What are some good tips and tricks for full backs/defenders?
I’m in 8th grade and soccer starts up at my school in about a month. I’m really gonna try hard this year to be a starting full back/defender (my coach calls it both). What are some good tips and tricks for me to become a better player at my position? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Never lose sight of your mark, who is typically an outside mid or a forward that drifts out wide. The most important part of being a defender is proper positioning. The best way to play is to position yourself where you can see both your mark, and the ball. You want to be far enough away that if your mark makes a run you can recover, but close enough that if the ball is passed to him, you will get there the same time. This should be your standard position for defense.
The next thing would be the way to defend, pushing your mark to the outside. Approach from an angle, slowing down as you get closer because they can come and burn you. How you close down on defense is crucial to if you make the tackle, or you look like an idiot.
Now for the fun part of being a fullback, in some formations they are allowed to be a part of the attack, so part of being a good fullback is your ability with the ball, and how you well you can cross the ball.
So in summary, practice your positioning, constantly being aware of where everyone is on the field, and practice crossing, because there will be times where you get the ball in a position to help the attack.
Best of luck
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:00 am
always try to send the opponent wide and never let them
cut inside. also face the opponent side on (so you are facing the touchline) and keep a steady distance so they can’t just knock and run and just beat you for pace
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February 2nd, 2010 at 9:10 am
I’m in 8th grade too and I play defence and you need to learn to follow the ball and not the attacker. You need to be in good shape because you need to keep up with the attackers. Learn to call and mark up on attackers when they have corner kicks. Pass down the sides and not in the middle of the feild.
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February 2nd, 2010 at 9:56 am
Never lose sight of your mark, who is typically an outside mid or a forward that drifts out wide. The most important part of being a defender is proper positioning. The best way to play is to position yourself where you can see both your mark, and the ball. You want to be far enough away that if your mark makes a run you can recover, but close enough that if the ball is passed to him, you will get there the same time. This should be your standard position for defense.
The next thing would be the way to defend, pushing your mark to the outside. Approach from an angle, slowing down as you get closer because they can come and burn you. How you close down on defense is crucial to if you make the tackle, or you look like an idiot.
Now for the fun part of being a fullback, in some formations they are allowed to be a part of the attack, so part of being a good fullback is your ability with the ball, and how you well you can cross the ball.
So in summary, practice your positioning, constantly being aware of where everyone is on the field, and practice crossing, because there will be times where you get the ball in a position to help the attack.
Best of luck
References :
3- year varsity left back.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:17 am
Try to have good balance in play, so attack during every decent opportunity and support ur paired winger but make sure ur always back when needed in defence. This is what im gonna focus on this season as i didn’t do it as much as i should’ve last year.
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February 2nd, 2010 at 10:22 am
defenders have to be fearless, never be scared to get injured or getting a red card. you also have to play until the end of the play, for example if you see the ball is going out you might think that no one will get that ball, it’s over, but there might be some fast player who can reach that ball and cross it, or shoot, so don’t give. another thing, if someone dribbles you, don’t lose your head, do not commit silly fouls; if someone dribbled you one time, you already know what to expect from that player so next time he wont dribble you, and you’ll be able to take the ball away from him! the key is to keep your head cold! good luck in your tournament!
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