To establish the characteristics of the defensive play style we will perform a brief analysis of the three main types of marking:
- "Delete" to the opposing player – 1:1 situations – (individual marking).
- Mark the man.
- Its main objective is to "delete" the opposing player's game.
- It is the simplest defensive style, although it involves enormous physical and psychological wear and tear.
- Requires players with very specific features.
- You have very high risks in the event that an advocate is overwhelmed. For this reason it leads to the realization of numerous faults (with the danger that strategies entail in current football), and the need to achieve numerical superiority in the area of the holder.
It is in effective for a fast and effective defense/attack transition,due to the offensive desubication in which players encountered when the ball is recovered.
- Make it impossible to make the evolutions of the ball impossible - Pressure on the ball (collective pressure).
- Pressure marking in the area on the ball.
- Its main objective is to make it impossible to evolve the ball in the nearby area (elimination of spaces).
- It is easy to overcome by changes in orientation (direct or indirect), even when the opposite has tilted intensely, since from the second or third change of orientation it is practically impossible to reach the position of the ball to exert the pressure.
- "Remove" game spaces (zonal marking).
- Zone marking.
- Its main goal is to eliminate the game space.
- The existence of an area of 2700-3000 m2. Useful for developing the attack game on the contrary makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to completely eliminate existing game spaces to the contrary.
Despite all this it seems to be the most suitable defensive style of play to counter a high-level team of play, as it offers various aspects that seem especially effective. We must still take into account the following points:
- The defender in the opponent's area must avoid progression by performing a defined/pressing marking.
- Avoid in the area of the ball a situation of 1:2 (situation of numerical inferiority).
- Create pressure, eliminate free spaces and cause situations of numerical superiority (2:1) in our defensive zone when the ball is in it. -- Orientation of the defending team, in the progression zone, by tilting towards the lane/zone in which the ball is located, so that play spaces can be removed and large coverages made. Diagonal surveillance should be manifested in opposite areas to counteract possible orientation changes made by the opposing team.
- All other players stay in their respective zones, close to their opponents (without making an individual marking) by removing the PASS LINE between their opponent and the ball (get "INTERCEPT LINE"). We understand as an interception line the one between the ball and the attacking opponent who is in our area with options to receive. The defender must not mark the player, nor remove the holder's spaces, but their mission is to "cut" the pass line without leaving their playing area.
- In this way, and without leaving the defensive zone itself, players can prevent the opponent from being in a position to receive the ball, positioning themselves so that they can "cut" the pass line.
This will require neither an intense marking on the contrary nor an accumulation of players in the ball area.
We call these variants and defensive forms "SMART MARKING".
Consequently, with what is mentioned in this point, we understand that we will only be able to achieve defensive success (avoid the completion of the opponent/recover the ball), if we take advantage of its offensive errors.