Interception for defensive mastery

Defensive foundations

Defending is about stopping your opponent doing what they want to do. Essentially you are trying to keep them away from your goal, make their attacking play predictable and cut down their options so you can win the ball back. This involves decreasing the time and space attackers have to pass, dribble or shoot at your goal.

All players will find it necessary to challenge an opponent at sometime during matchplay.

• This could comprise
• Interceptions
• Stop opponents turning with the ball
• Tackling
• Keeping play in front of them
• Forcing play in one direction.

The overriding principles involved are:

• Compactness – aiming to keep the spaces between defenders small and moving together as a unit as the ball travels
• Pressure – the nearest defender presses the player with the ball
• Cover – the second defender covers the first
  to provide support
• Balance – defenders further from the ball scan the pitch by keeping an open body position and decide whether to cover their team-mates or mark their opponent.

Once the principles are known, practised and robust various defensive strategies can be learned, practised and adopted; in modern parlance, the high press, the mid-block and the low block.

Interception

The ultimate result of a successful interception is not only to win the ball but to keep possession and set up attacks for your team while your opponents are unbalanced and out of shape.

It is important to try to read how attacks are developing against you. This is aided by team defending based on keeping play in front of you and making opposition attacking play predictable, allowing you to see where the ball may be going.

It is important, in these moments before attempting to intercept, that defenders do not get into the passing lane or in front of their opponent too early, so be ready but be patient. As the ball is released and begins to move towards your opponent, make your move. Go fast and use good technique to receive the ball because all your good defensive work could be ruined because of a bad first touch. A good first touch puts you in charge of the situation and the attack.

It is important to stick to solid defensive principles as you may have to change your mind and put the brakes on if the situation changes. Not travelling until the ball travels will allow you the option to do this.

How to learn and practise

Once you have learned the defensive principles, it is crucial to practise and keep them robust. Good interception skills need a lot of work, and you don’t get better by doing less. Perhaps the most important of all these is patience and concentration. It is important for the defender to understand that once they are in the ideal position to steal the ball, they are in the driving seat.

Directional games on a rectangular pitch with goals placed centrally at either end including the offside law are the best way to practice. Goals placed centrally at either end plus the offside law are especially important as they encourage compactness.

Play even sides (2v2, 4v4, 5v5, 8v8, 9v9 etc). Do not play a magic player, but rather go uneven, ie 6v5 or 8v7, because it’s more realistic. Always work within the principles of play.

The best challenge for the players to practise which helps them consolidate their defensive principles is to try to win the ball back without tackling. This does not mean they cannot tackle but will emphasise the importance of a well-executed interception to set up an effective counter-attack.

Encourage players to really go as late as possible for the interception as this shows how quickly they must cover the ground once the ball is on the move. Don’t worry if they get things wrong while learning and practising. It is more important they discover what they can and can’t do rather than not try anything in the first place.

The importance of good defensive play

When working with younger players we often forget how important and skilful defending is. Good defending is likely not only to keep your team in a match but also allow it to go on and win it. So always be ready to praise a clean sheet and a solid defence.

Good defensive play will undoubtedly lead to opportunities to intercept and set up counterattacks so working on and encouraging interceptions will always be a productive strategy to pursue. Taught properly, interceptions will definitely improve individuals and team cohesion.