1V1 Defending Player Workbook · one player to the ball at a time. This is typically the player closest to it. Check the 2v2 Defending Player Workbook at SoccerHomework.com for more

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SoccerHomework Director: Kyle O’Keefe

1V1 Defending Player Workbook

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HOW TO WIN 1v1 DEFENDING

1. Defending 1v1 is Everywhere!…..……………….3 2. Priorities of Defending…………………………….8 3. Fundamentals of 1v1 Defending…………………9 4. Cheat Sheet 1v1 Defending….………………….19 5. Player Worksheet…………………………………20

Copyright 2017 by AIE Sports LLC. All rights reserved.

Welcome to the SoccerHomework.com guide to 1v1 Defending. In this workbook we will look at

ways to improve your understanding and success of one-on-one defending.

Defending 1v1 is everywhere on the field! Picture this: the player you are playing against

has the ball and is coming at you… you need to take it! This is the basic idea of 1 versus 1 defending. He/she has the ball and it’s your job to get it and/or prevent them from going to your

goal.

Matching up. All over the field there are 1v1 match ups. Left midfielder plays against the

other team’s right midfielder. Center-mids play against center-mids, and defenders against forwards. Essentially everywhere on the field there is a matchup and responsibility for each

player. With all the fast pace changes to the game, it’s not necessarily this simplistic, but it is the basics of making sure that all their players are covered. As you get older in age and

transition into systems of play that work within zones, there is a lot of shifting into cover and balance. But there is also a lot of locking on as a player enters your zone. As you become the

defender closest to the ball, know as the “first defender”, you must take on the responsibility of pressuring that player and attempting to win the ball. This first defender role should rarely be

done by yourself, but regardless you still must be strong and effective in that first challenge within the 1v1. You must learn how to be a ‘stand up’ 1v1 Defender.

Be aware of the dangers. The dangers of getting beat 1v1 are very similar to Risk vs. Reward in the 1v1 Attacking Player Workbook. Certain areas of the field present a more dangerous

situation if you are beat. These dangerous or high risk areas are close to your own goal and in wide positions. The chart below highlights the danger zones.

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1v1 DEFENDING IS EVERYWHERE!

Defending the dangers. Your strategies and aggressiveness to win the ball will be somewhat dictated by where you are on the field. Each coach will approach it a little differently so make

sure and check with your coach to make sure you are playing within the frameworks of your team.

No Danger. This is the area of the field that is closest to the other team’s goal.

Defending in this section of the field can be done with High Pressure. Simply put, High Pressure is running at the ball as hard, as fast, and aggressive as you can. Take

the risk here and try to get the ball or make the defender mess up and play a bad pass that one of your teammates can pick off. If you dive in and miss that’s ok, recover and

try again. Take the chance here for a steal and the big reward of an opportunity very close to the other team’s goal.

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DEFENDING ATTACKING

MOST DANGER

MEDIUM DANGER

LOW DANGER

NO DANGER

Danger Zones for 1v1 Defending

Low Danger. This is an important part of the field. Although it is a low danger area,

we must be careful and a little more balanced in our approach to wining the ball here. Pick and choose your chances carefully for High Pressure. For this area of the field

we will want to look to keep them pinned into their defensive half of the field. To do this we still want to be aggressive to pressure the ball but must begin to slow our approach

and keep the players in front of us. No reckless diving in.

You may have heard your coach say to go play on “their half of the field.” This is basically like saying that you want to stay in the attack or attacking half. This is the area of the field where

you will need to win the ball! When defending in this section of the field your Defensive Backs are most likely up to the centerline. Your defenders and midfielders will want to establish a

barrier that is difficult to break through so that you can keep the ball in their half. I like to describe this as an upside down umbrella. If you turn your umbrella upside down in the rain it

will catch all the water. We want to catch all the balls and keep them from getting through into our defensive half. See the illustration below with the red line representing the barrier. This is

best accomplished in the Low Danger part of the field.

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DEFENDING ATTACKING

Defensive Barrier to trap the other team in their half.

Medium Danger. As we get into our defensive half we will really need to start to be

measured in our 1v1 defending. At this point we will need to employ more control and a lot of Steering and Delay. Although it is still important to win the ball, we don’t want to panic

yet. We need to be much more cautious. Our objective here is to stop their forward progress toward our goal. We must look to steer them to the sides and back and delay

them going forward. By delaying them we are looking to add numbers to our defending get help so that if we are beat they can’t go straight to goal.

Most Danger. Simply put, we don’t want the ball this close to our goal. And by now we

may be in trouble of them scoring. We definitely don’t want to be in 1v1 defending situations here. This is where we must be most focused and win the ball. I like to call this

1v1 challenge “stand alone defending.” By this point on the field you must be very good tackling the ball. You must be able to stand alone and not get beat. With where you are

on the field, if you are beat, there is a good likelihood that your teammates won’t have enough time to come help. Defending in this area is a must that you get your foot on the

ball. At the very least you must turn them away from goal and/or deny the shot or cross.

Starting Position. 1v1 Defending can take on a couple different forms. You may be a

defender in a marking position with your opponent playing back to goal. Or you may be goal side and the attacker is running at you with the ball. Right now we will be focusing on the latter,

defending 1v1 with attackers running at you with the ball. We will include another workbook at SoccerHomework.com that specifically addresses Starting Position in depth.

In defending 1v1 the best understanding of starting position will be goal side. This is where you

are closer to your own goal (the one you are defending) than the opposing attacker. You will always want to defend from the goal out. What that means is you will want to have your back to

your own goal and have to go to the ball heading away from your own goal. The opposite of this is recovery defending. You will not want to defend by chasing their forwards back to your goal.

This basically means that you were our of position to start with, beat, or both. Although it is exciting sometimes, it is too risky and recovering to defend should be avoided. Always try to

defend back to your own goal.

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Summary:

Matching Up. Talk to your coach and make sure you know who you are suppose to cover and where you are suppose to be - i.e. what is your position, what is your defensive job. You will

always have a job on the field. Match up properly and then win your 1v1 battles!

Danger Zones. Know where you are on the field. Be smart when going in to win the ball.

No Danger. Go High Pressure here. Try to trap them and win the ball by being fast and

aggressive.

Low Danger. Set your barrier here and keep them in their own half. Be aggressive and win the ball but no reckless diving in or chasing.

Medium Danger. Stand up defending here. Use Steering and Delay and be patient.

Stop their forward progress and push them sideways and back away from your goal. You want to buy time to get your teammates into a positions where they can help you.

Most Danger. Get your foot on the ball and get it out! You don’t want the ball this close

to your goal. It’s make or break in this part of the field - get it out or get scored on.

Starting Position. Defend back to goal. Try to avoid recovery defending. You will want to

defend out and away from your goal.

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If you ask most players, “What is the most important thing in defending?”, they will probably tell

you that the answer is “to get the ball.” Although there is some truth to that, it is not the most important part of defending. The main purpose and most important thing in defending is to keep

the other team from scoring. The other team could have the ball the practically the whole game, and if you keep them from scoring then you defended well!

As we get ready to discuss some foundational steps in 1v1 Defending, it is important to understand the proper Priorities of Defending. Combine this with the understanding of where

we are on the field and the dangers that presents as discussed above, and players can develop a smarter approach to going into tackles and 1v1 challenges.

Priorities of Defending. Follow this mental checklist as you approach the ball.

1. Keep the other team from scoring!2. Keep them in front of you so that you are in a position to continue to defend — Don’t

let them get behind you with the ball — if you do you’re beat!3. Force them to play sideways or backwards.

4. Win the tackle or force them to lose possession — Win the ball!

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PRIORITIES OF DEFENDING

This is the HOW TO of 1v1 Defending. There are specific steps to follow that will give you a good place to start. By following these steps, you will gain a process that gives you a method to

succeed. Practice these over and over again until you get them down and then add your personality and strengths to them.

STEP 1: Speed of Approach

As a defender it is important to keep them away from your goal and out of range of scoring. You

do not want to sit back and wait for the game to come to you. If you do, you give up too much free space that gets them closer to your goal. As a defender you will want to move toward the

ball to win it. But before attacking the ball to win it, make sure you are the correct defender that is suppose to go otherwise you get “the herd” of players bunching up. You only want to commit

one player to the ball at a time. This is typically the player closest to it. Check the 2v2 Defending Player Workbook at SoccerHomework.com for more on which defender goes to the

ball. If you are the right player then you will want to pressure immediately.

Immediate Pressure. You will want to pressure the ball right away. The best time to pressure the ball is before the attacker has completely controlled it. If you can put pressure on the

attacker before they get complete control of the ball you will have a better chance for the tackle. Plus, if they don’t have the ball under control yet it is likely they will be more nervous and you

could force them to mess up easier.

What is Pressure? Let’s get a good understanding of what pressure means in soccer. Pressure can simply be defined as getting close enough to the ball to make the opponent feel

uncomfortable. It is basically taking away time and space. Pressure happens by getting closer to the player - close enough to where they feel nervous. Too far away, they can relax and feel

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FUNDAMENTALS OF 1V1 DEFENDING

confident on the ball. Pressuring them means getting close and making them fear that you are

going to steal the ball from them.

Close the space Fast! Remember we are talking about 1v1 defending where the opposing player is in front of us. We do not want to sit back and let them move towards our goal freely.

We want to close to the ball quickly so that they have to earn every inch. And remember we are trying to win the ball back. Don’t give them anything. Sprint up to the ball but make sure and

slow down as you get closer.

Slow and Low. After closing the space and showing immediate pressure you will want to begin to slow down and get low in your stance. If you don’t slow down there is a good chance that a

simple change of direction or just moving the ball will beat you. By slowing down and getting low you become more controlled and able to adjust. The objective here is to be ready to tackle

the ball. We want to go through our Priorities of Defending and then get our foot on the ball if necessary. To do this we must be balanced and have the ability to move.

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Attacking

= You - the Defender

= Attacker

Immediate Pressure -

Don’t give up all this space free!Go to the ball fast!

STEP 2: ANGLE OF APPROACH

Your approach to the ball will dictate the play. The idea here is that you have a plan to give yourself the best chance to win the ball as possible. As an attacker dribbles at you they will

have to make a choice on how to beat you. Many times this is deciding to go to the left or right side. This gives them 2 choices.

With a good planned approach we will eliminate one of their choices and force them to a

direction where we want them to go. This means that you are taking away either the left or the right. If you know which side they will go to then making the tackle should be considerably

easier. We will make them go in the direction we want them to go in!

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Attacker

Option 1 - beat you to left Option 2 - beat you to right

2 Directions to beat you!

Steering. Make play predictable! As we approach the defender we will bend our run to take

away one side. This will give us the advantage to know where the attacker is going to dribble. We call this approach steering. It is exactly like steering a car. We will turn the attacker to the

side we want them to go. See the diagram below on how to make this run.

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Attacker

Option 2 - Easiest option for the attacker to take… and really the only option available.

You present the Attacker with an easy decision - the “Easy Way.”

And you KNOW they are going there, now you have the advantage - no guessing!

Option 1 -Notice that with a curved approach and if you take a position where the yellow star is, then Option 1 doesn’t work… the attacker would run right into you!

Bend your run to Steer them. You will bend your run as you approach the ball. The diagram

above shows how this takes away one of the attacker’s options on where to dribble. If the attacker dribbles to the star, they will run right into you, the defender. This leaves only ONE

option to dribble.

By taking away one of the options with steering the attacker we essentially make play predictable. What that means is that we know where they are going to try and go with the ball.

Be careful as they could try and cut back on you. But most of the time in the games players will take the path of least resistance - they will take the “Easy Way.” The attacker will most likely

take the easy way you give them.

The Easy Way. In soccer, being the attacker and having the ball is a huge responsibility. There are tons of decisions to make and most players don’t like to mess up. By presenting the

attacker with an “Easy Way” you trick them into going exactly where you want them to go. This gives you the advantage of knowing where they are going — which in turn makes it easier for

you to set up for the tackle.

Don’t give it all away. As you practice this you will need to make sure that you don’t bend your run too wide. If you bend your run too wide in order to steer them, there is a good chance

that a fast player can just dribble right by you. I call this giving it all away. Make sure that as you work to steer them that you get enough to the side for it to be effective, but not to far where

they just blow right by. There is a balance you will have to figure out based on your range. Too wide and they just run by. Not wide enough and you are not really steering them.

Main Objective. The main objective is to take away the attackers options and make play

predictable so that the defender knows where the attacker is going to dribble. We do this by approaching the ball with a bent run.

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STEP 3: STANCE

What is stance? When we say stance in soccer we are referring to how you are standing: knees bent, feet off set should width apart, side on, etc. You’ve gone through steps 1 and 2,

and now you are up close to the defender showing good pressure. Your stance is basically your body shape. The proper stance when defending will help you to be agile and quick. You will

need to be able to move and a proper stance will help.

Side On. This stance is where you have 1 foot in front of the other. It is not a full side on stance but rather a semi side on. You will still want your hips and shoulders to face the ball and

the attacker. This staggering of your feet will allow you for good balance as well as good reaction to make the tackle.

Advantages of side on. If you line up flat to the defender with both feet under your shoulders

directly facing the attacker there are some distinct disadvantages you will have. It is important to point these out so as to be able to highlight the advantages of being side on. One

disadvantage is that you can easily be nut-megged. This is a soccer move where the attacker plays the ball between your legs to beat you. It is widely regarded as embarrassing when this

happens. If you are side on you will eliminate this option. Another disadvantage is that you lose a step. If you are flat with you feet under you, you will need to drop one foot when moving

back to make the tackle. This step will essentially put you in the side on stance. By already being in the side on stance you save this step, making you one step faster.

Another advantage that comes from the side on stance is the ability to increase your tackling

options and potential to fake (wait what?…fake as a defender? — yep!)

Be able to move. One important thing that a defender must always be thinking about is the ability to move. If you lose balance or get back on your heals you will probably get beat. Have

“hot feet” or “happy feet” and be able to move. Keep your feet moving and stay up on the balls of your feet. Although you will have a good plan in these steps, you will still need to react

quickly to make the tackle.

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It comes naturally. The side on stance actually will come pretty naturally with your angle of

approach or steering. As you bend your run up to the ball you will notice that your steering requires you to be a little sideways. This helps push the attacker in the direction you want them

to go. If you flatten out, you will be to the side and give away way to much. With a good approach it should be easier to work into a good side on stance.

STEP 4: TACKLE

Get your foot on the ball! … Enough said.

Range. Your range as a defender is basically the space around you where you can tackle the ball. It is where you can get your foot on the ball. See the red in the picture below.

The bigger the range, the better. The quicker you are to move and react with the ball and attacker, the bigger your range will be. Work to increase your range. Practice this by working

on quickness, balance, strength, and speed. You can also increase your range by reading

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Attacker

moves well. Become familiar with common moves that attackers use. This will allow you to

predict the play.

DON’T DIVE IN. Yes defenders want to be aggressive and go after the ball. BUT don’t go crazy and just run up and throw you leg at the ball. A good player will beat you every time. Be

composed and know the difference of when to go in for the ball and when not to. Timing is important!

Timing. Be aware of your timing. Tackling the ball isn’t just about running up to it and kicking it.

Unfortunately it’s not that easy. Many attackers will bait you with the ball and then move it at the last second and you just got beat diving in. Pay attention to when you reach for the ball. You

will want read the defender and make sure that when you go for the ball you can get your foot on it. The closer your body is, typically the better — in other words commit to the tackle with

your body also. If you can’t get your foot on the ball, at very least get your body in the way or on the defender to help slow them down so that you can continue to work to win the ball. Don’t let

them run by freely. But also make sure not to foul them. Bodying up doesn’t mean mowing them down.

WHERE to tackle. If you go through Steps 1-3 properly, Where you make the tackle might

change a little. We must pay attention to where the ball is going to be not necessarily where it is now. Too many times players are beat because they are going for the tackle in front of them

where the ball currently is. The attacker simply moves the ball and the defender has just dove in and is beat. Remember in Steps 1-3 we are working to set them up to make play predictable.

A huge part of this is understanding that the attacker is going to take the easy way space that we give them. We are going to give them a side to dribble to. That is where we must tackle the

ball. We are basically setting a trap for them to dribble into where we will make the tackle. Looking to tackle in front of us where the ball currently is, while giving them a spot to dribble to

will often get us beat. Tackle the ball where they will be next, not where they are now.

Making contact. Soccer is a contact sport. You are allowed to bump and fight for position on the ball. You are not allowed to push, trip, or extend your arms. Make sure you are aware of

what is allowed and what is a foul. But by all means be physical. Don’t kick anyone on purpose but be aggressive to win the ball. We wear shinguards for a reason. Making contact with the

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other player can be very valuable to you winning the ball. There will be times when you are side

by side with the attacker fighting for the ball. Being able to make contact and maintain your balance and speed can win you the ball. Just remember that soccer is a contact sport so be

aggressive but don’t foul.

Types of Tackles. There are a couple different types of tackles to be aware of.

Front foot or Poke tackle - The poke tackle is where you use your front foot to stab at the ball. You will most likely be using your toe to make contact and poke the ball away. This is

a quick movement that allows you to maintain most of your balance. Be careful that you are not over committing and diving in with this.

Block tackle - This is where you will go foot in to try and block the ball. You will also want to get your body in the way and block the player if for some reason you are not able to get your

foot on the ball. Work on being able to get a quick spin out of this if you miss the ball. Otherwise you might draw a foul. This tackle is where you might hear you coach say

something like, “Get stuck in!”Squeeze them out - This tackle is a little different than getting your foot on the ball. This

tackle is where you will look to squeeze your body in between the attacker and the ball effectively squeezing them out and giving you possession of the ball. This works very well

when you go through steps 1-3 properly. Get a good jump on their first step as they go to push the ball by you. Wedge yourself in between them and the ball. This will cause them to

run into your back and you now have possession. Remember to run after the ball because if you stop you might be called for obstruction.

Slide tackle - This tackle is a recovery tackle where you slide on the ground to get your foot on the ball. This is a last ditch effort to extend your range and win the tackle. Although it is

important and can be a game saver, it is much better if you don’t have to use this tackle a lot.

Fakes for Defenders. Fakes for defenders, is that right? Yep! Defenders can fake too. Sometimes an attacker will wait to see what the defender is going to do or react to their

movement. Just like an attacker can do a fake with the ball, a defender can fake the tackle. Faking going in on the tackle may cause the attacker to push to ball out to a place where we

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can now get it. A defender fakes the tackle by slightly and quickly lunging forward and almost

stomping your front foot on the ground. Make sure and be light on your feet and not overcommit on this movement. Remember it is a fake so that the attacker messes up. You will then want to

win the ball to the side quickly. Practice this one it is very good.

Summary:

The “How to” or fundamentals of Defending 1v1 can be broken down into 4 steps. These steps

have some details within them. These are general building blocks to get the main ideas down.

STEP 1 - Speed of Approach

STEP 2 - Angle of Approach / Steering

STEP 3 - Stance

STEP 4 - Tackle!

Key points to remember: be aggressive to the ball, body up, and get your foot on the ball.

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Use this cheat sheet to quickly refer back to key ideas in 1v1 Defending.

Defending 1v1 is Everywhere on the field You Must be able to Defend!

Be aware of your location on the field. Know the danger zones.

Priorities of Defending1. Don’t let them score!

2. Don’t let them in behind you!3. Force them to play sideways or backwards.

4. Win the ball!

How to Win 1v1 Defending Step 1: Speed of Approach - Immediate Pressure

Step 2: Angle of Approach - Steering Step 3: Stance - side on and hot feet

Step 4: Tackle - win the ball!

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CHEAT SHEET 1V1 DEFENDING

Steps for Defending 1v1:

How to fake the Attacker:

Notes for Defending 1v1:

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PLAYER WORKSHEET