Improving defensively

It would seem our defence is starting to take shape with the imminent arrival we assume of Toby Alderweireld for £11.5 million from Atletico Madrid.



It must be remembered of course that defending starts from the front and the best form of defending is to have the ball, then pressing and winning the ball in the opposition half. I should at this point, point out that full-backs in the modern game are additional attackers who defend. Their job is to go forward at every opportunity, in our system to provide width. 

They play in advance of the defending defensive midfielder who forms a three-man defence with the centre-backs. The full-back has to rush back to defend when required. That makes the flanks vulnerable. The 4-2-3-1 system calls for a team to either push the opposition infield where passing through to the defence is more difficult with numbers in the way, or push them wide. If you push them wide then the full-back has to rush out to meet the man with the ball, he doesn't stay out wide marking a player without the ball, he marks an area but stays closer to the centre-back.

In front of the defence is a defensive midfielder who lets his partner attack and rush back to resume defensive duties when the opposition has the ball. While they are both defensive midfielders they perform different roles and we have had three players for each role. They shield the central defenders.

In front of them are the three attacking midfielders who if they ignore their defensive duties cause problems as we saw last season when both Chadli and Lamela went missing defensively at times. They close down but also drop quickly to provide more midfield defensive cover, this time in front of the full-back..

Our high line means one ball over the top cuts out all our players and leaves their striker in a foot race. We have seen this many times but haven't actually conceded many goals as a result of it. Hugo Lloris as a sweeper keeper has worked well, but I don't get the impression Michel Vorm is comfortable in it, he seems more a shot stopper to me, a stay at home keeper.

When the opposition attack the number 10 with the ball can draw a defensive midfielder wide. With one defensive midfielder this creates a problem as midfielders can then overrun the opposition centrally. With two defensive midfielders, there is still cover in front of the defence while the second is cutting off the passing lanes for the number 10. Stopping the number 10 getting between the two lines by them being close together cuts off the passing possibilities to a centre forward.

It's safe to say we didn't get the system right last season ad playing twice a week there was little time to work on it on the training ground. Into a new season and we should understand the system better and be a better organised side defensively. Individual players will know their role better and the role of their teammates.

Last season was a learning season and this summer we have been looking for players to bring who will improve us defensively. Thus far we have Kevin Wimmer and Kieran Trippier with Toby Alderweireld now expected to join them. Kyle Walker was injured for most of the season so four defenders new or fairly new to playing the system for us. How they grasp it will perhaps have a significant impact on how our season goes.


Hugo Lloris (Michel Vorm)
Kyle Walker (Kieran Trippier, DeAndreYedlin)
Toby Alderweireld Jan Vertonghen (Federico Fazio, Eric Dier, Kevin Wimmer)
Danny Rose (Ben Davies)


Further Reading
Feuding Dressing Room
Further Scouting Network Improvements