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Defending Principles of Play

Principles of play such as delay, support, concentration, balance, and discipline should be taught to players of all ages through coaching. Delay involves preventing quick passes forward to allow the team to reposition on loss of possession. Support means reducing space behind pressuring players and providing defensive backup. Concentration involves moving compactly into vulnerable areas. Balance is needed to counter offensive mobility while maintaining defensive shape. Discipline and patience are required to avoid rash challenges that could disorganize the defense.

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Jonty Toradmal
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160 views

Defending Principles of Play

Principles of play such as delay, support, concentration, balance, and discipline should be taught to players of all ages through coaching. Delay involves preventing quick passes forward to allow the team to reposition on loss of possession. Support means reducing space behind pressuring players and providing defensive backup. Concentration involves moving compactly into vulnerable areas. Balance is needed to counter offensive mobility while maintaining defensive shape. Discipline and patience are required to avoid rash challenges that could disorganize the defense.

Uploaded by

Jonty Toradmal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Defending Principles

of Play

Principles of Play should be taught to players through coaching activities regardless of their age.

1. Delay- The ability to prevent the ball from being


played forward quickly. A pressuring player needs to
reduce the time and space of the attacker to prevent
the ball being played forward. This is especially
important when outnumbered to allow the team to
re-shape to a loss in possession appropriately.

2. Support (Depth)- Reduce the space behind the


pressuring player. Provide support in defence.
These players do not provide pressure on the ball
but instead support the challenging player. Their
relative position to the pressuring player is
dependent on the situation and part of the field they
are supporting the player in. Defensive support is
generally much tighter than attacking support.

3. Concentration/Compactness- The movement of


players to concentrate into an area of the field
vunerable to scoring opportunities. Most teams
generally drop on loss of possession and recover
towards their own goal. Players should make runs
back towards their own goal and goal side of the ball
if desired.
Defending Principles
of Play

4. Balance- In order to cancel the threat of mobility


provided by the offense, balance is required by the
defending team to retain defensive shape.
Balancing is an extension of delay and support.
Balancing players provide additional support. Be
prepared to leave weak side attacking players
unmarked to balance the strong side of the field.

5. Discipline/Patience- Defending players need to


be patient and assess the risk involved in
challenging for the ball. A well structured defending
line can quickly become disorganzied with one rash
challenge. Players need to exercise control and
restraint and re-adjust their shape to changing
scenarios. Players also need to be alert to their
surroundings at all times (switched on!).

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