Zonal / Man-marking
ゾーンディフェンス／マンツーマン
Zonal — “Guard a space” or “track a man” — the two main defensive systems.
1💬 In a nutshell
“A guard who patrols a zone, or a bodyguard glued to a VIP.”
2🎬 See it move
Man-marking: track the man
Zonal: guard the space
An original tactics board (blue = the team in focus, red = the opponent; attacking left to right). The board animates on its own.
⚽ Open the interactive version (117 more terms, each with its own board)
3🔍 Why it matters — what to watch for
Zonal keeps the shape intact but is weak at hand-offs; man-marking is clear but risks being dragged around until the shape breaks. How a team defends set-pieces (zonal, man, or mixed) is a frequent talking point.
Analysts say“They defend corners zonally — a set-up with three at the near post.”