retired_keonia

Right when every game starts it ask, tacking, marking, closing down and show to which foot. So what is closing down?

retired_rmschaffer

How much you want to close down each opposition player.

retired_keonia

Like playing them tight or laying off of them kind of playing a defensive zone?

I know the other closing down, the one talking about half but still that definintion is kind of bad.

retired_badmagic9

Speaking as an ignorant American who has learned everything he knows of the sport through FM, my understanding of "closing down" is that you are instructing whoever is marking that player to run toward him if he gets the ball (Always), or to stand off him (Never), or sometimes (Mixed (he makes up his own mind when to run toward him)), or to follow the team instructions for Closing Down (no instructions).

Running toward the player puts him under pressure and forces him to do something with the ball. If he handles pressure poorly, he can make a bad decision, or if he passes poorly, he may make a bad pass. Thing is, if he's skillful, he can use his skill to avoid the defender and move around him, to significant advantage.

retired_pchandler

A good tip is to not close down pacey strikers if you have slow defenders, as if they nip round them you'll neve catch him. Standing off (closing down - never) keeps him in front of your defender and makes it harder for him to get 1-1 with your keeper.

retired_keonia

this is kind of a weird feature in a game. Seeing how in real life you should almost always close down in certain situations for example player getting the ball and closing down so he doesnt turn, closing down near the box. what happens near the box, how does this game figure this option, it seems to difficult and its a team option how can i tell me slow players to play back when they know the other player is fast, it seems impossible to put this in a game and use it correctly. If i say never will the lay off in the box and let him shoot a easy stike on goal?

retired_evet_sam

What happens when you come up against a striker who's quicker than the Bugatti Veyron?
If you close him down he's just gonna knock the ball past your defender and be bearing down on goal...
I think this is why they gave us this little option before a game, its not the only reason but a good one in my opinion.

retired_evet_sam

Mr Troyer,

Any reason for being a Reading fan?

retired_keonia

I agree its a good feature but how does the game know when to do the right thing, thats what im trying to say it seems like a feature that would be hard to incorporate because of all the times you should and shouldnt close down, know what I mean

retired_badmagic9

I'm also a Cub fan ...