THE ART OF DEFENDING.

DON HOWE.
THE ART OF DEFENDING.

THE GAME HAS CHANGED.

LAW CHANGES.

With the clamp down on tackling from behind which has been emphatically
introduced by FIFA, and UEFA and referees, if defenders continue to get their timing
wrong in tackles then very quickly they received both and yellow cards.

In the past defenders were given instructions by their coach to Hit hard certain
players in the tackle in the first ten minutes of the match. This was to pressure or
unsettle the opponent, to make him nervy. It saw seen that the referee would not
caution players in the early stages of the match.
In the modern game with the law changes, a player would be cautioned as early as the
first minute if that kind of tactic was used. That player would be on the edge of a
sending-off the whole game. It would only take one mistimed tackle during the match
for him to be sent-off. Don Howe.

USING A SWEEPER.
Due to the rule changes in football during the 1990s, the game has changed. Italys
former coach Azeglio Vicini, said that Italian teams are playing with a sweeper /
Libero again. This is generally because of the rule change of where the last defender
would be sent-off for bringing down the oppositions forward if he is through on goal.
By positioning a sweeper behind the defence, if the same situation arises again and
the player brings down his opponent, he will now only receive only a caution at worst
rather than a red card as he is now not the last man. Don Howe.

To adjust to the modern game, players need to know how defend properly. Coaches
have therefore to work harder with defenders to ensure they become more disciplined,
be patient in challenges, to use their body more appropriately and to think more about
their tackling.

If we are going to make players like Baresi, Beckenbauer or Moore in the future we
have got to teach them to defend when they are young. There are great players at the
schools of excellence, they have all the skills and can do all the tricks, but they need
to be taught how to defend at an early age for them to become the next Baresi,
Beckenbauer or Moore.
We must teach them to
- INTERCEPT.
- JOCKY.
- AND TACKLE. Don Howe.

A DEFENCE IS LIKE A CHAIN ONLY AS STRONG AS ITS WEAKEST

LINK. Don Howe.
 The coach must coach the individual in a 1 v 1 situation and teach them how to
defend in the position they play in the team, once they are old enough to be
considered a left-back or a central defender and so on. The importance is highlighted
by the fact that defending is very different to coach for the full-backs and the centre-
backs.

A defence is like a chain, it is only as strong as its weakest link so if there is a

weakness in defence then other teams will find it very quickly.

We must teach out defenders to always be alert and we must regularly coach the
variations in jockeying positions, standing up etc and encourage defenders to find
their most comfortable and effective position to be able to tackle or react to the game
situation. The head must be balanced at all times.

The aim of defending are:-

1 to Intercept.
2 to Jockey.
3 to Tackle.

The individual work for defenders should include warm-up practices running
backwards, the jockeying position and turning and covering, jabbing out the foot to
pinch the ball away from attackers. When coaching make specific reference to ball
watching particularly when wall passes, one twos etc are being worked. Centre backs
should be coached not to let the man/player turn full-backs to push their opponents
inside or outside dependant on the team strategy.
DEFENDING 1 V 1.
DEFENDING 2 V 2.
DON HOWE .
DEFENDING.

WARM-UP.

AREA

The players performed a general warm-up themselves first of all.

Players in a line along the touch-line. The players must jog back and forth across the
pitch in a line awaiting instructions.

When the whistle is blown The players must jockey backwards until the call for the
players to jog forward again.

When there is a double blow of the whistle, the players must sprint forward to the
touch-line in front of them (this distance will never be too far).

This developed so that the players loosen up their bodies, the players must jog
backwards, when the players hear a blow of the whistle, the player must kick out their
left leg. On the next blow of the whistle, the players must kick out their right foot, and
so on.
 TOEING THE BALL AWAY KILLER.

Area 15 yards wide circle (tight area).

All of the players have a ball each apart from two defenders.

The two defenders must try to knock out the other players balls out of the circle.
Once a player has his ball knocked out of the area that player is out of the practice.
The practice finishes when all of the players balls are knocked out of the circle.
The practice is then repeated with two new defenders.

This practice is working on the technique of Toeing the ball away. The players must
only toe the ball away from the players feet, knocking the ball out of the area. There is
no block tackling or firm tackling, or sliding tackles.

COACHING POINT The defenders must time their tackle and toe the ball away
from the players, only using their toes to stab the ball away.
 KEEPING THE PLAY IN FRONT OF THE DEFENDER AND
DEALING WITH WALL-PASSES

AREA

Player 1 is the attacker, and player 2 is the defender.

The server throws the ball into player 1, player 1 must control the ball and try to
dribble into the Safe Zone.

COACHING POINTS
- The defender must travel as the ball travels and close down the attacker, to
pressure his control and nerve.
- Defender must have the alert stance, head balanced, eyes on the ball, side-on.
- The defender must keep the play in front of himself.
- Cat and mouse challenges, feinting to tackle for the ball.
- The defender must push the attacker the way he wants to go.
- The defender must try to get his toe-in and knock the ball out of the area.

The defender becomes the next attacker, the attackers rest behind the safe zone, one of
the player behind the safe zone becomes the next defender.
DEVELOPMENT Two Wall Passers are introduced.

AREA

The attacking player can still try to dribble past the defender but can now also play
Wall passes / one-twos to try to get in behind defender and into the safe zone.

COACHING POINTS The defender must still use the coaching points as before.

COACHING POINT The defender must keep his eyes on the ball, but he must
not ball watch when the attacker is trying to make a wall-pass to get in behind him.

COACHING POINT When a Wall-pass is made the defender must be able to

drop back and intercept that return pass or toe the ball away.

BRITISH DEFENDERS DO NOT LIKE PLAYERS PLAYING WALL-PASSES

ON THE EDGE OF THE PENALTY AREA. THIS IS BECAUSE BRITISH
DEFENDERS BALL WATCH. Don Howe.
 DEFENSIVE ALERTNESS.

AREA

The players are in a straight line facing forward towards Don Howe.

The players must stand in a defensive stance Slightly side-on in a balanced

position.
On the call of Left or Right the players must sprint to the line at that side. The
player must then jog back to the centre and line up once again.

Calls of Left or Right are random. If the players know which way they are going
to sprint they will position their body to get to that line. The purpose of the practice is
for the players to be able to react and move off in any direction while taking off from
the defensive stance, as if they were during a match.

COACHING POINT The players must push-off sharply and get to the line as
quickly as possible starting from the defensive stance. The player must stand slightly
side-on with feet apart with knees bent, in a balanced position.
STOPPING FORWARD PASSING AND FORCING PLAY IN ONE
DIRECTION.

AREA 15 x 15 yards??????????

Line of players at both sides with another player at the bottom of the area.

Player (A) serves the ball in. (B) is the attacker. Player (C) is the attacker
Player (B) must try to dribble the ball through GATE-1.

FORCING THE PLAYER DOWN THE LINE.

The defender must force the attacker wide and backwards away from the gate and
try to knock the ball out of the area.
The practice finishes when either the attacker dribbles through the gate or the
defender knocks the ball out of play.
 The players then rotate positions, player (A) moves to the bottom of the area to
become the next attacker. Player (B) joins the line of defenders. Player (C) joins the
other line behind the server.

COACHING POINTS The defender must close down the attacker and travel as the
ball travels and bend his run slightly to cut off any inside movement from the attacker
and to pressure his nerve and control. The defender must force the attacker down the
line away from the gate and even force the attacker backwards away from the gate.

COACHING POINTS The defender must take up the alert stance, side on
balanced stance, knees bent, eyes on the ball.

COACHING POINT The defender must pressure the attacker with cat and
mouse challenges, feinting to go for the ball and then attempt to nick the ball off the
attacker at the right moment.
FORCING THE PLAYER ACROSS THE PITCH.

DEVELOPMENT The GATE has now been move to the other-side of the area.

AREA

The attacker must once again try to dribble with the ball through the GATE.
The defender must force the attacker across the area and backwards away from the
gate and try to knock the ball out of the area.

The practice finishes when either the attacker dribbles through the gate or the
defender knocks the ball out of play.

COACHING POINT - The defender must travel as the ball travels and bend his run
slightly to block the attacker from running with the ball through the GATE. The
defender must then force the attacker across the area away from the GATE.
BLOCKING PASSES TO BLIND-SIDED RUNS 1 v 2.

AREA

Once the server passes the ball to player (B), player (A) the server MUST make a
straight run directly towards the GATE in behind the defender on the defenders
Blind-side. Player (A) must not perform any other movement apart from the
blind-side run.
Player(B) must attempt to pass the ball either down the line for (A) to run onto (A
blind-side run).

Or pass the ball back to (A) just in front of him to run the ball through the GATE.

COACHING POINTS The defender must travel as the ball travels as before to
close down player (B) and to pressure his touch and nerve.

But if the defender makes his run to a position directly in front of the defender to
block the forward pass, forcing the player across the pitch, this will leave room for the
attacker (B) to pass the ball inside for (A) to run onto.
COACHING POINT If the defender takes up a position forcing the attacker down
the line, this will leave space for the attacker to pass the ball down the line, for (A) to
make the Blindside run and receive the ball behind the defender.

COACHING POINT The correct position for the defender to take up is a position
closer to the attacker with a slightly more square stance rather than a side-on stance to
be able to block both passes with both feet.

COACHING POINTS
- Travel as the ball travels.
- Defender to get into a balanced position, but must take a slightly more square
stance to block the pass down the line and also the inside pass.
- The defender must get close to the attacker to block-off the inside pass, if too
much space is left between them, the ball could be played into (A) to receive
just in front of himself.
 PLAYING WITH A COMPACT DEFENCE.

AREA Half of a full-sized pitch.

Two wide areas have been created by placing a line of cones from the corner of the
penalty area to a few yards inside the touch-line on the half-way line.

DEFENDING TEAM Goalkeeper, back four defence with three defensive

midfielders in front.

ATTACKING TEAM Two centre-forwards, two wide players and two central
midfielders.

The two attacking teams wingers must stay out in the wide zones.
The practice always starts with the attacking teams two centre-midfielders.

The defensive midfielders must try to force the oppositions midfielders to pass the
ball out wide to the wingers.

COACHING POINT The back four must stay compact as a unit within the width
of the penalty area. A defence is like a chain. Only as Strong as its weakest Link.

COACHING POINT The full-backs must keep close to the centre-backs with the
middle zone. The full-backs are only allow out wide into the wide zones when the ball
is passed out to the winger. The Full-back must then travel as the ball travels to close
down the winger.
*The full-back must either then show the winger inside and try to force him across the
pitch or show him the line and force him down the line. This totally depends on what
the teams plan is.

FORCED INSIDE.

FORCED OUTSIDE.

If the ball gets played to the oppositions centre-forward who receive the ball, one of
the central defenders must break out of the back-line to challenge the player. The
other three defenders must shuffle over and cover.
 PREVENTING AN OPPONENT FROM
TURNING WITH THE BALL.

AREA

A goalkeeper, two lines of players either side of the goal and a server.

The players on the goalkeepers right are the attackers, the players on the left of the
goalkeeper are defenders.

The server passes the ball into the area for both players to run into the area. (The
defender must let the attack get to the ball first).

The attacker must attempt to turn with the ball and try to get a shot in on goal. The
defender must try to stop the attacker from scoring by knocking the ball out of the
area.
Both players then join the back of the other line, thus becoming attackers and
defenders.
COACHING POINTS
- The defender must travel as the ball travels and get close to the attacker to
prevent him from turning.
- Eyes on the ball, balanced position, touch tight.
- If the opponent does turn with the ball, the defender must keep the play in
front of himself.
- The defender must keep close and try to block any shots and knock the ball
away and out of the area.

DEFENDING IN ZONES.

AREA Penalty area with two zones marked on the edge of the area.

Seven players - An Attacker and a defender is positioned in each zone, with a server
positioned outside the zones.

Each area has two GATES through which the attack must try to run with the ball
through.
 The servers pass the ball at an angle into the zone next to them (not the zone they are
standing in front of). The attacker must receive the ball and try to dribble past the
defender and through one of the GATES into the penalty area to shoot at goal.

COACHING POINTS
- The defender must travel as the ball travels.
- Balanced position, side-on eyes on the ball.
- The defender must keep the play in front of himself.
- The attacker must be forced away from the GATES.
- The defender must try to knock the ball out of the area.

DEVELOPMENT Four zones are now created.

DEVELOPMENT Wall-passers are introduced in each zone. Each zone has one
Wall passer.

COACHING POINTS - The defender must use the same coaching points as before,
but now the defender must also not ball watch when a wall-pass is made, but instead
keep an eye on the ball and keep the attacker in view to block the return pass.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE BALL BUT DO NOT BALL WATCH Don Howe.

Don How said that English defenders do not like continentals playing one-twos on
the edge of the penalty area. English players ball watch. Defenders must keep their
eyes on the ball, but must not ball watch.
 MARKING.

AREA

There is an attacker and a defender positioned on the edge of the attacking third. A
wide player and a server positioned on the half-way line.

The server passes the ball out wide to the winger. The winger drives forward with the
ball down the line.
The attacker must make a run into the penalty area, constantly changing direction, the
defender must track him all the way into the penalty area.
The winger must cross the ball into the area, the attacker must attempt to score, the
defender must win the ball.
COACHING POINTS The defender must constantly check the player who he is
marking and the player on the ball.

Don Howe said that when AC Milans Baresi marks an attacker, he constantly checks
the player with the ball, and the player he is marking. His head is constantly looking
side to side, Like a nodding dog in the back of a car.

NOTE Don Howe said that at Milan, when Baresi is playing, the other defenders
such as Maldini, will check the player they are marking and then check Baresi. If
Baresi steps-up, the other defenders step-up. If Baresi drops back, they all drop back.
He dictates the defensive line.
DEFENDING.

DAVE SEXTON.
Dave Sexton.

DEFENDING.
INTERCEPTING / STEPPING IN FRONT OF AN OPPONENT.
6 players and one ball.

AREA

3 v 3 (2 defenders v 1 attacker).

Both teams have two defenders in one half of the area, and one attacker in the other
half of the area. The players cannot cross into the other half of the area. The defenders
must try to pass to the attacker in the other half of the area.

The defenders must mark goal-side.

 The defenders must build-up the play between them and try to pass the ball forward
to the attack in the other half of the area. The attack of the team without the ball must
try to close down and apply pressure to the two defenders.

The defenders must try to step in front of the defender and intercept passes made into
the attacker.

COACHING POINT The defender must mark goal-side of the attacker. Defenders
must keep an eye on the ball and the attacker, looking to see when the oppositions
defenders has the space and a bit of time to pass the ball forward.
When the oppositions defender who has possession of the ball puts his head down to
look at the ball, this is the moment for the defender to step in front of his the attacker
to intercept the ball being played into the attacker.

The defender must win the ball and then hold onto it. The practice then stops.

COACHING POINT THINK AGGRESSIVELY Dave Sexton.

DEVELOPMENT 5 v 5 (3 Defenders v 2 Attackers).

The team with possession of the ball must build up the play before passing the ball
forward into the other half of the area to their two attackers. The two attackers must
close down the defenders who have possession of the ball, putting pressure on them.

COACHING POINT Same coaching points as before, the defenders must keep an
eye on the player they are marking and the ball. The moment to step in front of the
attacker to intercept the ball is the moment the oppositions defender with the ball puts
his head down to pass the ball.
FORCING THE PLAY DOWN THE LINE / MAKING THE PLAY
PREDICTABLE AND INTERCEPTING THE BALL.
AREA -

7 v 7 plus goalkeepers.

Both teams have three defenders, two wing-backs and two attackers.
COACHING POINT - The two attackers must apply pressure to the oppositions
back three, forcing them to play the ball wide and down the line, thus making play
predictable.

COACHING POINT The wing-back must force the oppositions wing-back to pass
the ball down the line or run with the ball down the line.
COACHING POINT When the wing-back has been forced to pass down the line,
the centre-forward will drop out wide to receive the ball. The centre-back must follow
the forward out wide and try to intercept the pass.

DAVE SEXTON NOTE With Terry Venables England side, he want the play
forced inside into the midfield where they had strength in numbers. Glenn Hoddle
wanted his England side to force the play down the sides. Hoddles said that all the
best creative players in the world played in the centre i.e. Maradona, Hagi, Platini,
and it is better to keep the ball away from them.
 ATTACKING FROM THE BACK.
3-5-2 SHADOW PLAY.

AREA Not a full-sized pitched but a scaled down pitch as there is no opposition.

The formation is 3-5-2 without a goalkeeper (England were playing 3-5-2 at the time
under Glen Hoddle). The team is faced with no opposition apart from a goalkeeper.

ATTACKING THROUGH THE MIDDLE CENTRE-BACK.

The practice starts with the opposition goalkeeper kicking the ball long down the
pitch to the middle centre-back.
COACHING POINT The centre-back must control the ball on his first touch
before the ball bounces, to build-up the play by running forward with the ball.

COACHING POINT Once the ball is controlled by the middle centre-back and he
starts to build the ball out, the two wing-backs must push out wide to stretch the
opposition.

THE FIRST TASK OF THE CENTRE-BACK The centre-back must carry the
ball into midfield and create a Third man running situation with the two
strikers. The centre-back must play an Up back and Through with the two forwards,
with number (11) running onto the ball and getting a shot on goal.
COACHING POINT The two forwards must make runs in opposite directions.
The first forward must to come towards the player with the ball to receive the ball.
The second forward must sprint forward when the ball is played through to get his
shot on goal.

COACHING POINT The second forward must spin-off after setting the ball back
to follow-in for rebounds.
SECOND TASK OF THE CENTRE-BACK The centre-backs to run with the
ball through the midfield to shoot at goal.

COACHING POINT The centre-back must continue his run up to the midfield, the
midfielders must open up to pull away their markers to allow the centre-back to run
through the space unchallenged. The two forwards must also split to pull away their
markers to allow the centre-back to get off a shot at goal.

DEVELOPMENT Once the centre-back has gone through midfield, he must feint
to shoot to attract opposition defenders towards him, but he must instead lay the ball
off to one of the two strikers would pulled away for one of them to shoot.
ATTACKING THROUGH THE WING-BACK.

Two oppositions wing-backs are introduced along with a server / passive player.

STARTING POINT The oppositions wing-back tries to play a one-two with the
server and makes a forward run. The server purposely under hits the return pass to the
oppositions wing-back so the pass is intercepted. The wing-back must receive the ball,
counter-attack by accelerating up the touchline with the ball. The oppositions wing-
back must give chase applying pressure on the wing-back.
COACHING POINT The wing-back must knock the ball out of his feet travelling
as quickly as possible down the line while being chased by the oppositions wing-back
before crossing the ball in the centre for the two centre-forwards to attack. The quality
of the cross must be good while being put under pressure.
 BLOCKING PASSES TO BLIND-SIDE RUNS.

AREA Final third of a full-sized pitch.

Six players and a goalkeeper. 2 Defenders v 4 Attackers.

RON GREENWOOD SAID NEVER LET A BLIND-SIDE PASS GO. Dave

Sexton.

The players are put into two groups of 1 defender and 2 attackers.

Player (A) has possession of the ball and must make a straight pass behind the
defender, player (B) must make an angled Blind-side run into the space beyond the
defender. The defender must block the pass to the attacker making the blind-side
run.
 Players (C) and (D) must repeat the practice with the other defender. Player (C) must
make a straight pass for player (D) to make an angled Blind-side run into the space
behind the defender.

COACHING POINT The defender must take up a slightly more square standing
stance, and block / intercept the pass to the blind-side run by making a sideways
sliding tackle on the spot.
THE TACKLE - The intercepting sliding tackle must be made with the players leg
outstretched with the outside of the foot parallel to the ground. The sliding tackle
must not be made with the heel digging into the ground, as this would lead to the
defender injuring himself.

The defender must get his heel off the ground. Dave Sexton.

DEVELOPMENT - The defender must practice the sliding technique on his own
without out any opponents and without the ball. The player must practice making this
type of tackle with the outside of the foot parallel to the ground.