Ep 369: How to Best Think About Defending, Defenders, and How to Train it.

In this episode, we shift our focus to the defensive side of soccer, following a previous discussion about offense.

We go into the nuances of training defenders, the importance of defense in comparison to offense, and practical defensive training exercises from the 3four3 coaching program.

We emphasize the concept of ‘thinking defense while on offense,’ the critical role of communication among defenders, and how defensive qualities vary with player positions.

We also touch on the challenges posed by the restrictions on heading the ball in youth soccer and the overarching importance of developing a strong defensive culture.

Additionally, we critique the structure and incentives in American soccer, particularly within Major League Soccer (MLS), and stress the need for genuine journalistic accountability in sports media.

00:00 Intro

03:01 Why Does the first year of the 3four3 program not emphasize defending

04:21 Sub: Defending is Easier than Possessing

05:04 Sub: Importance of Defending

07:25 Sub: What Defending Principles are Important to Focus on

09:08 Sub: the Midfield Pressure Exercise

09:52 Sub: Pressing, Counter-Attacks, and Thinking Defense While On Offense

13:17 Defensive Responsibilities of Special Players

17:48 Can a Defensive Destroyer Fit in a Possession-Based Team?

19:22 Sub: You can Absolutely Have a Possession-Based Team at the Lowest Levels

21:53 Sub: The System Makes Players Look Good

25:09 The Role of Mentality in the Training of Defending

29:13 Pressing Triggers

32:30 Training the Back Line and Coordination

36:11 Sub: Unopposed vs Opposed Training

40:12 Communication/Best Qualities of Defenders

43:22 Sub: Technical Side of Defenders

47:38 Sub: On Goalkeeping

49:33 Sub: On Physical Size of Defenders

53:40 Impossible to Train Everything in the Team Environment

55:00 Top Defenders of All Time?

59:14 How Does Promotion and Relegation Fit into This Episode’s Context?

01:00:41 Sub: The Reason there are Just “Youth Clubs” in the US

01:08:13 Sub: The Hate Isn’t with MLS, it’s with Fake “Journalists”

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