When we have a defensive situation in which we are conceding too many goals, it is not just a problem in the defense but the entire team, starting with the coach.
We believe defending is very much a team job, and we can't just rely on a back four and a goalkeeper.
The teams that defend well are as important as those that attack well. If you don't concede goals it is much easier to win but it is all about having balance.
Rafa Benitez was keen on defending - all dropping back together if you lose the ball.
A compact defense has always been the basis of Italy's team.
The Italians are very strong defensively. They showed in Euro 2000 how good defensively they are.
The beginning of everything is our defensive organisation. The clean sheet is always the first objective that we have in the game. Always.
I think a lot of managers say that it starts from the front and us as defenders know it helps our job when the front two strikers put that pressure on. If they can do that it makes our job a lot easier.
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.
Italy are a very difficult team to play against. They have good defensive qualities.
You have to win the title with a strong team and a strong defence, but I don't only like to talk about the four defenders and the goalkeeper when you concede goals. It's about the team.
For the strikers, we have more freedom, and even when we lose the ball, if we press together, we can get it back, and it is good system for Chelsea.
For me, what makes Liverpool special is that they are a team that works very well on the lines, very compact, in which everyone attacks and defends.
When it does not click offensively, it is very easy to get down defensively.
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.
At Ajax, they are strict when it comes to using the ball as a defender.
I think if you're not conceding so many goals, it gives you a great platform to win games.
Most of the clubs who have had success against Barcelona have relied on a highly organised and disciplined defence.
For the life of me, I'll never understand why the teams that have the best defences get criticised. Shouldn't clean sheets be a badge of honour for defenders and goalkeepers?
We cannot take responsibility for every goal we concede, we all need to do our part across the field to ensure we win as a team.
When the opposition sits back and defends well and together, it's difficult.
One of the things that makes the best teams in the world the best is the fact that, across midfield and up top, they are capable of hurting you.
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.
Over a long time, I've honestly had enough of people saying Arsenal's defence is not good enough.
When you've got players like Carlos Sanchez, Fabian Delph, and Tom Cleverley behind you, it makes it easy with Christian Benteke and Gabby Agbonlahor in front of me.
