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What's going on, guys? Welcome back to another Two-Minute Tuesday, a video series where I answer a question in less than 20 minutes. So, let's roll the intro and dive right into it!
There's no way around it: speed is a vital part of the game, and speed kills. A fast player, combined with a good level of technical ability and a high tactical IQ, can be an absolute nightmare to defend against. However, over my years of playing professionally and watching other pros, I've learned a few tricks—what I like to call mental cues—that can help even the playing field when defending against a faster opponent. So, let’s put the time on the screen and get started!
**Tip Number One:** When the opponent receives the ball with their back towards you, get tight and initiate contact. Typically, faster players want to receive the ball, turn toward the defender, and drive toward them with speed. So, when possible, if the player checks back to receive the ball with their back towards you and toward your own goal, you can get tight and initiate contact. This will force the play backward and prevent them from turning and dribbling at you with speed. If you execute this correctly, you will force the ball backward and prevent that one-on-one situation before it even occurs.
There’s definitely an art to this, and it’s all about timing. If you get that timing wrong, you could find yourself in an even worse situation. For instance, if you are a step or two too early and start to pressure the opponent before they receive the ball, a smart winger will sense the space behind them and spin out to take the ball into that space, leaving you to chase them down the line. Conversely, if you're a step or two late and they have already received the ball as you fly at them, it creates a dream scenario for the winger. All they need to do is take one touch inside or outside, and they’ll easily get past you.
As a defender, the mental cue I use is to try to arrive at the back of the attacker as they receive the ball. Ideally, I want me and the ball to arrive at that attacker at the same exact time. As an added bonus, you can even bump them or knock them slightly off balance just as they’re trying to take their first touch to make it more difficult for them to control the ball.
**Tip Number Two:** If you're unable to get on their back and initiate contact as they receive the ball, then you need to drop back, give them a bit more respect, force them one way, and attempt to slow them down. Often, it’s impossible to arrive at the back of your attacker in game situations. If this occurs, you cannot continue to fly at them because they will have the advantage and can dribble past you easily. Instead, accept your loss, start dropping back, and think about a few key points: Which way should you force this winger? Which foot is their strong foot? Which way did they attack last? Where is your help defense?
Typically, as a fullback marking a winger, nine times out of ten, you'll want to force the winger outside, away from the center of the field. However, there are situations where you might cut off the line and force them inside—especially if you have a center midfielder right next to you or if their striker is making a run into the corner flag. Your body position and the way you force them will vary depending on the situation, but generally, you want to push them wide.
**Tip Number Three:** Be patient. Football is not just a one-on-one game; you have ten other teammates on the field. By being patient, dropping back, and jockeying the attacker, you can buy yourself time. If done well, you’ll have enough time for a central midfielder to come over and provide extra support. Your midfielder or winger can begin to back-press the attacker, and your center defender can also shift over to support you. By maintaining a patient approach, you can transform a one-on-one situation into a one-on-two, one-on-three, or even a one-on-four.
Being patient also complicates things for the winger. A skilled winger will be driving at the defender, waiting for them to make a move. As soon as the defender takes a step toward them, they can simply push the ball past and use their speed to get by. If the defender continues dropping back, the winger will need to keep driving and may try to use fakes to get them to bite. As the defender, you want to be as patient as possible, waiting for the attacker to make an aggressive touch before deciding your next move.
**Tip Number Four:** When they take their aggressive touch past you, step into them and initiate contact to slow their momentum and win the ball. This is where many younger and inexperienced players struggle. The worst thing you can do is turn and try to run alongside a faster winger as they explode away from you. It’s inevitable that they will get past you; they're faster and can make that first move while you're reacting.
As soon as they make that move or take an aggressive touch, your first movement should be toward the attacker to initiate contact. This does not mean you should foul them; you do not want to push them over or make it obvious. All you're trying to do is a subtle initiation of contact—a little forearm across their chest, a shoulder-to-shoulder bump, or hip-to-hip contact—to slow down their momentum. I've played with defenders who were not the fastest but were able to successfully shut down remarkably fast wingers because they were smart in initiating contact.
If you watch top defenders around the world, you'll see them employ this technique multiple times. When done correctly, it rarely gets called as a foul. Of course, some incredibly fast defenders, like Kyle Walker, may not need this strategy every time and can keep up with fast wingers. Still, most defenders use that initiation of contact—whether a forearm across the chest or shoulder tackle—to slow down the momentum of wingers, shifting the advantage in their favor.
So, that’s it, guys! Those are four tips I’ve learned over the years while defending against incredibly skilled and fast wingers. I hope this helps you. If it did, please hit the like button, subscribe, and I’ll see you in the next video. Alright, guys, peace! How are you doing?