Is the Art of Defending been lost???

[Assasin]

If you look at the EPL, only a few teams have strong steady defenses. Chelsea, West Ham and a few more. There don't seem to be very good consistent defending as there was a few years ago. And even Chelsea Terry is the stalwart.

These defenders are making very basic errors and giving games away. Most of the young defenders over the last 5 years have not matured and grown.

Looking at our young Reggae boyz, and we need a few to step up. I hear there is a good one at HV. I hope a few more step up. We need some Pepe Goodisons to come to the front.

[Karl]

Defending is first and foremost a TEAM task. Gone are...

...the days when forwards and some (most) midfielders only provided assistance on attack.

It is a new age where players are stronger and thus have greater capacity for providing quality attack and defense efforts for entire game. The mantra is now "no place for freeloaders"...as Jose Morinho puts it, his team cannot carry any player.

If you look at the EPL, only a few teams have strong steady defenses. Chelsea, West Ham and a few more. There don't seem to be very good consistent defending as there was a few years ago. And even Chelsea Terry is the stalwart.

These defenders are making very basic errors and giving games away. Most of the young defenders over the last 5 years have not matured and grown.

Looking at our young Reggae boyz, and we need a few to step up. I hear there is a good one at HV. I hope a few more step up. We need some Pepe Goodisons to come to the front.

Terry is great. ...but his work depends 'loads' on his TEAMmates.
...if you do not believe please take a look at one example; the very small periods during his work-day...that time during play during which he is allowed to leave opponents in acres of space.

[Rockman]

I think the flirtation with making a case for a particular formation is the culprit,the opponent does not act accordingly hence the voids.
Wingbacks have changed,these wannabes wingers have left their post unmanned.
Very seldom you see a defender using his head to thwart an attack,the strikers are the ones with shooting potency,why are defenders ,more often than not, involved when their team has a corner kick?
Man and man fi stay rooted.
Give me the best players for the 4-4-2 formation!

[Assasin]

Thank you Rocky, Well said

[Karl]

I think the flirtation with making a case for a particular formation is the culprit,the opponent does not act accordingly hence the voids.
Wingbacks have changed,these wannabes wingers have left their post unmanned.
Very seldom you see a defender using his head to thwart an attack,the strikers are the ones with shooting potency,why are defenders ,more often than not, involved when their team has a corner kick?
Man and man fi stay rooted.
Give me the best players for the 4-4-2 formation!

I think the flirtation with making a case for a particular formation is the culprit,the opponent does not act accordingly hence the voids.

Agreed!
...formations...mere mention of a formation has opposing teachers=coaches getting 'dicks' tied in knots. = 'Brains go to sleep!

Wingbacks have changed, these wannabes wingers have left their post unmanned.

You are correct in that over time use of wing-backs...expectation on and actual contribution to TEAM goals have increased.

However, where you go wrong is your unsaid...inner belief...that their functions on broad tactical aim has changed. They were always as a tactical matter expected to contribute to 'winning the war'. The expectation in today's game is maximum effort on attack and defense.

That translates into on attack=possession supply, full efforts...and on defense=out of possession, do same. As a practical matter the defender has a demand to always be where he can contribute most to TEAM goal. He/she needs on the physical side, 'jet heels', great strength and endurance, great technical ability . ...and on the mental side he or she needs great fortitude=mental strength, high level of intelligence=great tactical ability.

There is always that impossibility of being in more than one place at the same time...however a TEAM game demands faith in TEAM-mates. How players (inclusive of defenders ) present level of faith in TEAM-mate or TEAM-mates is directly related to support given during a match. If the wing-back consistently attacks among other things it shows great faith in TEAM-mates. The converse is, *if the wing-back rarely ventures forward it reflects lack of faith in TEAM-mates.

*Examples:
- Ball being lost often by TEAM-mates=equals wing-back being anchored at the back;

- Opponent's consistent attacking waves= equals wing-back being anchored at the back.

In both cases faith in TEAM-mates ability is low. In the second case it is as a result of recognition of TEAM-mates inability to stem or limit attacks to 'acceptable levels'.

Very seldom you see a defender using his head to thwart an attack, the strikers are the ones with shooting potency, why are defenders ,more often than not, involved when their team has a corner kick?
Man and man fi stay rooted.

I assumed you meant "Rooted in their defensive positions"...staying at the back and not joining in the attack? If so, what is there to defend against or who is there to defend?

If it is defend against a counter-attack then it must be that the coach and the TEAM-mates have pre-determined that there is on that set-piece attack not a matter of sensible preparation prevailing but a wishing for favorable luck on attack.

If it is about using the set-piece as a defense mechanism then yes...the wing-backs should be positioned for increased %age possibility of retaining possession. ...that would mean that passing on goal is lowered...extremely lowered option rather passing the ball 'around' among TEAMmates would then be over-riding aim.

Give me the best players.

Yes!

Aside:

Very seldom you see a defender using his head to thwart an attack

What do you mean?
Physically 'heading the ball'?
...or use of 'head'='brain'=sensible thinking?

[Rockman]

Physically,I am alluding to defenders being summoned upfront on corner kicks supposedly for their heading prowess.
The "brain" is the creation of a gifted mind,Sir.