Everyone knows how crucial defensive players are to a soccer club, this is why it is vital to be aware of the assorted roles they play.
At the very back of the club is a position that has consistently held such importance, the goalkeeper. Although keepers have always had to be reliable, in recent years the top clubs have needed more than just shot preventing abilities from their number one. Of all the soccer positions, this one probably has the most pressure as one small slip up will undeniably lead to a goal. But along with assurance at the back, keepers are currently often expected to be excellent with their feet as well! This is so they can be confident on the football and make attacking passes to rapidly launch a counter-attack. When the Valencia owner is on the lookout for a new keeper, they should actually be on the lookout for confidence as among the primary traits.
A position that has attained importance in more recent times due to new styles of play, is the fullback position. When playing full back football in the past, you would just be required to defend and sometimes go forward, but this is no longer the case. Nowadays, fullbacks are required to attack consistently throughout the match, assisting wingers with their attacking runs. Along with this, they are still needed to be solid in defence and make sure they get back from the attacks rapidly, so they aren’t caught out. Because of these new specifications, fullbacks usually have to have exceptionally high stamina, so they don’t gas out midway through the match from making a lot of runs up and down the pitch. The Crystal Palace owner has definitely seen some quality fullbacks move through the doors during their time in the top flight.
One of the most prominent roles in any defence is a centre back, as they play in the heart of the defense can often be the captain of the club. One of the most crucial things about this position is having spectacular centre back positioning, as you need to always be aware of where the opponent players are, and even your own teammates. As a result of this it’s not the easiest position in soccer by any stretch of the imagination, as centre backs need to make sure that their entire defensive line moves as a unit. If one defender breaks this line, then it could easily lead to one of the opposition attackers getting through on goal and scoring. Along with this, centre backs need to be quite tall and powerful, as a few of the strikers they will come up against some very powerful footballers. As a result of their importance to the club, the AC Milan owner should always be on the lookout for some top footballers in this position.