limey

Ahhhhh defence. A general rule of soccer that applies mostly to defenders is to build the play up the wings. This is the safest route upfield and your midfield can support you inside if needed. If you look at Man Utd they build the play from the back, keep it wide and players like Scholes and Keane may come and pick up the ball and switch the play to the other side or distribute it to the corners for the wingers to run on to. In defence the rule is always safety first and if you turn the ball over when passing into the middle of the field you may get eaten alive by your team mates. The people around you that are looking to get the ball from you are the opposing strikers, and they are the last people you want to have the ball.
Having said that, and as said before, defenders must use the opportunity the keep posession and be patient when passing. If a pass is not on then keep the ball amongst you fellow defenders and pass it around or use your keeper. You do need to be somewhat proficient and confident in passing and in your team mates ability also for this to work.
One thing that I'm not sure has been mentioned is not to FORCE a pass. This means that if you see a player you could pass too but you are not 100% sure the ball will not get intercepted - be patient and chose another route. Soccer is all about making the right choices and when you keep chosing passes that may not work out you end up turning the ball over more than you would think.