Prospect Alert: Lockdown Defenders

Everyone knows that defense wins championships, and this list of six players are some of the best defenders in the state of Florida. These players can make goal line clearances, perfectly timed slide tackles, and even be a modern defender with their ability to play the ball forward with ease. These six players all have a gift of going on the attack as well. All of them are composed on the ball and can find their forwards easily or even make their own runs forward to help the attack.    Miller's 6-foot stature makes him incredible at winning the ball back. Blake never seems to miss a challenge whether it is by sliding or standing. Miller uses his speed to his advantage as he is superb at quickly closing down the gap between the attacker and himself and puts on constant pressure that often results in Blake winning the ball back for his team. Miller is a dual threat as he can go forward on offense to either create chances or finish them for himself. Miller can pass, dribble, and find open space to help his forwards and provide more width to the game. His most impressive passes are his long balls which find his attackers in stride to allow them to score or pass. Overall, Blake's versatility causes him to be an issue for any opponent.     Matthew “Mateo” Frady is an elite defender, with accolades from being the IMG U16 MVP, U16 MLS showcase all star, IMG Academy DPOY, and more. Mateo's ability to be a modern day defender is what impresses me the most. Modern day defenders are known to be able to play the ball forward quickly, and Mateo can do just that. I have seen numerous highlights of him playing over the top balls perfectly to his forwards all the way from his defensive line. Frady is also very comfortable on the ball as he often is the one to step up from defense to carry the ball forward. Mateo can also use his body well to win challenges and also is highly skilled in both standing and sliding tackles. These capabilities is what makes him DPOY quality, as if he misses one tackle or is not strong enough when challenging for the ball that can leave gaps for other teams to exploit.       Sarka is the definition of a ball-playing centerback. Josh can win the ball back and use his 6'1” frame to body attackers from the ball and well times all of his tackles to avoid drawing a foul. An impressive play by Sarka saw an attacker through on goal and Josh caught up with ease and timed a slide tackle to perfection, showing that he is one of the best on defense. To go more into the ball-playing aspect, Sarka has evolved in the game like many defenders. He is well versed in playing over the top balls to his forwards for a smooth and fast transition into offense. What makes these passes special is the “weight” on them, meaning that they land at his teammates feet or are put into space to have a player run onto it.     Juliana is a right back who has some of the best work rates I have seen. Friedrichsen can win the ball back with exceptional timing and instantly goes on the attack. Her speed helps for both offense and defense but Juliana excels in one-two passes where she can run down the sides of the field and put a cross into the box for her striker. To help with her offensive capabilities Friedrichsen has excellent ball control and always keeps it close to avoid challenges from the defenders. In terms of her defensive game, her speed also allows her to close down space efficiently. Juliana does not allow the offense to breathe and can win the ball back well, which is why she is a key player for her team.     Madeline is very capable as a defensive midfielder or center back, but I wanted to focus on her center back game. Bordages is a strong, composed center back which allows her to be able to lock down the opposing team. She does well in the air and has many highlights of clearing the ball with ease over the attackers head. Madeline times her tackles well and closes down space at the right time to give the opposition no chance of holding onto the ball. Her ability to close down space is due to her agility and speed, which is shown in many highlights as she steals the ball from forwards. Bordage's passing game shines as well, switching the field easily and picking out her wingers to start the attack. Madeline does well at one touch passing, which has helped her get out of pressure and find her teammates to counter attack.       Diskin is a centerback who never fears putting her body into a challenge. She won many tackles through standing tackles and has a superb ability of finding a teammate after to go on the attack. Aubrey helps her defenders and midfielders build up play as they often look to her to make this smooth transition. Diskin is composed on the ball and can play passes on the ground or in the air efficiently. Aubrey is very impressive in the air as she wins a lot of aerial duels against the opposition. Some defenders just clear the ball on headers, but a key part of her game as a centerback is her ability to find teammates to pass to from the header.

Everyone knows that defense wins championships, and this list of six players are some of the best defenders in the state of Florida. These players can make goal line clearances, perfectly timed slide tackles, and even be a modern defender with their ability to play the ball forward with ease. These six players all have a gift of going on the attack as well. All of them are composed on the ball and can find their forwards easily or even make their own runs forward to help the attack.