I just want to be the best defensive player I can be and anything I can give us offensively is a bonus.
That's the main thing on defense: focus, patience and staying as one unit.
I realize I have to continue to work on defense. I think a lot of people have to work on defense.
If you commit to the defensive end of the floor, you're going to have a chance to win every night. And if you're a great defensive team, you're going to go to the playoffs.
I just play hard on the defensive end. For me, being a good defender is someone who plays very hard on defense and just tries hard.
There is no second baseman in the game who can turn the double play better [than Mark Lemke]. Why are people always looking for offense at that position? What's more important is getting outs, and turning the double is a huge factor in getting outs.
You have to stay locked in. You're so locked in on guarding your guy you figure when the ball goes up the bigs are going to get it. But the possessions not over until you get the rebound.
Defending is easy. You just have to want to defend. It's not like defending is hard. It's just, like, more of an attitude.
If we don't start playing better on defense, it's going to be hard. We can't just sit there and win shootouts.
Concentrate on defense because the offense will come.
I don't give a score prediction, but I am a defensive guy, so I'll definitely be looking forward to a defensive game.
I was a great help-side defender in college, but as far as really wanting to lock somebody up, that was never really my focus.
I've turned into a full-back who pushes forwards whereas in Italy usually the full-back concentrates more on defending.
I'm a defender first and foremost, and if I'm playing right centre-half, I am even more of a defender than the wing-backs.
I think I stand up more often than I should on defense. I've got to be solid and continue to get better.
The most overrated thing is that you're a good defensive team because of your coaching. No. You're a good defensive team because you care and because it's important to you.
I try to come in with a focus to stop my man and win the game. I'm always trying to be ready to catch them off their strides by being physical enough without getting fouls.
My mental approach is totally different. My coach predicated everything on defense. He always talked about defense, defense, defense. I took it to heart that if you play defense, you can take the heart from an offensive player.
Now and again, you may be picking a pass or two in behind, making something happen, but when we're attacking - especially at Liverpool - I'm focusing on protection, being disciplined, being careful, worrying about counter-attacks, things like that.
As much as you want to improve or help the team, as a centre-back your job is to go under the radar and keep the ball out of the net. If you do that and let the strikers get all the adulation and the headlines, then you're probably doing your job.
I really wanted to step up my defense night in, night out. So that's my mindset, just playing defense and trying to be consistent with that.
