Coach Houseman's Soccer Site: Tactics

If the other team doesn't score, you have a great chance of winning the game. Defense wins games - it's that simple.

What part of the field is defense played? Answer - EVERYWHERE. Since soccer is a game of keep away/ball possession, defense begins when possession is lost.

As soon as the other team gets the ball, the closest player to the ball (1st defender) should do the following:

Quickly close down the ball carrier. Sounds basic but many times it doesn't happen. I've seen an entire defense back up into their goal as an opposing player dribbles in and makes an uncontested shot.
If you are trying to catch the ball carrier from behind, take an inside route between the player and the goal rather than the player and the sideline. Click the soccer field illustration to the right and look at example #1.
If you are challenging the ball carrier from the front, cautiously slow down when you're a few yards from her (see example #2). It's very easy for an opponent to beat you if your approach is like a charging rhino.
Once you've arrived, your #1 job is to delay the ball carrier – not steal the ball. Stay a body length distance (2 yards) from your opponent using a staggered crouched stance (one foot in front of the other). Stay on the "balls" of your feet (not flat footed) and make small steps instead of long strides. If the ball carrier is not "faced up", you should stay within touching distance of her (arm's lenght vs. a body length) and don't let her to turn.
Focus on the ball rather than the movement (fakes) of the ball carrier. In a staggered stance, your front foot is used for poking and your back foot is used for tackling.
Force the ball carrier to dribble in a certain direction called channeling - see example #3. Channeling can be used to force an opponent to the sidelines; into double coverage; or to use her opposite foot. The coaching staff will teach you this defensive technique at practice.

Clip_image002 The Next Closest Player to the ball (2nd defender) should do the following:

Support the first defender at a 45% degree angle behind her and goal side (see example #3).
Tell the 1st defender to "force in" or "force out" the ball carrier using the channeling technique. Here are some general rules: 1) Force In - when the ball is in the middle of the field and you're in a good supporting position; 2) Force Out - when the ball is closer to the sidelines - the sidelines acts as another defender.

All other defenders (3rd defender) should do the following:

Recover ball side by funneling back toward their own goal (see example #4).
Mark an opponent in your zone - goal side.
Split Vision - Watch the ball carrier and your mark simultaneously. The best way to do this is to keep your hips open, sometimes called a "sideways on" stance.
Stand in the potential passing lane between the ball carrier and your mark.
The side & end lines are invisible defenders. You can always use these lines to your advantage. Last resort - "When in doubt, kick it out!!!"

Defensive Triangle - If you draw a line from the player you are marking back to the center of your goal then to the attacking player with the ball (A1) then over to your mark, it forms a defensive triangle. If you are inside this triangle, you can support your teammates while properly marking your opponent - perfect defense.

Summary

Everyone loves to play offense but it’s usually good defense that wins games. Of course, that’s only the opinion of an old time striker who use to think anyone could play defense – yeah - that's ME.

Video Clips

Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education for U.S. Youth Soccer, gives us some tips on how to close down an opponent as:

1st defender

2nd defender

After viewing, return to this website by clicking the back arrow on your web browser.

A basic defensive concept in soccer is slide and slant to the ball. Figure #1(click on pic) shows the problem when the left and right backs get too wide and flat across the field. Here the other team can easily split the defense with a pass from A1 to A2 or A1 could dribble past D1 for a break away on goal.

In order to solve this problem, the defense should remain connected in 2 ways.

1. Slide To The Ball – I’m not advocating magnet ball. However, it's alright for the defense to maintain some compactness to make dribbling and passing more difficult for the opposition. One of the problems that D2 has in Figure #1 is she does not have an inside position on A2 to prevent her from "going to goal" uncontested. In Figure #2 (click on pic), D2 slides across the field to block A2's path to the goal. In soccer, this inside defensive position is called goal side.

2. Slant To The Ball – A laterally flat defense can get split by A1 dribbling past D1 or knocking a thru ball to A2. In order to solve this problem, D2 should support D1 at a 45% angle behind and to the goal side of D1. However, don't drop back too far - WHY?

Also, slide and slant between the 2 defensive backs is used on offense as well as defense. Figure #3 (click on pic to enlarge) shows both the right and left backs moving up the field to stay connected with their teammates. The right back is in good position to support the right midfielder who has the ball. However, the left back is too flat (to the right back) in case the red team mounts a counter attack. Once again, she should slide to the middle of the field and slant back toward her own goal to be in a good defending position.

Video Clip - Here's an example of a team keeping good defensive shape by sliding and slanting as the ball moves around the field. Click the link below.

Slide – Slant Video Clip

Summary

In the examples above, I showed the most classic use of slide and slant to the ball - between our 2 defensive backs. However, it also can be used between our 3 midfielders or our 2 strikers. Slide and slant (vs. standing in a straight line across the field) is all about maintaining good soccer connection and balance - just like 2 kids on a see-saw.