We all know that football teams are made up of eleven players, one of which is the goalkeeper. The pattern that a team plays in, in terms of the number of attackers and defenders on the pitch depends on the playing style of the team and also on the skills of the players of the opposition.
Defenders are key players in any team and are tasked with preventing any of the opposition players, but primarily the attackers from entering the goal area and making shot on target. This requires a very specific set of skills and almost a certain personality trait. Practice and regular putting your skills to the test during a match situation is one of the most obvious ways you can improve your performance. You can also watch Soccer Training videos like https://www.sportplan.net/drills/Football/Dribbling/1-vs-1-Under-Pressure-rak002.jsp
There are several key characteristics that any good defend will possess and these include:
Speed
Players who traditionally play in forward and midfield position are notoriously fast and light on their feet. This means that in order to be able to keep up with them a defender also needs to be quick. When defending from a central area if the players positioning is correct and they are aware of what is happening during play they may not need as quick speed as those who are defending in the wing areas.
Strong heading skills
Defenders tend to be the players who head the ball more than others. This is because the closer an opposition is to the goal area the more likely they are to make aerial shots and crosses and is why defenders tend to head the ball as far wide as they can away from the prime goal area.
Defence and game play
As the position name would suggest a player needs to have good defending skills. This includes being aware of game play and being able to predict where the ball may end up as the opposition move their way up the field. The skills needed including tackling (not fouling!), passing the ball, man marking, winning headers and much much more.
Overall strength
Defenders can sometimes have an aggressive playing style, and this is where their strength comes into play. Playing in a position that requires you to block the ball and also block or tackle other players naturally needs a certain amount of strength and you will often find defensive players weight and stamina training.
