Article: From strikers to center-backs, everyone needs to know individual defending. So get a partner and start playing 1v1, working on handling your man and pressuring him effectively. When defending one on one, remember to:  Stay slightly crouched and on the balls of your feet.  Your knees should be bent in an athletic position, allowing you to react quickly. Angle your body, with one foot ahead of the other, so that you invite the attacker to go to one side. Force them to the sideline, or to your other defenders, instead of standing straight up and letting them choose your direction. Watch a player's hips to avoid getting tricked. Your hips are your center of gravity, and they generally telegraph where a player is going unless they're Lionel Messi. It is almost impossible to quickly change your hips direction, and you can use this to your advantage as a defender. Great players are always scanning the field, especially when they have the ball. This takes practice, as it's harder to control a ball you can't see. But learning to use the bottom of your eyesight while scanning the field is an essential skill to become a smarter, and thus better, player. Use practices to work on keeping your head up. Turn the ball over now, not in games, and you'll quickly see improvement. Great players are always talking: "Open man," "I've got the ball," "I need some help," and much, much more is constantly being shouted on the field, and there is a good reason. Soccer is a team game, and intelligent players know the team must be on the same page for all 90 minutes to get the most out of the game. Be a team leader and start chattering every game and practice. Essential things to talk about throughout the game include:   Defensive Marks: let your team know who you're covering if you want to challenge the ball, and if there are any unmarked defenders who need to be covered.  Advice to the player dribbling: don't shout tons of info at them, but don't leave them in the dark. Tell them when they have time and when there is a "man on."  Making Runs: Tell your teammate you're "overlapping!" or that "you can play it back" if they need. When you make a big run, don't assume they will always see you, especially if their head is down. Note where the players are not just when they have the ball, but off of it. What runs are people in your position making? When do they move up to attack and when do they peel back. Don't be afraid to be a bit of a critic -- use these games to learn new ideas and break down why certain things didn't work. How would you play differently, and how would you like to emulate your favorite players?  Burgeoning players can also check out tutorials, clips, and highlights on YouTube, which can help fill in gaps if you're unsure what techniques the pros are using on shots or passes. Find a team or league you love and become a fan -- the more you watch the better your play will be. A big part of soccer intelligence is learning how to work as a team. While each team has specific strategies that they must develop together, there are some tactics that hold true no matter what team you're on:   Contract on defense, expand on offense. This is the basis of all strategies -- you want to take away space on defense and create space when attacking. So, on defense, you come together near the center of the field, forming a unified base and moving together to prevent offensive threats. On offense, you try to make them break this base by stretching out to defend you and your team.  Follow up all shots, forcing the defense to react. Even decent shots can turn into goals if your team is crashing the goal on shots and crosses. This sort of pressure can upend defenses, as defenders will face their own goal on a rebound and have a very hard time clearing it safely.  Keep your shape defensively. Even if you're not playing an offside trap, the defense should be on a horizontal line, holding shape. When defenses lose this shape, they create gaps and holes between themselves. If you play in the back, always look left and right and keep everyone in a mostly even line.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Learn one-on-one defending to be useful anywhere on the field. Keep your eyes up throughout the game, especially when you have the ball. Communicate on the field, talking constantly to aid your team. Watch professional games at least once a week, learning from the best. Learn the basics of team tactics, becoming a team leader on offense and defense.