Central Defence Combinations

You should choose role combinations in central defence that enable you to balance your playing system. The player roles and duties that you use should also be suitable for your desired tactical style and your players’ abilities.

You can generate an automatic tactical analysis of the central defence role combinations in your tactic by using the Role Combinations System Analyser. You can also analyse roles/duties individually by using the Player Roles & Duties Role Analyser.

Introduction & System Analyser
Central Defence Combinations | Central Midfield Combinations
Flank Combinations | Central Attack Combinations

Positional Responsibilities

Balanced role/duty combinations in central defence include roles/duties that provide cover, apply defensive pressure and play safe.

Providing Cover

‘Providing cover’ refers to the combination of both providing attacking cover (providing cover when your team is in possession) and providing defensive cover (providing cover when your team is out of possession).

Providing cover in central defence is considered to be of essential importance. It is therefore advised to use at least two players who perform the responsibility. This includes at least two players who perform providing attacking cover (essential importance) and at least one who performs providing defensive cover (medium importance).

Symmetry

If you are using a formation with three DC playing positions then it can be useful to assign the responsibilities of providing attacking cover and providing defensive cover symmetrically to help to retain spatial compactness effectively. This is done by assigning each responsibility to either the central DC or to both the DCL and the DCR.

Counterbalancing

If you use a player who performs providing defensive cover to a particularly significant extent, such as a Cover duty, then it is advisable to make sure that you have enough players carrying out the counterbalancing responsibility of applying defensive pressure to a sufficient extent.

Usually, two players who carry out the counterbalancing responsibility to any extent, such as two Defend duties, or one who does so with one or more direct instructions, such as a Stopper duty, should be sufficient.

Special Case – Splitting the Responsibility

Providing defensive cover is usually performed by one or more players who also perform providing attacking cover to avoid problems with providing defensive cover in the defensive transition phase. However, it is possible to separate these responsibilities by using …

• … Two players who perform providing attacking cover but not defensive cover, such as two Stopper duty DCs, and …
• …. Another player who performs providing defensive cover but not attacking cover, such as a Libero (DC Support), …

As long as both players have a higher or versatile focus for providing attacking cover and defensive cover (that is, Defend, Stopper, Cover or Support duties).

Roles that can Carry Out the Responsibility

Providing cover in central defence can be performed by any of the following:

• Cover duties - specialise in providing cover.

  • If you are using only two DCs then you can use a Cover duty to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a Stopper duty who specialises in applying defensive pressure.
  • If you are using three DCs then …
    • … You can use a Cover duty in the central DC position to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a DCR and DCL who apply defensive pressure to both central and flank opposition players.
    • … You can use a Cover duty in the DCR and/or DCL positions to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a Stopper duty in the central DC position who specialises in applying defensive pressure to central opposition players.

• Defend duties - provide cover while also applying defensive pressure as appropriate.

  • If you are using either two or three DCs then you can use all of them together as Defend duties to share the responsibility of providing cover with each other, while also applying defensive pressure.
  • If you are using three DCs then you can use a Defend duty in the DCR and/or DCL positions to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a Stopper duty in the central DC position, as appropriate, while also applying defensive pressure to flank opposition players as appropriate.

Providing defensive cover in central defence (but not attacking cover) can also be performed by:

• Libero (DC Support/Attack) - provides cover like a Cover duty but moves forward to support attacks when your team is in possession.

  • If you are using three DCs then you can use a Libero in the central DC position to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a DCR and DCL who apply defensive pressure to both central and flank opposition players.

A Libero (DC Support) can also contribute to providing attacking cover in central defence, although a Libero (DC Attack) cannot due to its Get Further Forward player instruction.

Tactical Style Suitability

Applying Defensive Pressure

Applying defensive pressure in central defence is considered to be of medium importance. It is therefore advised to use at least one player who performs the responsibility.

Symmetry

If you are using a formation with three DC playing positions then it can be useful to assign the responsibility of applying defensive pressure symmetrically to help to retain spatial compactness effectively. This is done by assigning the responsibility to either the central DC or to both the DCL and the DCR.

Counterbalancing

If you use a player who performs applying defensive pressure to a particularly significant extent, such as a Stopper duty, then it is advisable to make sure that you have enough players carrying out the counterbalancing responsibility of providing defensive cover to a sufficient extent.

Usually, two players who carry out the counterbalancing responsibility to any extent, such as two Defend duties, or one who does so with one or more direct instructions, such as a Cover duty, should be sufficient.

Roles that can Carry Out the Responsibility

Applying defensive pressure in central defence can be performed by any of the following:

• Stopper duties - specialise in applying defensive pressure.

  • If you are using only two DCs then you can use a Stopper duty to close down central opposition players in front of a Cover duty who specialises in providing cover for him.
  • If you are using three DCs then …
    • … You can use a Stopper duty in the DCR and/or DCL positions to close down both central and flank opposition players in front of a Cover duty or Libero (DC Support) in the central DC position who specialises in providing cover for him.
    • … You can use a Stopper duty in the central DC position to close down central opposition players in front of a DCR and DCL who provide cover for him.

• Defend duties - apply defensive pressure while also providing cover as appropriate.

  • If you are using either two or three DCs then you can use all of them together as Defend duties to share the responsibility of applying defensive pressure with each other, while also providing cover.
  • If you are using three DCs then you can use a Defend duty in the DCR and/or DCL positions to close down both central and flank opposition players in front of a Cover duty in the central DC position, as appropriate, while also providing cover closer to the flank as appropriate.
  • If you are using three DCs with a Libero then you can use a Defend duty in each of the DCR and DCL positions to provide cover in the Libero’s absence while he returns to his position after your team concedes possession. This is particularly useful if using a Libero (DC Attack) as he will take longer to return to the defence.

Tactical Style Suitability

Playing Safe

Playing safe in central defence is considered to be of medium importance. It is therefore advised to use at least one player who performs the responsibility.

Roles that can Carry Out the Responsibility

Playing safe in central defence can be performed by any of the following:

• One No-Nonsense Centre Back – specialises in playing safe by making safer passes and kicking the ball long whenever it might be necessary.
• One Central Defender – plays safe to a sufficient extent but balances safer passes with riskier passes.
• One Half Back – drops deep from central midfield to play safe like a Central Defender.

Tactical Style Suitability

Related Guides

Other Role Combinations guides

• Introduction & System Analyser
• Central Midfield Combinations
• Flank Combinations
• Central Attack Combinations

Related Tactics Guides

• Player Roles & Duties – to analyse individual player roles and duties for use in your playing system.
• Adding Team & Player Instructions – to adjust your tactical style as appropriate, taking into account any less suitable roles/duties.
• Playing System Balance – tactical theory guide.
• Positional Responsibilities – tactical theory guide.
• Attacking Structures – tactical theory guide including forward movement partnerships and forward movement scores.
• Responsibility Distribution – tactical theory guide on assigning positional responsibilities.