Guide
How to Defend in PES 2013: Stop Conceding the Same Goal
Concede less in PES 2013 with structural defending: containing, jockeying, screening the through ball, and picking defenders by the attributes that matter.
Contents On this page
Most goals conceded in PES 2013 are not lost in the tackle. They are lost ten seconds earlier, when your shape invited the pass that became the chance. This guide defends the PES way: position first, patience second, tackles last.
Contain before you commit
Your first defensive act is always to slow the attack down. Use the contain controls to hold a goal side position and steer the ball carrier where you want him: wide, backwards, or onto his weaker foot. Every second you delay is a second your team uses to become a shape again.
The second man is a trap, not a chase
Calling pressure from a team mate works when the ball is pinned against the touchline or a receiver's back. Used in open field, it just opens the lane the pressure player left. Think of the second man as closing a door the ball carrier has already walked towards, never as a dog you release. For the complete picture of the game, start from the PES 2013 guide home page and work outwards from there.
Screening the through ball
The chipped and ground through balls are PES 2013's classic weapons. Your holding midfielder's real job is to live in the lane those passes travel through. Position him between the opponent's playmaker and your defence, and half the famous PES goals simply never get attempted.
Picking defenders by attribute
Response gets your defender to the pass first. Body balance keeps him standing in the duel. Jump and heading clear the crosses your shape forces. Pace matters least of the four for centre backs in this engine, which is why so many slow, clever defenders quietly star in Master League.
Tackling, the last resort done right
Tackle when you can see the ball and your body is between the man and the goal, never from behind a stride of pace. The standing tackle in PES 2013 is strong when timed off the attacker's touch: strike as the ball leaves his foot, not while it sits under it. We go deeper on the connected topic in our guide to PES 2013 player ratings, which pairs well with this one.
Defending crosses
Attack the ball with your nearest centre back and track the far post runner with a full back or midfielder, because the far post is where PES 2013 crosses go to become goals. Clear long and wide rather than short and central; a throw in is a result, a central clearance is a second chance for them.
Game management late on
Leading late, defend the clock as a player: keep the ball in their half with simple passes, take throw ins slowly by choosing safe restarts, and drop your line five metres rather than ten. Total retreat invites the one thing this engine loves, a long shot through a crowd. We go deeper on the connected topic in our PES 2013 controls guide, which pairs well with this one.
Drills that build defenders
In training, play ten minutes keeping a clean sheet against the AI at one difficulty above your comfort, with goals counting double against you for every tackle you miss. Constraint teaches positioning faster than any lecture, and your Master League goal difference will show it within a month.
Quick Answers
How do I defend better in PES 2013?
Contain first to slow attacks, use second man pressure only when the ball is trapped, screen through ball lanes with your holding midfielder, and tackle only when you can see the ball.
Which attributes matter for defenders in PES 2013?
Response, body balance, jump and heading matter most. Raw pace is less important for centre backs because early reading beats late chasing in this engine.
How do I stop crosses in PES 2013?
Attack the delivery with a centre back while a full back or midfielder tracks the far post runner, and clear long and wide rather than short and central.