Guidelines For Defending The Wing

Cutbacks and crosses are scoring techniques which are part of the current META, so we provide some guidelines to defend it. But instead of focusing on defending these particular techniques, we explain how to strengthen your wing defense in general.

Key takeaways for this lesson:

• Cutbacks and crosses sometimes feel so hard to defend, because you end up in situations with a mismatch on the wing. Thus, in this lesson we focus on guidelines and principles to avoid these tricky situations early on.
• Keeping Shape & Coordination: In order to avoid the mismatch and player disadvantage on the wing, try to keep the coordination in your defense. Defend with your midfielders, before switching to your fullbacks. Avoid pulling out CBs on the wing too early.
• Not Pushing Too Wide: When defending the wing, make sure to push not too wide far out, especially when running back. Having a straight line running back allows you to get in a better defending position. Don't overcommit too early for a tackle.
• Prioritize Breakthrough On The Wing: When in doubt, always anticipate for the opponent to go for the sprint and breakthrough on the wing. If not, there is a decent chance that the opponent uses his pace advantage to get through.
• Give Up Early Enough: When you notice that your midfielder or fullback is already out of position, switch to another player in a better position. Don't chase too long, otherwise you will worsen the situation.
• 2nd Man Press: Using R1/RB to apply pressure on the player controlling the ball while you use jockey (L2/LT) to defend the box and anticipate for passes is a good way, when the opponent is mainly looking for passes inside the box. You defend off the ball here.
• Partial Team Press: Double pressing and holding R1/RB activates Partial Team Press. This activates two teammates to cover the next passing options. This technique is used, when you're defending on the ball.
• Brave & Decisive Tackling: If you see a chance of winning the ball, since the opponent overcommits with a sprint, go for decisive tackles to have the best chance of winning the ball.
• Tackling On Sprint: This technique works in particular, when the opponent starts sprinting on the wing and you have a fullback in a good, defensive position. When the opponent takes another contact with full sprint, switch to your fullback and go for the tackle. If you have the right timing, the opponent can't react anymore and you will win the ball with a tackle.

Recommended lessons:

• On Vs Off The Ball Defending
• Tackling On Sprint

About the author: Benjamin "TaZz" Drexler is creating tutorial videos since 2011 and started to compete in tournaments at the same time. Among several weekly and monthly Top100 finishes in FUT Champions, he reached the Top8 at the Virtual Bundesliga in 2013/14 and finished in the Top8 in 2017 at the first European Regional Qualifier Event in Paris.

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Music from https://filmmusic.io "Future Logo Intro" by WinnieTheMoog (https://taigasoundprod.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)