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Like any other sports team, every soccer team has its strong and weak points. These will vary from team to team, of course, but there are some consistent threats that the majority of teams have to work to prepare for.
Perhaps the most important area that a soccer team need be attentive to is the defense. With an average offensive squad, a team could still in theory score goals. Not as many as they would if they had a good offensive, granted, but the possibility would still exist. However, if a team’s defensive squad is weak, the integrity of the team as a whole is compromised far more than it would be were their offensive players weak. With a strong defensive squad, it is eminently possible to keep the game at a nil-nil tie. With a weak one, it is much harder to even secure a tie.
Therefore, the greatest threat to any soccer team is two-pronged: a weak defense and an effective opposing offense. Either of these is dangerous, and the two combined is nothing short of catastrophic. The best response to this, therefore, is working to create a sound defense. Once one has achieved that, any subsequent great threats can be dealt with at leisure.
