What is the most important space on a soccer field?Some suggest that it is the zone directly in front of the penalty area – referred to as Zone 14 – where the largest percentage of goal scoring opportunities originate. Others suggest that the penalty area is the most important, as it is where the largest percentage of goals are scored. Still others suggest that the midfield is the most crucial area of the pitch, as it is often where games are "won and lost".I disagree with all three suggestions. For me, the most important space on a football pitch is the space between a players ears.For me, football is simply a game of decisions. The ability to make the correct decisions consistently is what is often referred to as a players "football IQ" or "football intelligence". You will often hear analysts refer to a player having a good "football brain", which is simply a way of saying that a player consistently makes the correct decisions on a football pitch.Does he pass the ball or does he dribble? If he passes the ball, whom does he pass it to? When he passes the ball, how hard does he pass it? Does he pass it to the left side or to the right side of the receiver? Does he pass it on the ground, or does he have to lift the ball in order to get it to its intended target?Players make thousands of these decisions during a 90-minute game, yet the difference between glory and failure can often rest on just one or two. For defenders, the wrong decision often results in conceding a goal.Consider Spains humiliating 5-1 loss to the Netherlands.Just one minute after Spains David Villa had a one-on-one with Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen – which would have put Spain in front 2-0 just before the halftime break had Silva scored - the Netherlands scored a fabulous equalizing goal through Robin van Persie. The goal completely changed the course of the game, as the momentum heading into the break turned 180 degrees in favour of the Netherlands.As wonderful as the goal was for the Netherlands, from Spains perspective it was a defensive calamity.When Dutch defender Bruno Martins Indi passed the ball to wingback Daley Blind, the assessment of the situation from Spanish defender Sergio Ramos was that there was no imminent danger.However, Ramos failed to correctly assess the situation because he got caught ball-watching. Ramos focused his attention on Blind, rather than on Robin van Persies position in relation to the ball at Blinds feet. Had he seen van Persies positioning on his back shoulder, Ramos would have realized that there was a genuine threat. Had Ramos then decided to run just three or four yards to get back into the correct defensive position, Blind would have opted to retain possession with a safer pass, rather than sending the ball forward for van Persie to attack.The ball in behind Spains back line from Blind was inch perfect, matched in quality only by the diving header from van Persie. The goal completely changed the course of the game, as the momentum swung in favour of the Netherlands – who went on to score four unanswered goals in the second half to pull off one of the results of the tournament.Consider Italys shocking 1-0 defeat at the hands of Costa Rica.Usually one of the most consistent defensive teams at the international level, Italy was badly caught out for Bryan Ruizs game-winning goal.When Costa Ricas Júnior Díaz picked up the ball on the left flank and shaped to cross, Italys Giorgio Chiellini (arguably one of the best defenders in the world) never spotted the run of Ruiz off his back shoulder. Why? Because Chiellini never took his eyes off the ball.Yes, it was clever movement from Ruiz. But Chiellinis decision to focus solely on the ball, rather than on Ruizs movement in relation to the ball, resulted in a devastating outcome for Italy. A tremendous cross from Diaz and a clinical finish from Ruiz was all Costa Rica needed to separate the two sides, clinching the minnows passage to the knockout stage.Consider Ecuadors winning goal in their 2-1 victory over Honduras.One of the key principles of good defensive play is "see the ball, see the man". A good defender always puts himself in a position where he can see both the ball and the player he is marking. Generally speaking, this is a position that is ball-side and closer to the goal that is being defended than the attacker.On Ecuadors free kick, Honduran defender Juan Carlos García committed the cardinal sin of turning his back on the ball when marking Ecuadorian striker Enner Valencia. Garcia had no idea that the ball had been kicked, as he was trying to wrestle with Valencia instead. This left Valencia the easy task of wriggling away from Garcias clutches to head the ensuing cross into the back of the net.While there have been some examples of very good defensive play at the World Cup – Iran, Greece and Costa Rica have all put on excellent defensive performances in various games – I have been surprised at how many individual defenders are making fundamental defensive mistakes.As the game changes – fullbacks are now more coveted for their ability to get forward in attack than they are for their one on one defensive abilities – the characteristics of the next generation of defenders will also change. Speed, comfort on the ball and a wide passing range are all characteristics that the modern game seeks in its defenders.But those characteristics should never come at the expense of situational and positional awareness, tackling, heading, organization and communication. The young players - like Frances Raphael Varane and Uruguays José Giménez – who can marry all of these traits together will go on to be the next "defensive artists" of the modern game. Kirk Gibson Jersey . "Last year we were in a ton of situations, late-game situations we couldnt pull out. Wed kind of fold under the pressure, get frustrated or let a big shot frustrate us," guard DeMar DeRozan said. Kenley Jansen Jersey . New York City FC introduced Frank Lampard in Brooklyn on Thursday after signing the 36-year-old former Chelsea midfielder to a two-year contract. http://www.authenticdodgersgear.com/dodg...-herman-jersey/. -- Ben Brust scored 19 points to lead six Wisconsin players in double figures as the No. Sandy Koufax Jersey .S. international midfielder Michael Bradley is complete. Fernando Valenzuela Jersey . The Mavericks were not going to let San Antonio beat them with 3-pointers, and they did not want Tony Parker using the lane as his personal playground.Watching my 73rd CFL football game of the year, I must say I saw things I have never seen. The Eastern Semi-Final was not a well-played football game, a point I know may seem obvious. And if the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are to move on to the Grey Cup, they must improve or it will be Toronto playing in Canadas football championship for the second year in a row . Again, no kidding, Chris! But in a league that can be criticized and complimented within one paragraph if not one sentence, the 2013 East Semi-Final sure had an original charm all its own. First was the weather. I think I saw everything; the wind was blowing from the North or was it the East, or maybe the West but definitely not the South, I think. There was rain, even some frozen rain and I definitely saw snow at one point. In the second half, the sun came out; thats right, the sun and it looked like it was warming up. But then it started raining a little more and I saw a rainbow over the Alumni Stadium. I have never seen a rainbow over a football field before so I squinted my eyes and yes, there it was. The weather affected the game but the players adjusted and Hamilton adjusted just a little more than Montreal. The only two touchdowns scored by the Ticats were on their last two possessions, one in regulation time and one in overtime. At moments, the Ticats offence looked dreadful but the second to last drive of 97 yards was a work of football art; maybe not the art that the majority of football fans would appreciate but a demonstration of patience in play-calling and execution. Every play of the drive, Montreal came after Burris and every play Burris found the open area and open man and took the team in for a touchdown that, at the time, looked like the game winner. There is aggressive play-calling and execution and then there is patient play-calling and execution. With 5:18 to go to 1:04 to go. it was a lesson in football patience in the extreme as it seemed that every pass was between seven and five yards. I have never seen two different quarterbacks used so frequently with such positive result. In overtime, the first play was Burris, then the next two were Dan Lefevour and then back to Burris for one more and Lefevour for two to win the game.dddddddddddd Never seen it before but look forward to seeing it again. For Montreal, the 2013 season can be described in two, perhaps contradictory words: adversity and optimism. From former head coach Dan Hawkins to quarterback Anthony Calvillo to wide receiver Jamel Richardson to offensive guard Scott Flory to running back Brendan Whitaker, the Alouettes were in adjustment mode all year long on offence. But Jim Popp took over for Hawkins, Troy Smith looked pretty good in replacing Calvillo, Duron Carter played effectively for Jamel Richarson, Brian Bomben replaced Scott Flory and Tyrell Sutton looked like Whitaker. Watch out for Montreal next year, they learned a lot and found out a lot that will be beneficial for 2014. In the Western Semi-Final, lets be honest, the Riders almost blew it. BC showed up and played well. Travis Lulay was magnificent and in giving credit where earned, the Lions blockers and pass protectors had their best game of the year. The game changed toward the end of the third quarter because at half-time, BC was winning 17-16 and scored on their first possession of the second half to make it 24-16. The game was theirs to win. Then a critical 2-and-out forced by the Rider defence and a couple of crushing hits turned it into Saskatchewans game to win. The dream lives on. Darian Durant was magnificent, completing 19 of 23 passes or 83 per cent with two touchdowns and no interceptions as well as six runs for 97 yards. On those runs, Durant made a 2nd and 10 into a first down twice and a second and 7 into a first down once. In football, a game of maybe 150 plays can come down to two or three and I thought the three runs by Durant were the game-changing and game-winning plays. For BC, the season was awkward. They had poor red zone defence but great middle field defence. There were blocking issues at times for Andrew Harris and Stefan Logan and six games without Travis Lulay, who was exceptional on Sunday. But the word persists; awkward. So now its Hamilton at Toronto and Saskatchewan at Calgary. And the visiting fans will travel. I doubt I will see a rainbow in the Rogers Centre but Ill be looking for one at McMahon Stadium. 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