how do you stop defenders from running like headless chickens?

quick example just now (and this is fairly common). a striker had the ball about 10, 15 yards into my half. my back four was perhaps 10 yards outside the box yet one of my centre backs runs out to challenge the striker who slipped it in to the space behind him where a winger cut in, who then went through and scored. Happens to me alot, with fullbacks and centre backs closing down and I'm not sure why. My centre backs have the closing down slider just on 'closing down inside area' and have zonal marking (not tight).

anyone got any advice?

Have a deeper playing midfielder so the defender does not feel the need to close down early?

Have a deeper playing midfielder so the defender does not feel the need to close down early?

I do - it's a central midfielder with a defensive mindset but he still players deeper. a defensive midfielder (I mean the position, not the style of player) I find ruins the balance of the midfield completely in a 4-4-2. But it still shouldn't make a difference, I don't want my centre back closing down.

It could a wide range of things in the tactic that's creating it, With out more info it will be hard to pin it down. Your Mid could to far from your CB, Your Def mid may be using a ppm of get forwards leaving space, he may just not be suited to the role you have him in, your CB could be making bad choices with to much freedom.