unless you have a team mate supporting from behind just in case you miss. Richie
right. as soon as your guy releases the ball, jump off of him and take away the wall pass run as an option. worst case scenerio is he then gets the ball right back and then you get back up on him. you're right back where you started.
I am glad that RICHIE and KEBACH agree on my comments about watching the ball. "DEFENDER 23". I don't know how long you have been playing and at what standard, or who coaches you, but I'm afraid you have it the wrong way around. If you don't watch the ball, how are you going to win it? Also, it's best to force the attacker outside, but generally there is only one defender on the flank. If he gets past that man, he has a clear run down the line and cut in on goal. If you force someone inside, even as a secondary option, he will be running into 3, 4 or maybe 5 midfield players. As you support Man. Utd., who do you think Ferguson would rather have tackling a good attacker? KEANE in the midfield or a Neville brother on the wing? I think I know my preference. If you watch the man, most attackers will "throw" a few "dummies" or body swerves to through the defender off balance before deciding which way to go. Once the defender is off balance, that's when he makes his move. Seeing as he is the one deciding his body movements, you can only imitate, and seconds after him. Once he has committed you to a move, he goes the other way. "That's way you watch the ball and not the man". You need to gain possession of the ball and not the man. It's the ball in the back of your net that counts as a goal and not the man.