How to Build a Solid Defence?

I need some help on this! In Valladolid's hot seat, I have to find a way to conceed as few goals as possible.. Usually i play attacking football and i am successful enough in the scoring part, but i am struggling at the back..

I am searching for an advice; in what roles to play the defenders? shall i make any changes in the player's instructions? currently i play with one stopper marking the best opposition FC and one defender marking zonal! Hope you can help me

My DCs are:
http://img820.imageshack.us/i/3dmitriyverkhovtsev.png/
http://img833.imageshack.us/i/4csararzo.png/
http://img80.imageshack.us/i/6chico.png/
http://img52.imageshack.us/i/12sereno.png/
http://img156.imageshack.us/i/25luisprieto.png/

Thanks anyway!

the first thing is to have a more than decent GK. handling, rushing out, reflexes.
eventually one-on-ones if you like to play offensive, than the opposition might surprise you on the counter.
put both defenders on zonal marking and try starting with verkhotsev, he is a great DC, i had him in fm 10 at steaua.
marking, tackling, composure are the main attributes for a good DC. also pace, acceleration is good(messi and ronaldo are fast), jumping and heading for both defence and offence(scoring from corners).

as for the WBs acceleration, pace and crossing are the key in my opinion. i also play very offensive and i choose the WBs using the 3 stats. also marking because they are still defenders, workrate and stamina because they have to run from deff to off very quickly and not tire very fast.

be sure to use a CM with defensive attibutes or a DMC would be the best option.

I'd also avoid man marking unless I had top class defenders. Obviously player's height is important to win headers from opposition corners and crosses, positioning is really important for that too.
I'd also look for composure and anticipation for my DC, while pace can hinder a player from successfully marking a very fast paced attacker.

It depends on your formation as well. You could for example use 3 DC with a DC/DM in front of them (Verkhovtsev), all 3 with strictly defensive philosophy (and no creativity), and ask them to feed either the DM or the defensive/neutral wingers as priority when they got the ball.
You could also instruct your goalkeeper to play a short pass to a defender, so you can start your attacks without any risks.

In the opposition talk, I'd ask my players to show on the weaker foot. And always close down the opponents, unless you're utilizing offside traps.

thanks for the tips! i can try something of the above and see what happens! about the GKs i agree, a good keeper gives you extra points! I have Villar and Kuciak in the goalpoast and i think i am okay! anyoene else for some advice?

the gk position is covered. try to concentrate on the defence now.

i'll give you another kind of tip, that is IMPORTANT as well as the atributes: the language. in fm2010 i've got a defense that in 38 games took only 10 goals. the year before, with the same GK and the two DC, i took more than 25 goals. when one of the DC started to speak well english (i was at Arsenal), the defense was great. and do you know how many rating has one of the two DC for my staff? 1.5 i must admit that i had a great GK, maybe the no.1 in 2029.

You can buy an excelent deffender for almost free Elvedin Dzinic.

To sort your defence out properly I'd put your Wing Backs on closing down 'Own Half'. This means they'll keep their shape more but close down the dangerous wingers at the earliest opportunity. Set their marking to Zonal but not tight to, again, keep the shape of the back four. Keep your CB tackling on easy to ensure they don't start diving in and missing the ball allowing the oppo strikers a free run at goal. I normally have my GK to close down own area so as soon as that ball comes near the goal they come running out and collect or boot away.

If you play with wingers try setting them to man mark their opposition full backs so that they rarely get chance to bomb forward.

The best protection you can get is to have a DM and set his duty to Anchor Man Defend.

Not sure if am right here but defenders with low off the ball stats seem to do better. Tackling, marking, positioning, heading, jumping, determination, aggression(but not too high) pace, accelaeration, concentration, bravery are what i look for as well as strengh and stamina. I always use zonal marking but look at the opposition players before every match and weaker foot, man mark, tackle hard and close down on the players that I think need it. Sometimes i adjust during the match as I learn more about how the opposition atttacks.

No offence but i am not that noob guys! Actually i needed a tip for improving my defence because draditionally i score too much and concede too much..

@billydavey i do almost everything that you mentioned. Generally in my team everyone marks, everyone pushes up and gets back! The teams i choose are usually favorites for relegation and you understand that i dont have the possibility to let someone staring his opponent player.

@paul1576 i also agree with your statements, these are positive stats for an ideal DC. My target group in the transfer market are players with high psysical attributes and especially for defenders, the height! This is modern football, even Brazil has focused on strength and power leaving a little space for magic craft..

P.S: this Valladolid belongs to FM10! (Online game) Just for the record, i managed to secure my back, and with a low level and budget team when we ended playing, i was in the 4rth place!
Thanks for the tips menz!

One thing that always works for me defensively, is making sure that the "closing down" instruction is set to AT MOST, half, of my entire back four.

This includes the full backs, unless I'm playing a team that plays the 4-1-2-2-1 variation of the 4-5-1 (the wingers in that system get plenty of space in the wide areas against my narrow 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 setup, so I like to be nice and tight but still not ridiculously high closing down).

I think what you will find is that once you find a "closing down" instruction for your entire back four, or maybe individual instructions for each, you will keep your defensive shape better. The most successful back lines in FM are the ones that stay as a single unit of 4 across the pitch the best of times. So if you see one of your center backs pushing too far out, or maybe a full back caught up the pitch with his marking, consider scaling it down a bit and try and make sure that they are in a solid line.

I use this defensive tactic all the time, and it seems to help me out pretty well everywhere I go.

I have a similar defense based question:
I have two great DCs, and both have great stats for a stopper defender. I'm playing a 4-2-2-2 (4 in defense, 2 MCs, AML+AMR and 2 STs). Is it OK to put both of my DCs as stoppers? What would be a good pairing of the defenders? Before, I used a fast stopper and a slow but tall limited DC, but now I have two great DCs with great stats for a stopper, so I'm a bit at a loss how to combine these two.

A tall and slow defender can't be stopper, a quick and normal-heigh defender play both as stopper and cover.. i think i gave you an answer

imho defence starts from the midfield dude, make sure you have proper ball winning midfielders and use zonal marking.