The Underrated: Defender

Defenders are burdened with a lot of responsibilities in the game of football, and in our view, are the second most important set of players in any team, second only to the CDM. Defending, as opposed to our belief, is not the easiest job nor can it be considered a small workload . It is all about being aware and intelligent. Reading the opposition's collective mind, that's one of the most important requirements of a defender. Unfortunately, they are also the least appreciated players on the pitch and are seldom valued. Their plays are not a treat to the eyes, but it is important to understand that no team would be as successful or great if they did not have such wonderful live savers.

Here's a brief explanation of the different types of defensive players. Keep in mind, these are not the positions of play, they are styles of play.

The Destroyer: This is the term we choose to use even though it is not recognised because it most aptly describes their abilities. The destroyer is a centre back that actually beats ,bullies and pushes the opponent; in short he destroys him. Defenders like David Luiz, Sergio Ramos, Rio Ferdinand, Pepe, Carlos Puyol and Koscielny are good examples.

The Destroyer does the dirty work of fouling and buying time by stopping the game. Their aggression can leave some of the most accomplished strikers quivering in their boots! But their success occasionally comes at the cost of a card. They are penalised often for what they do. As a result, their style of play is not used unless the match is crucial or if the team is down on the scoreboard. Many of them are also very inconsistent. Also do note that some clubs like more discipline so destroyers are not used much in dynamic tactics, like Bayern's pressing play, or Barcelona's possession play, or even Dortmund's fast transition game.

Tactical Defenders: These centre backs are the ones that use tactics to judge their opponents moves, even when the are outnumbered. They play smart, make easy tackles, and do their best to simply block the opposition play. Such defenders if trained correctly and nurtured by the managers could change the balance of the footballing scales of power. They need not have a strong body or a large structure, a speedy foot and quick mind is all they require. They control the backline and work carefully and efficiently and  make the opposition weep.

Players like the emerging Hummels, Chelsea legend John Terry, Vidic and Thiago Silva, are some of the best tactical defenders around.

A raw talent to look out for is PSG-signed Marquinhos. He is touted to be one of the greatest defenders in the near future.

The Fullbacks: Fullbacks are the wide defenders that traditionally stayed back throughout the game, but are now of much more tactical importance, and can be seen in best use in the likes of Manchester United And Bayern Munich. Fullbacks are supposed to be the workaholics of the team; they require that impeccable timing in order to make overlapping runs, which means they have to be incredibly fast with the ball and keep themselves open for the corresponding wingers and midfielders. They are very useful for counterattacks. They have to be skillful dribblers and good with crosses.

Dani Alves and Marcelo are well-known defenders, ones that choose to attack quite often, while Philip Lahm is considered the best right-back at present and is more defensive in his plays but makes a lot of overlapping runs. Roberto Carlos is one of the most skillful fullbacks ever known.

The skills of fullbacks in the modern era of the game are so vast that they can be brought out into the midst of the pitch as well, usually as a winger or a central midfielder.

While often underrated, defenders are sometimes the most important part of a team. It would not do to overlook such valuable players and it is incredibly important that we appreciate all that they do for their teams.

 A couple of examples of the quality defensive play:

Thank you,
TwoFace