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Defensively Quotes

On tactics, adaptation and self-awareness.

Most of these defensively quotes come from football and sports, covering everything from learning to read the game as a running back to keeping a compact, attacking high line.

I like to play attacking football, but I think the big difference is that we expect a lot more from our strikers, to do more pressing and to keep compact. We like to play a high line defensively and press...

Quotes by Ronald Koeman

Whites often respond defensively when linked to other whites as a group or 'accused' of collectively benefiting from racism, because as individuals, each white person is 'different' from any other white person and expects to be seen as such.

Quotes by Robin DiAngelo

When you play against different people from all walks of life you can't do the same thing against every player defensively or offensively. You have to change up the way you go at a player.

Quotes by Oscar Robertson

It actually took me a year to learn how to play running back - to understand what they were doing defensively and then what our guys were doing every single play.

Quotes by Marcus Allen

Able Quotes

I could handle the basketball but I wasn't quick enough to move defensively. Offensively, I was fine. I could get around, I could do stuff, but defensively I wasn't quick enough. I couldn't keep up. That was the biggest thing....

Quotes by Gary Woodland

I started in a 4-3-3 formation at Ajax, playing in left midfield. There, you need to be just as involved defensively as you are going forward. You attack and you defend, and that allows you to be a complete player.

Quotes by Edgar Davids

As I'm growing up, going into holding midfield, I'm watching Busquets quite a lot for Barcelona. The way he controls the game, his reading of it, technically, defensively - everything about him cuts him out above the rest. I'm really...

Quotes by Declan Rice

I think that's part of building your team is trying to anticipate where your team is going and to a certain extent where, especially defensively because you have to react to what they put on the field. Defensively you have...

Quotes by Bill Belichick

The experience of playing EuroLeague ball gave myself a different perspective on just the way the game's played. Every possession matters. Everything has to be on point. Offence, defensively - everybody has to be connected.

Quotes by Anthony Bennett

Back Quotes

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

Quotes by Alan Hansen

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are all these defensively quotes about sports?
Most are, covering football tactics like reading the game as a running back or keeping a high defensive line, but one quote applies the word to social psychology instead.
Why do athletes talk about playing 'defensively'?
Coaches and players use it to describe positioning, awareness and adapting to different opponents, since, as one quote notes, you can't defend every player the same way.
What does the social-psychology quote about reacting defensively mean?
It observes that people sometimes respond defensively when linked to a group accused of collectively benefiting from an unfair system, even though each person's situation differs.
Is there a quote about switching between offense and defense?
Yes, one notes that playing against different opponents means you can't do the same thing defensively or offensively every time, highlighting the need for constant adjustment.
What other quote pages relate to this theme?
Check out basketball quotes and back quotes for more sport-specific strategy and positioning language.

One quote shifts to social commentary, noting how people can respond defensively when accused of collectively benefiting from systems they didn't personally choose.