User blog comment:DJMatyas/Am I doing something wrong?/@comment-2186790-20130615082054/@comment-6003864-20130619134352

Playing defensive is viable, but only on certain champions. For instance, Cho and Nunu will hold their lanes against all comers 99% of the time. However, Gragas, Gang, Trundle and Udyr (top udyr... that's some retro goodness for ya) all benefit from playing very aggressively. Gang should be constantly harassing  and bullying his opponent out of lane, Gragas should be using his range and high sustain to chunk out health. Trundle's kit is almost singularly designed for offense.

As far as general advice? Don't play premades until you feel you are just as good as your friends. You won't feel as if you're helping, or worse you'll just copy their style at the cost of your own. Play some soloqueue and you'll find you'll be gaining levels in leaps and bounds