Jan Vertonghen Quotes

I'm a defender, and my first job is to make the team secure at the back; that's my primary responsibility.

For me, it is very important to control a situation in defence. You can always score goals, but you have to add stability in the defence.

Defending isn't just about tackling and heading, it's also about getting the ball down and playing - starting the attack from the back.

A compact defense has always been the basis of Italy's team.

I'm a defender first and foremost - blocks, headers, vital tackles, or even just the communication side of it, which is massive but doesn't really get recognised.

Centre-backs usually get criticised for clearing the ball long, but it's easier doing this than risking a pass. If you lose the ball at the back, it's almost a goal. Most centre-backs don't risk this kind of game, depending on the holding midfielder in front.

I need to work on defensive play and being consistent.

The Italians are very strong defensively. They showed in Euro 2000 how good defensively they are.

That's how you get better on defense; not just 'oh, man, my guy beat me,' but you have to think about, 'okay, my man beat me, so I either have to pick up the next man, or I'm going to give somebody a foul.

I realize I have to continue to work on defense. I think a lot of people have to work on defense.

I've always liked taking the ball out of defence and I will carry on doing that but at the end of the day I'm a defender, and that's what I want to be known as - a defender, getting in the blocks and the headers that people don't recognise I do, the dirty stuff that every defender should do and should be good at.

Everyone thinks I'm looking for attacking football all the time. But the foundation is how you defend - keep a clean sheet, and you have a decent chance to win a game of football.

I think I'm a great defender, to be honest.

Defense is one man guarding the ball and four others helping him

You put a lot of pressure on your defenders to be able to hold the fort when you go forward.

If we don't start playing better on defense, it's going to be hard. We can't just sit there and win shootouts.

The best way to attack is to defend well.

We believe defending is very much a team job, and we can't just rely on a back four and a goalkeeper.

Rafa Benitez was keen on defending - all dropping back together if you lose the ball.

Being a presence on the defensive end, I know that's important to me, I have to establish that.

Any good defensive team has a strong anchor, because he cleans up mistakes.

You look at Kawhi Leonard, Tony Allen, Draymond Green: they are great on ball, and they are great team defenders as well. You want to be both of them, not just one.

When I've watched teams that play with five at the back and wing-backs, I've looked at their starting positions and positions out of possession because that comes a little bit more unnaturally to me.

When you look at older teams in the finals, Miami and San Antonio, they're not really the most explosive or athletic team but they're always in the right position defensively.

It's just always been a knack for me to play defense.