Rest defence

What to look for

• How many opponents stay high, waiting to counter
• Whether your team has numbers behind the ball
• The space behind your full-backs when they push on
• When stepping up to win a loose ball is worth the risk

Worked plays

6 plays from Footy Eye's training pool, with the best read and why.

1. Play 1

   The situation

   A goal up, twenty minutes left, two of you behind the ball. Their striker lurks behind you. The pocket pass is on.

   Best read

   Shift it until someone gets back

   Why

   Usually the pocket pass is right; the question is what it costs on the day it isn’t. A lead to protect and two behind the ball means one interception releases a striker already facing the right way. Shift it, let a body get back, and the same pass is there four seconds later, far cheaper.

   The other options

   • Play the pocket pass now It’s cut out, and their striker breaks at your two defenders.
   • Carry forward and join the attack You join the attack, leaving their striker loose behind you.
   • Go long into their corner, squeeze up Their defence gathers it and plays for the striker behind you.

2. Play 2

   The situation

   First-half stoppage time, 1–0 up, corner to your team. You’re the holding midfielder; everyone else is going in the box.

   Best read

   Hold the edge — cover clearance and counter

   Why

   The worst goal to concede comes right before the break, and it almost always comes from a cleared set piece against nine men in the box. Sit at the top of the area and you cover the second ball and the counter at once. Adding yourself to the crowd changes nothing at 1–0.

   The other options

   • Go in with them — one more body The clearance lands at the edge, and they break with no one screening.
   • Call for it short and keep the ball You take it short, and the edge is empty when they win it.
   • Drop back and defend with the centre-backs You cover the counter, but their clearance lands free at the edge.

3. Play 3

   The situation

   86th minute, 1–0 up. You’re the full-back. Your winger screams for the overlap; their midfielder is sat behind you.

   Best read

   Stay level — hold the rest defence

   Why

   Four minutes up, the man you cannot be missing is the one behind the ball. Their midfielder is already stood in the grass you would vacate, so an overlap that does not end in a goal ends in their counter down your side with nobody home. The underlap takes you into central traffic instead.

   The other options

   • Overlap outside him to the byline The cross is cleared, and their midfielder breaks into your empty flank.
   • Underlap into the half-space You’re crowded out centrally, and their midfielder is free down your side.
   • Tuck inside to help your centre-back You’re safe inside, but your winger is left with no outlet.

4. Play 4

   The situation

   The team breaks — your runners are past their last midfielder. You’re the holding midfielder; their striker has stayed behind you.

   Best read

   Hold your position and let them go

   Why

   Rest defence is part of the attack. The break has the numbers, so a fourth runner adds nothing in front and hands their striker a clean run at your centre-back if it breaks down. Dropping into the line doubles up on a marked man. Hold the screen and their counter never starts.

   The other options

   • Sprint past the ball and add a runner It breaks down, and their striker runs at your lone centre-back.
   • Overlap wide and give the carrier width You add width nobody needs, and the middle behind you is empty.
   • Drop into the back line beside your centre-back Two of you mark one striker, and the space in front is empty.

5. Play 5

   The situation

   Two goals down in the 58th. You win it in the middle third with the whole ground willing you forward.

   Best read

   Attack at tempo, two men behind the ball

   Why

   Half an hour is plenty for two goals and no time at all for a third conceded — the match ends the moment they score, so raise the speed and keep the structure. Throwing the centre-backs up on the hour is the panic that turns 2–0 into 4–0.

   The other options

   • Send both centre-backs forward and load the box They clear it and break into the space your centre-backs left.
   • Go long every time, fight for second balls The long ball is headed away, and they win the second ball.
   • Keep the ball and work an opening patiently Their midfield gets back into shape, and the chance to break is gone.

6. Play 6

   The situation

   Your side works it down the touchline in their third, full-back overlapping. You’re the holding midfielder behind the ball.

   Best read

   Sit ball-side, just behind play, ready to swarm

   Why

   Counterpressing is decided while you still have the ball: where you stand now is whether you swarm it or watch it go. Ball-side and behind the play puts you on the first pass after a turnover, the one that starts every counter. Dropping level with the centre-backs makes you a needless fourth defender.

   The other options

   • Join the attack and get in the box They win it on the line and break while you’re stuck in the box.
   • Drop level with your centre-backs, play safe They win it, and their first pass goes into the space you left.
   • Slide far side to cover the switch They win it on the line and break, with you on the wrong side.

Shows up in

• Build-Up
• Transition
• Pressing
• Game Management

Related ideas

• Counter-attacksA counter-attack is attacking quickly in the seconds after winning the ball, before the opponents can get back into shape.
• Counter-pressingCounter-pressing, or gegenpressing, is pressing immediately after losing the ball, to win it back before the opponents can start their counter.
• Defending a counter-attackDefending a counter-attack is slowing down and stopping an attack that's already running at your goal with few defenders back.