To be a good soccer defender, you probably know that you need to be aggressive. You need to use your body to make strong tackles, and you want to get in front of shots and essentially be a force to be reckoned with on the field.
Here are some ways to improve your defending so you can do what it takes for your game and your team.
#1 Stay calm under pressure
It can sometimes be easy to give in to the pressure of always being fast and effective to get in front of those shots.
You want to be so aggressive that other players fear you, yet you also want to retain control of your energy and not lose your temper.
One of the best ways to learn to stay calm under pressure is to learn to tolerate discomfort. This is where you can do exercises that will stretch your mind and body to improve your focus.
Bodyweight exercises with resistance bands, like the ones at Victorem, can significantly improve your mental focus while increasing your strength. Using resistance bands during exercise forces you to focus on where your body is in space to do the movements correctly, thus improving your concentration.
Other ways you can keep calm under pressure include:
- Focusing on your breathing. Breathing deep can help you focus on what is happening at the moment.
- Imagining a positive outcome. Visualizing what you want to have happened can help your brain avoid stress and stay focused.
- Make sure you are well-rested before your game. A good night’s sleep can help ward off stress and anxiety.
The more you improve your mental focus, the more you can keep your attention on how you want to play the game, on your overall strategy, which brings us to our next point.
#2 Think strategy
Good soccer defenders will be thinking about their team’s tactics while deciding on their next move. Keeping the team’s game plan at the front of your mind will make all the difference in your ability to decide quickly what to do next to fulfill those tactics, even with the ball at your feet.
Another essential element of a strategy is to learn what you can about the opposing team: their design, their players, etc. Study how they have played in recent games to exploit their weaknesses as part of your plan.
Good strategic thinking involves:
- Knowing what the priorities are in any given moment (e.g., blocking the shot, tackling, etc.)
- Being mindful of the consequences of your choices
- Observing what is happening around you and acting in consequence
#3 Get good at interpreting body language
When you are skilled at reading body language on the field, you can anticipate what another player will do. Most players focus on the ball, but the best players focus half their attention on the ball and half on the player behind the ball. Doing so will enable you to anticipate what they’ll do next and act accordingly.
This means you will have more chances of being in the right place at the right time without having to rely exclusively on speed to get you there.
#4 Stay focused on where you are
Some defenders can get caught up in the ball’s position or other players and find themselves out of their place. They may get drawn into another part of the field by an opposition player, or they may spend more time thinking about themselves rather than the team.
As defenders work in teams of 3 to 5 players, you don’t want to stray from your position and weaken the team’s ability to defend effectively. You want to keep your self-discipline so that you can stay where you are most effective.
One way to improve your awareness of your position throughout the game is to pay attention to which players from your team are next to you at the start. Then remind yourself of this during the game – are they still beside you? If not, you know to get back into position quickly to not compromise your defense.
Remaining focused on where you are is part of overall awareness of what is happening around you. The more aware you are of your surroundings, the more you will be able to:
- Pass to the right players depending on the location of players on the opposing team
- Decide whether to run towards the ball or to cover the opposition striker
- Decide whether to move up or down the field
Try these tips out when you’re next on the field, and see the difference they make.
