retired_jmh941

I've been playing a season with arsenal, with a short slow passing game, and most games i only just edge the possession stat even though the 2d pitch clearly shows im in possession more often than the opposition.

I just played a home game against portsmouth and for long periods of the game they had over 60% possession!!!

retired_nelly1

Maybe try increasing time wasting.

retired_kriss89

Are you watching key highlights or the full match? It might be that your team has all the possession in any significant attack, but overall it's about the same.

It could be that your opponents are playing really defensively and spend all their time passing it around at the back. Look at your opponents player stats in game and see who is making all the passes, if it's their defence then set your strikers and wingers to close down all over the pitch, that will force their team to hoof the ball forwards and probably give it away.

Also, reduce attacking bar if it's set really high. If you go all out attack then rather than pass around slowly your team is likely to look to go forward everytime they get it, the more you attack the more likely you are to lose the ball in the final 3rd and allow them to pass around at the back again.

retired_jmh941

but i dont want to waste time :eek: lol, as i said from what i can see in the 2d i always have lots of possession, but never any more than 59%!!

I dont need more possession i know i have it, just seems the stats are wrong?

retired_jmh941

at first i just just watching key,. but recently have been watching it in full.

My mentality is one below attacking, only my strikers have an attacking mentality.

My strikers close down all over but wingers dont ill change the wingers option and see what happens!!

cheers

retired_coach91448

I think you are right, this is how the match engine works, but..
But in real life team with defensive mentality doesnt spend time passing the ball near their own box, because:
1) tipically are weaker teams trying to defend themselves, and they let the possession to the opponent trying to counter attack;
2) weaker teams doesnt have technical players, so their players could do more mistakes, specially if other team close down often, so they avoid to keep possession near their goal;
3) many players of those "defensive teams" stay back and are trying to not be caught out of position, so keeping possession for them is less important than keeping position.

High possession time is typical of very strong and technical teams (like barcelona, real madrid, milan..). They keep the ball when attacking because are trying to find spaces (the defenders must move right to left and left to right when the attackers keep the ball and change zone of attack), and they keep the ball when are winning because opponents must try to close down to steal it, so they leaves more spaces for counter attack.

Moreover, 60% is very very very very much... not so many teams are capable to keep possession for 60%, even if they are strong, and i have seen in fm08 even lower leagues team have so much possession.. i think there is something wrong in the game concept itself, and SI should think about that.
Sorry for my english, again..

retired_jmh941

good post, some good views, goes back to my stat, portsmouth with over 60% of possession at the emirates? Nah dont think it would happen lol

retired_kriss89

Granted it doesn't seem too realistic, especially against much weaker opposition who wouldn't be able to cope with the pressure. I was just offering advice as to how Yrag can deal with it. I've seen games where the opposition have 60%+ possession and it's usually because their defenders or central midfielders have made 100+ passes between them.

Bit daft and frustrating, but try closing down all the time, harder tackling and such, anything to get in amongst them and force the mistake.

retired_jmh941

well i've just given the whole team new closing down instructions as a team so ill report back after a few games, got a crunch one against liverpool to concentrate on for now!!

retired_jmh941

played the liverpool game, and had a good one nil win, must admit i didnt notice much change in the play and how often each side had the ball, i again had it more often that them, but the stats have changed where the opposition would have had more they didnt liverpool had 46% arsenal 54%, ill see how it goes against a lesser team next