Center Backs and the Lost Art of Defending

This article was written by Oliver Twelvetrees who just completed his 20th season as a head collegiate coach. Currently at CSU Pueblo where he has taken his team to back to back NCAA D2 finals and has over 200 wins in college soccer.

Read time: 3 minutes.

Center backs have and will always be the building blocks for a successful team. Their primary job is to lead their defensive unit to become an impenetrable force. Stopping the opposition’s best attacking weapons from creating chances and breaking their lines.

However, in the modern game that has changed. Today the new age CB is now the deep lying play maker. They are asked to control the tempo of the game, dictating patterns of play and helping their team dominate possession. This is demonstrated by the fact the center back will have the most time in possession of any player on the pitch on a regular basis. But has this affected the center backs ability to their most important job and of course that is to defend?

In this article we discuss these developments and changes and how it relates to individual and team performance.

Due to the fact that the majority of teams are now committed to playing out from the back the ability for the center back to be comfortable on the ball and confident taking the ball forward into pressure playing through the press is a necessity. When the opposition is defending deep these central defenders are often required to act as pivots stepping forward high into opponents half, switching the point and playing penetrating entry passes. In many back 3s coaches are requiring CB’s to overlap and underlap their flank players demonstrating the technique of running with the ball. While in possession the CB must always be available and actively engaged in the attack.

I was fortunate to witness center backs at the highest level at the San Siro where Inter hosted Juventus in a battle for the Serie A summit. Both teams playing with 3 at the back but with Inter being the aggressor asking their CB’s to play so high. Many moments during the game we could witness all three CBs 10-20 yards inside Juve’s half. So confident in possession vs Juve low block were they, that they were happy to risk a counter attack with only their GK in their own half. Inter won 1-0.

Essentially center backs have different demands on them which has led to some of them struggling to perform their defensive duties at optimal levels.

Blocking shots, heading, clearances, 1 v 1 defending, decision making of when to step up or drop off, anticipation and reading the game out of possession will always be the most important part of the jobs if you want to keep clean sheets.

With such a focus of on possession and positional play do we need to worry that these techniques and abilities are not being taught to the next generation of John Terry’s and Nemanja Vidic’s who are great examples of defend first players.

Is it possible in the modern game for an elite CB to be an elite defender but not elite in possession? Times have changed and I’m not sure it is. However the best teams are able to find and develop CB who can do both to great effect. Manchester City’s Ruben Diaz is an unbelievable defender who combines both in and out of possession technique to optimal levels.

In conclusion, all great teams are built on elite defending that starts with the center back. Making sure these players know their roles and responsibilities is vital and in my opinion defending first is the first and most important block to build.