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I was about to give up playing, when I realised that it's impossible to win with any consistency if you set the defensive line slider high or as high as your mentality. The AI teams always score with a long ball over your defense.
But then I found that if I set the defensive line as low as possible(to the far left) then I started on a winning streak I have seldom seen. It seems that it doesn't effect your team in a negative way (your team's defence, midfield and attack will still be relatively close to each other). As someone from SI explained, the defensive line slider only determines how high or low your defensive will position itself when the opponent has the ball when in YOUR half.
Fortunately, you can set the defensive slider at the far left and your mentality very high. The team still is compact and solid.
I have as Asmodeus suggested a defensive set, comprising of the four defenders and one or two midfielders. The rest are almost always set to a high attacking mentality. Sometimes when I play an opponent that I am far better than or has slow strikers I push up the defensive line slider button 5-6 notches.
If you want you can try it out for yourself. I was so frustrated when dominating chances and possessions and still often lost because one or two long balls over my defence in a counter attack. Also, I have quite pacy defenders, but it seemed a lost cause.
So, using the defensive line in this way, my team are right now playing to the full potential. Keeping lots of clean sheets and scoring plenty. Amazing!
Anders, Sweden
04-08-2007, 06:42 PM
A tactical tip that changed my game entirely! Post #2
I've noticed that my preferred style usually requires a low defensive line, regardless of the mentality of the rest of my players. However, do you not find sometimes you give the opposition too much time on the ball?
If I'm playing normally, a deep line really helps my players pick up the strikers and stop those balls over the top. However, in games where I can't break down the opposition, I find I have to raise the defensive line to "squeeze" the play more and force my team on the offensive.
Good find! Might be trying some of that myself.
04-08-2007, 06:51 PM
A tactical tip that changed my game entirely! Post #4
I've noticed that my preferred style usually requires a low defensive line, regardless of the mentality of the rest of my players. However, do you not find sometimes you give the opposition too much time on the ball?
If I'm playing normally, a deep line really helps my players pick up the strikers and stop those balls over the top. However, in games where I can't break down the opposition, I find I have to raise the defensive line to "squeeze" the play more and force my team on the offensive.
Good find! Might be trying some of that myself.
I have closing down to full, this way my opponents don't seem to get any time on the ball. Of course, it's physically demanding for my players, but I go for a little bit of rotation. Good Luck!
04-08-2007, 07:10 PM
A tactical tip that changed my game entirely! Post #6
Three of my four midfielders + my two strikers have 20 closing down. Have played 15 games and the fatigue isn't much of a problem so far. I haven't had to substitute them for fatigue problems yet.
Premier League team is the only one I've tried this on.
04-08-2007, 07:40 PM
A tactical tip that changed my game entirely! Post #8
I set my centrebacks och fullbacks as default. On your tactics screen, when setting individual instructions, there is a "set to" button. Press that one and choose default position. Simple as that, but you probably knew that already.
04-08-2007, 10:40 PM
A tactical tip that changed my game entirely! Post #10
Interesting stuff Gigi. I take it you play with an anchorman sitting in front of your defense? I find my team too stretched if I don't do this when sitting deep when defending.
I like the 'och' in your last post when you mean to say 'and' by the way
A tactical tip that changed my game entirely! 
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