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Defensive huh? I was a defense player for like 8 years, so I know a few hints and tips. Most of 'em have probably been mentioned already, but that's no big deal:
First thing about defending is to stay with your assigned opponent. Your direct opponent shouldn't have one inch of free space, you should be right on top of him. Constantly. Do not let him handle the ball, follow him to wherever he goes (of course, don't take this too far - if he wanders to the opposite of the field, do remain in your assigned position) and don't fear to let him know you're there. Even if he's big, broad and looks like Hulk Hogan: bump into him a couple of times. Football isn't a sport to be friendly and invite him to tea; the nicest one never wins.
Second: if he does indeed get the ball (or some other opponent) NEVER LET YOUR EYES GET OFF THE BALL! This is a golden rule in football. It's the ball that counts, not the fancy movements the player makes. Xen's sig (with Ronaldinho doing his 'Elastico' move) is a good example. The player there follows (up to some point, at least) the body movements of Ronaldinho, therefore not ready to go the opposite way. If your opponent does get past you, make a tackle for the ball. A lot of football players hate to lie on the ground, make slidings and stuff, but they can be 'lifesavers', believe me. A good many times, you'll be able to kick the ball away. A corner, a throw-in: anything's better than a goal. Trust me, I know.
These two things are of main importance. Other things, like standing on your toes to be more alert, always run backwards instead of turning around, use the inside of your foot instead of the point to shoot the ball. These are all technical points that are fairly important, but I'd say the first two are the major ones. Just keep your head, go practice with a ball to get some more feeling to it if you think you need to and you'll do fine.
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