Seattle Sounders’ Nigerian speedster Obafemi Martins on how to outfox a pacy defender
"I'm quick but sometimes I need a bit more than that to beat a player who's also nippy. What can I do?" Sarah Naismith, Glasgow
“Beating a fast defender is all about positioning. Clever movement in and around the box can beat any defender. I like to be unpredictable – they hate not knowing what you’re going to do.
Your strike partner’s movement can help, if they distract your marker with runs to create space.
The positions you take up can be influenced by the height of the defender. If they’re tall they can be immobile, so if you get the ball in front of goal and find space to turn, that can cause them problems.
Try to tire them out by constantly staying on the move and dragging them out of position. If you remain static, that makes their job at lot easier.
Rather than just trying to beat them in a foot race you should try to use your team-mates to pass the ball around them. A quick one-two can lose any marker, no matter how quick they are.
Mix up your approach. Keep them guessing. Create situations that move the focus away from raw speed and require different skills.”
