Glossary : Defensive skills

Defensive skills

Aerial intervention
No further information needed
Typical example : John Terry
Counter typical-example : Javier Mascherano

Anticipation
Good reading of the game allowing ball recovery without duels
Typical example : Thiago Silva
Counter typical-example : John Terry

Ball recovery
Ball recovery in opponent feet or interception of a transmission
Typical example : Javier Mascherano (when he plays defensive midfielder)
Counter typical-example : Riccardo Montolivo

Ground intervention
No further information needed
Typical example : Pepe
Counter typical-example : Hard to break through at high level without this quality. Philippe Méxes is not really transcendent

Intervention
Efficient intervention in duels
Typical example : Branislav Ivanovic
Counter typical-example : Evra

Placing
Good positionning. Efficient marking. Good use of offside
Typical example : Vincent Kompany
Counter typical-example : Javier Mascherano

Pressing
Pressure to hamper the first pass and animation and thus recover the ball up in the field
Typical example : Lionel Messi
Counter typical-example : Jérémy Ménez

Goalkeeper

Aerial challenge
Ball catching, spring, anticipation, speed, decision
Typical example : Cech excels in this field
Average performance : Casillas and Lloris

Challenge
Speed of gush, anticipation, decision, intervention
Typical example : Casillas, Valdes.
Counter typical-example : Courtois, Stekelenburg.

Save
Save (reflexes, horizontal spring, positionning, ball catching)
Exemples-types :
Contre-exemples-types : quelques clients anglais comme ou par exemple.
Typical example : Buffon, Casillas
Counter typical-example : Some English clients such as David James or Paul Robinson for instance.