To establish the characteristics of the defensive style of play we will carry out a brief analysis of the three main types of marking:
- "Eliminate" the opposing player – 1:1 situations – (individual marking).
- Marking the man.
- Its main objective is to "eliminate" the game of the opposing player.
- It is the simplest defensive style, although it involves enormous physical and psychological exhaustion.
- It requires players of very specific characteristics.
- It presents very high risks in the event that an advocate is overwhelmed. For this reason it favors the realization of numerous fouls (with the danger that the strategies entail in the current football), and the need to achieve numerical superiority in the area of the possessor.
It is not very effective to make a quick and effective transition defense / attack,due to the offensive dislocation in which the players will find themselves when recovering the ball.
- Impossible the evolution of the ball - Pressure on the ball (collective pressure).
- Marking of pressure in the area on the ball.
- Its main objective is to make it impossible to evolve the ball in the next area (elimination of spaces).
- It is easy to overcome through changes of orientation (direct or indirect), even when the opponent has tilted intensely, since from the second or third change of orientation it is practically impossible to reach the position of the ball to exert pressure.
- "Eliminate" play spaces (zonal marking).
- Marking by zones.
- Its main objective is to eliminate the play space.
- The existence of an area of 2700-3000 m2. Useful for developing the opponent's attack game makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to completely eliminate existing play spaces for the opponent.
Despite all this, it seems to be the most suitable defensive style of play to counter a team of high level of play, since it offers several aspects that seem especially effective. Even so, we must take into account the following points:
- The defender who is in the zone of the opposing possessor must avoid his progression, making a defined / pressing marking.
- Avoid in the area of the ball a situation of 1:2 (situation of numerical inferiority).
- Create pressure, eliminate free spaces and provoke situations of numerical superiority (2:1) in our defensive zone when the ball is in it. -- Orientation of the defending team, in the progression zone, by means of a tilt towards the lane/ area in which the ball is located, so that playing spaces can be eliminated and large coverages can be made. A diagonal surveillance must be manifested in the opposite areas to counteract possible changes in orientation made by the opposing team.
- The rest of the players remain in their respective zones, close to their opponents (without making an individual marking) eliminating the PASSING LINE between their opponent and the ball (get "INTERCEPTION LINE"). We understand as an interception line the one between the ball and the attacking opponent who is in our zone with options to receive. The defender must not mark the player, nor eliminate the spaces of the possessor, but his mission is to "cut" the passing line without leaving his playing area.
In this way, and without having to leave the defensive zone itself, the players can avoid that the opponent is in a position to receive the ball, positioning themselves so that they can "cut" the line of pass.
In this way it will not be necessary neither an intense marking on the opponent, nor an accumulation of players in the area of the ball.
We call these variants and defensive forms "SMART MARKING".
Consequently with what has been said at this point, we understand that we can only achieve defensive success (avoid the completion of the opponent / recover the ball), if we take advantage of their offensive errors.