Subphases of the Defensive Phase

To assess the success or failure of the defensive phase of our team we must take as a reference, first of all, its objective:

• Recover the ball before it is finished.

We must bear in mind that in the face of a perfect offensive game -more than unlikely at the moment- avoiding the completion of the opponent (his success in the sub-phases of initiation and progression) would be almost impossible.

Therefore the defensive action will be based on taking advantage of the mistakes made by the opposite).

If we fail in this objective we must analyze the different game situations that have manifested themselves during this phase, and detect the mistakes made.

To assess these errors it is necessary to previously have determined the specific objectives of each line and each demarcation for each of the 4 defensive sub-phases that are manifested in each UC, and that can only be established using in attack the control/positional style of play.

The concreteness of the work to be done will depend to a large extent (in addition to the characteristics of our "way of playing" (System, Style, characteristics of our players,...) of the different aspects that the opposite raises in its offensive phase:

• The game system used.
  • The number of players on each line, in relation to our lines in defense (structure).
  • Control (associative/positional).
  • Long/direct.
  • From short to long.

  The coach (taking into account these aspects of the opposite) must determine the objectives and defensive forms by lines and by demarcations for each of the 4 sub-phases of the defensive game:

  • In Sub-phases 1, 2, 3: Objective to recover the ball.
  • In sub-phase 4: Avoid the auction.

  In this way, if our defensive forms (of the team, of each line and of each demarcation) in each sub-phase are adequate and executed correctly, they must provoke success in relation to the intended objectives (for the team, for each line and for each demarcation).

  If the design of the established objectified forms are coherent and allow for defensive success, we can assess objectively.

  The success of each of the Sub-Phases of the defensive game analyzed.

  This success will be caused by the correct realization (collective decision -fundamentals-/structure designed and/or execution: tactical aspects) of the defensive actions in relation to the defensive objectives (of the team, of each line and of each demarcation -avoid the effective game of the opponent, recover the ball, and / or avoid in the last case the shot of the opposite-).

  Failure in the sub-phases of the defensive game analyzed. This analysis will allow us to detect the errors(design, decision and / or execution)that may have been committed in each of the defensive actions in relation to the defensive objectives (of the team, each line and each demarcation -avoid the effective game of the opponent, recover the ball, and / or avoid in the last case the shot of the opponent-).

  Examples:

  • If we recover the ball in sub-phase 4, we will analyze the errors made in sub-phase 0, 1, 2 and 3 (which are the ones that will have allowed the control of the ball by the opponent in each of them).
  • If the opponent manages to finish (finish / center), we will analyze the mistakes made in sub-phase 4, in addition to the rest. 

  Defensive Sub-phase 0: 

  Our team is in its offensive phase (in attacking tasks).

  • Players who are not in the orientation of the game and/or do not intervene directly or indirectly in the offensive game,will be more closed and backward in relation to their line.
  • These players must manifest an intention / orientation of defensive vigilance to be able to intervene with an advantage in the face of a loss of our team, as established by the fundamentals:
  • The LD players will in no case play in front of the ball.
  • LM players will never expect the ball ahead of their line.

  If we respect these aspects (established in the FUNDAMENTALS / SLOGANS of the Collective Game in attack), in case of loss of the ball these players can intervene with an advantage in relation to the quick attack or the counterattack that the opponent can initiate when recovering the ball, and they will always reach our defensive zone before the opponents of their lines.

  In this way we would avoid, in the attack/defense transition, that the opponent could take advantage of our defensive imbalance.

  Let's see an example of the possible objectives to propose for our team, in the event that we play with the P.4.4.2 system:

  SUBPHASE 1	Our team loses possession of the ball, in our progression zone, through a steal from the opponent, with the ball in play.
  Team	Objective: to avoid the effective control of the ball by the opponent and in the last case to prevent them from making an effective counterattack or quick attack. At best recover the ball. Action: change of attitude and offensive situation defensively.
  Line that loses the ball	Objective: to avoid the effective play of the opponent in the recovery of the ball. Action: pressure on the opposing possessor who has recovered the ball, short coverage to the partner who performs the pressure, elimination of passing lines (search for the interception lines) to the teammates of the possessor.
  Line of attack	Objective: to prevent the holder from liaising with his most backward teammates and/or goalkeeper. Action: Close pass lines to opponents in the Game Orientation.
  Defensive line	Objective: to avoid the reception of the ball by any of the opposing points and avoid being overwhelmed by deep throws. Action: retraction to the determined area, "fixation" and / or individual marking to the most advanced tips and recoil of the central "free" or second central, to make great coverage.

   

  SUBPHASE 2	The opponent controls the ball in his field.
  Team	Objective: to prevent the opponent from controlling the ball in our field. Action: Retract all equipment to the established zone. Defensive surveillance.
  Line of attack	Objective: to avoid the incorporation of an opponent of the LD with the ball and unmarked to our field. Action: carry out a work of great coverage and vigilance on the two adversaries that correspond to your area.
  Media Line	Objective: to prevent the players of the opposing LM from controlling the ball effectively in our field. Action: zonal marking, pressing the player who receives from behind, and eliminating lines of pass to the opposite half that is behind us.
  Defensive line	Objective: to prevent opposing LA and LM players in their zone from controlling the ball effectively. Action: pressuring the player who receives from behind (before deep throws), intense retreat from the line, and great coverage of the specialist center.

   

  SUBPHASE 3	The opponent controls the ball in our field.
  Team	Objective: Avoid effective control of the opponent in the end zone (our defensive zone). Action: Intense retraction in the front of the area. Recovery of the ball. Apply the established marking forms.
  Line of attack	Objective: Monitor and mark the defender who joins the attack, and manifest a correct Offensive Disposition (DO). Action: The player who supports in short before a recovery of the ball "follows" the player of the opposite LD that is incorporated into the attack (since the other point will be the one who manifests DO).
  Media Line	Objective: Avoid being overwhelmed. Action: Surveillance / fixation with orientation and adequate distances so as not to be overwhelmed either by the ball or by the opposite, reducing the distance on the opponent and increasing the pressure of the marking, as it approaches our defensive zone.
  Defensive line	Objective: Prevent an opposing player from receiving the ball inside our defensive zone. Action: Defend zonally diagonally with coverages and surveillance in our defensive zone. Avoid being outside our defensive zone (opponent's shot zone), when the ball is or reaches it.

   

  SUBPHASE 4	The opponent controls the ball effectively within our defensive zone.
  Team	Objective: Avoid the center and / or the effective finish of the opponent in the end zone. Action: Intense retraction in the front of the area. Intense pressure. Elimination of spaces.
  Line of attack	Objective: Monitor and mark the defender who joins the attack, and manifest a correct Offensive Disposition (DO) before a recovery of the ball or clearance. Action: The player who supports in short before a recovery of the ball "follows" the player of the opposite LD that is incorporated into the attack (since the other point will be the one who manifests DO).
  Media Line	Objective: Avoid the center and / or the effective finish of the opponent of the opponent in the end zone. Action: Intense pressure marking unlike that found in our area, maintaining numerical superiority of our LD within our finishing zone.
  Defensive line	Objective: Prevent an opposing player from receiving the ball inside our defensive zone. Action: Defend zonally, with coverage and surveillance in our finishing area. Avoid being outside the end zone when the ball is or will enter it.

  We can extend to the smallest detail each of the aspects mentioned (both individually and collectively, mentioning the decisional and / or execution aspects ...).

  What is stated here is just one example of the approach that must be established in our defensive organization.