The role of the defender

chicagofirerecsoccer july 2016The defender’s main goal is to reduce penetration. This means preventing the attacker from either passing forward, dribbling to the goal or shooting. The best way to achieve this is by applying pressure and strategic positioning.

Priorities for a pressuring defender

The defender should prevent a pass before individual duel occurs. The defender should try to position themselves on the goal side of the attacker, so that there is visibility of the ball and the attacker.

Look to tackle the ball as the attacker makes their turn. If this was unsuccessful consider tackling the ball before confrontation occurs with the offensive player.

Make the attacker screen the ball when the ball is touched. Prevent the attacker from turning with the ball and facing the goal.

Look at facing the attacker halfway through their turn. Good defenders will know when an attacker has decided to turn.

Avoid leaning on your attacker. Some attackers will use this to spin and play the ball into the space left open by the defender.

Position the attacker into the least dangerous space. After the attacker has turned, guide him in the direction that you believe will cause the least damage.

You can then set your trap, by being applying the correct speed. Avoid closing down on an attacker’s space too quickly, as this may cause the offensive player to play the ball behind the defender. A move that is too slow, can give the attacker too much time to play.

The differences between authentic and replica jersey

Written by Soccer Garage

1Whenever you buy a soccer clothes related to a specific club or country team, you will come across two types. Authentic soccer jerseys and replica soccer jerseys. Please note that the replica indicated here are not referring to the cheap knock off available. Generally it can be hard to tell the difference between the authentic and replica jerseys, so here are the differences:

Replica soccer jerseys

When it comes to replica jerseys, they essentially identical to those worn by players on the field. The main difference is that they tend to have a slightly looser cut so it is more comfortable for the fan to wear. In addition, the materials and technologies used are probably different to keep costs down. The average fan will not need that fabric now will they need the performance characteristics.

Authentic soccer jerseys

These are identical to those worn by the players. They are the same material, cut and even the fit. They tend to have a polyester blend wicking fabric, just like the professional players wear. For example an authentic jersey will have the brand logo on the top left hand, while the replica will have the team logo. There will also be other small differences to keep the weight down and maintain comfort levels.

The choice, will depend on what you need in terms of a fan jersey. Just to spectate matches, at the stadium or even at the pub, the replica is fine. If there are any plans to actually play with the jersey, then the authentic is the way to go.

Soccer Garage is a supplier of soccer apparel and soccer replicas.