Flat Four

The Role of the Defenders in the Back Four
‫دور المدافعين‬
Basic Principles
of Defending
‫المبادئ االساسية للدفاع‬
The “Principles of Defense”
are the foundation for effective defending
regardless of the system that it is being
used.
DELAY
•To force the attacking team to “slow
down” their attack and to give
defenders time to get behind the ball
and get reorganized as a team.
‫التأخير‬
DELAY
•Force the team in possession to play square or
across the field
•The first defender is the key player in this

situation. He must always try to keep the play in
front of him or her.
DEPTH
•The organization of players behind the first
defender.
•Restricting space through which and into

which attacking players can move with safety.
DEPTH
•This is the responsibility of the second and
third defender.
•Never allow the defensive line to become

completely flat ….. unless you are playing the
offside trap.
Balance
•The positioning of the defenders
relative to the possibilities of penetration
by the attackers away from the ball.
Balance
•The ability to intercept through passes.
•The responsibility of the third and fourth

defender.
Compactness
•Limit the time and space that
the attacking team can use.
•Make the field smaller.
•The responsibility of the third

and fourth defender.
Defensive Shape
The defensive shape of a team
and its position within the field is
determined by the following:
•The position of the ball
•The position of other defenders

Defensive Shape
•In a Zone defense, the defenders do not
get stretched out and team shape is easier
to maintain.
•Transition to attack is easier when a

team keeps good defensive shape.
Defensive Shape
Good defensive shape requires the
following:
•Good support
•The correct distance and angles
between players
•Understanding of how the offside should be

addressed collectively.
Concentration
•Retreating or withdrawing from wide
positions to concentrated central defensive
positions is known as:
•“ Funneling in defense”.
Concentration
•Concentration in and around the penalty
area is designed to produce maximum
coverage against scoring opportunities in
the most dangerous part of the field.
Control and Restraint
Soccer, in many aspects, is a test of
patience. Defenders restrain themselves
in order that when they challenge, they
stand a very good chance of getting the
ball themselves or other defenders stand
a very good chance of getting it.
•One example of lack of restraint is that a
player is always drawn towards the ball.
Ball watching allows attackers to make
“blind runs” behind the defenders.
•Control is shown when defenders fall
back into a normal defensive position
where they can watch developments
as they occur in front of them.
The playing field is divided in 4 equal zones .
Each player is responsible to defend an assigned
zone.
Balance
Cover
1st Defender
With the ball in zone A the defender responsible for

that zone will challenge the ball carrier, while the other 3
defenders provide cover and balance to the back four,
leaving the D zone free
Balance Balance
Cover
1st Defender
Pressure
With the ball in zone D the defender responsible for that zone
will challenge the ball carrier, while the other 3 defenders
provide cover and balance to the back four, leaving the A zone free
Cover Cover Balance
1st Defender
Pressure
With the ball centrally in zone B the defender responsible for

that zone will challenge the ball carrier, while the other 3
defenders provide cover and balance in the back four, leaving
the A and D zone free
Balance
Cover Cover
1st Defender
With the ball centrally in zone C the defender responsible for that
zone will challenge the ball carrier, while the other 3 defenders
provide cover and balance to the back four,
leaving the A and D zone free
1st Defender = Pressure
The player that applies immediate pressure on
the ball.
The objectives are :

•Delay the attack until supporting defenders
arrive.
•Make play predictable for defending partners by

“channeling” the attackers so that their options
become limited.
•Be Patient.
•Deny further penetration
•Stop forward movement of the ball

•Force the attacker to pass the ball or dribble it

backwards.
•Force the attacker to face his own goal.

•Force the attacker to keep his head down by
aggressively applying pressure.
•Take the ball away by tackling.

The first defender has two important decisions
to make when challenging the attacker.
•Angle of challenge
•Speed of challenge
Angle of challenge.
When closing down the player he must choose

an angle to:
•Intercept the pass
•Tackle
•Make play predictable

Speed of challenge.
•If the challenge is too slow, the attacker will

turn and face the defender
Speed of challenge.
•If the challenge is too fast, the attacker can

take advantage of this “over-pressure” by
playing the ball behind the defender first time,
a quick one-two, or a “dummy”.
2nd Defender
Cover
Establishes the line of defense.

2nd Defender = Cover
Establishes the line of defense.
Important considerations:
•The angle of support.
•Distance of support.
The angle of support.
• It should be at an angle of 45 to the first

defender. This will allow the second defender to
cover the space behind the 1st defender if he
gets beaten by the attacker.
note
Distance of support.
•It should be close enough to immediately close

down the attacker if the first defender gets
beaten.
note
3rd Defender
Balance
Balance
3rd Defender = Balance
•Tracks down other attackers that are making
runs towards the goal.
•Squeezes play toward the center of the field.
•Maintains compactness
3rd Defender = Balance
•Challenge and deny through passes.
•Makes the field smaller when possible.
•Communicates with the defenders if the offside

is on.
4th Defender
Balance Balance
Strong Balance
4th Defender = Strong Balance
•The fourth defender is basically playing the
same role as the third defender. He must always
be aware of the position of the defending
partners ( look inside to check their position).
•Must be careful not to make the “defensive

diagonal” too steep otherwise there will be too
much free space behind the defensive line that
can be exploited by the attackers.
If the defensive diagonal is too steep …the yellow player in zone B will
have more space in which to run and not be offside.
If he is too far forward, he will not be able to challenge players that

are attempting to make “blind runs”
When a player is in a good defending position,

he should be able to :
•See the ball, See the man , Have his back to the net
Summary of the Roles and Responsibilities of the
1st…..2nd….and 3rd defenders.
1st Defender (pressure)
•Apply pressure to ball to regain possession if possible.
•Deny penetration of any kind.
•Select proper angle of challenge.

•Select proper speed of challenge
2nd Defender (Cover)….…it can be more than one player
•Provide cover / support to the first defender
•Select proper angle of support
•The angle of support will vary according to the:
pressure by first defender

positioning of supporting attackers
third of the field
2nd Defender (Cover)…it can be more than one player
•Select proper distance of support
•Should be a distance that the 2nd defender can tackle or

immediately close
•down an attacker who has beaten the 1st defender
•Distance of support will vary with the third of the field and the
amount
•of pressure on the ball.
•Responsible for tracking supporting attackers who make forward

runs
•Verbal communication with the first defender.
3rd Defender (Balance)…remaining players
• Track attackers away from area of the ball who are

making
• forward runs.
• Squeeze space towards center of field to "lock up"

vital areas.
• Preserve balance / shape

The Roles of the Defenders in a
Flat Back-Four

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The Role of the Defenders in the Back Four

•The first defender is the key player in this

•Restricting space through which and into

•Never allow the defensive line to become

•The responsibility of the third and fourth

•Make the field smaller.

•The responsibility of the third

•The position of the ball

•The position of other defenders

•Transition to attack is easier when a

•Understanding of how the offside should be

With the ball in zone A the defender responsible for

With the ball centrally in zone B the defender responsible for

The objectives are :

•Make play predictable for defending partners by

•Deny further penetration

•Stop forward movement of the ball

•Force the attacker to pass the ball or dribble it

•Force the attacker to face his own goal.

•Take the ball away by tackling.

When closing down the player he must choose

•Intercept the pass

•Make play predictable

•If the challenge is too slow, the attacker will

•If the challenge is too fast, the attacker can

Establishes the line of defense.

•The angle of support.

• It should be at an angle of 45 to the first

•It should be close enough to immediately close

•Squeezes play toward the center of the field.

•Makes the field smaller when possible.

•Communicates with the defenders if the offside

•Must be careful not to make the “defensive

If he is too far forward, he will not be able to challenge players that

When a player is in a good defending position,

1st Defender (pressure)

•Apply pressure to ball to regain possession if possible.

•Deny penetration of any kind.

•Select proper angle of challenge.

•Provide cover / support to the first defender

•Select proper angle of support

•The angle of support will vary according to the:

pressure by first defender

•Should be a distance that the 2nd defender can tackle or

•Responsible for tracking supporting attackers who make forward

3rd Defender (Balance)…remaining players

• Track attackers away from area of the ball who are

• Squeeze space towards center of field to "lock up"

• Preserve balance / shape

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