Getting Older, Getting Better?

One advantage of playing sports into a later age is the deterioration.  I am slower than I used to be and cannot rely upon my speed and quickness the way I used to.  It has forced me to adapt to playing against younger, better players.  One thing I now do on defense rather than just blindly try and "shut down" or "challenge" my opposing player is to outthink him as well.  I watch the guy and see "what he wants to do."  Most players have something they want to do.  Basically, they want to go left or go right, or get around you.  Robben on the Netherlands is a good example.  You know he just wants to cut in and make a diagonal run.  I would now simply back off Robben two steps and angle my body to force him to go right.  He could easily do so, but it would be out of his comfort zone.  He would go right and I'd let him try and get a right footed cross or go left and I would tackle him.

If a big guy wants to pin me on defense, I don't let him.  I back away and don't play him tight.  I just try and throw off his balance.  Then I mix it up.  It is psychological.

Necessity is the mother of invention.