[Tricolores]

Originally posted by Cleon:
Mentality 5 for all the defence and everything set on rarely. I do't need my fullbacks rushing forward, even on breaks, It leaves you too vulnerably no matter how good your team is imo.

Originally posted by Cleon:
Crossing is rarely too, because he doesn't go forward. I like my back 4 to stay back at all times. I could be a lot more adventerous at times, but id rather keep a tight defence and clean sheet at all times.

So that's why I thought you had your entire defensive unit on 5 mentality and all your sliders on rarely, which WOULD make them ineffective in attack... Guess I understood wrong... Anyway, thanks for clearing this up.

[CaptainC]

Interesting.

...How do this philosophies translate to the 3 manned defence? From experience, i have found that having the 2 outermost centrehalves, a little more committed in the challenge, and ready to engage the encroaching forwards sooner rather than later, proves fruitful.

...The more central centrehalf is the quintessential sweeper, purveyor of the safety net, should his compatriots let their opponents slip through their clutches.

...Alas, it has just come my mind that perhaps the above 'back 4 philosophies', translate into a back 3 with an anchoring midfielder?

...Back to the lad

[Cleon]

Originally posted by Tricolores:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by Cleon:
Mentality 5 for all the defence and everything set on rarely. I do't need my fullbacks rushing forward, even on breaks, It leaves you too vulnerably no matter how good your team is imo.

Originally posted by Cleon:
Crossing is rarely too, because he doesn't go forward. I like my back 4 to stay back at all times. I could be a lot more adventerous at times, but id rather keep a tight defence and clean sheet at all times.

So that's why I thought you had your entire defensive unit on 5 mentality and all your sliders on rarely, which WOULD make them ineffective in attack... Guess I understood wrong... Anyway, thanks for clearing this up. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Ahh that was for 1 particular tactic, for a few games. Not a rule of all the time

[Siddo]

Originally posted by Cleon:
<BLOCKQUOTE> @Cleon: What instructions do you give to your DMC? You currently use a 5x5 system (5 defensive players and 5 offensive players) and you are quite extreme when it comes to the mentality of your defenders as you have set them all on 5. My question is: does this include your DMC?

Id never play will all back 4 on same mentality, id have the 2 centrebacks simliar but not identical. SO if I had 1 on 5, the other would be 6 and the DMC 7. I never have huge gaps, and don't know where you got the idea of me using different mentalities to such extremes across the border? As I always state my sides are very simliar in mentality for all 11 players.

However, in that case, he would contribute less to the offence and with already 5 players out there who contribute absolutely NOTHING to offence, the words 'goalless draws' spring into mind...

What makes you think that? I can have a player on ultra defensive and still get him to be effective in attack if I really wanted by altering his forward runs, crossing etcand the use of arrows.

An amc with a barrow doesn't become less effective when you have the ball at all, because a barrow only comes into play when you don't have possession. </BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm having trouble with my team at the moment. I'm in League two and have the following setup

Position DR/L DC
Mentality: 8 6
Creative Freedom: Team Team
Passing: Team Team
Closing Down: 8 6
Tackling: Normal Normal
Forward Runs: Rarely Rarely
Run With Ball: Rarely Rarely
Long Shots: Rarely Rarely
Through Balls: Rarely Rarely
Cross Ball: Mixed Rarely
Cross From: Deep Deep
Marking: Team Team - Tight marking also ticked - Unticked if 451/433 formation or 1 striker

So the formation is something like this. Mentality is the first number closing down second number

GK
4
4

DR DC DC DL
8 6 6 8
10 6 6 10

MR MC MC ML
10 8 8 10
Team closing down which is 14 at home and 10 away. Defensive line is 8 as i thought its what the fullbacks are and it looks like it does'nt leave gaps from watching the highlights. But does this seem solid or am i on the wrong wavelength

[pele10]

Originally posted by adonis:
I am having great success with the following setup, concede very rarely:

Home games
Def line - 5
Closing down - 15 for the whole back four

Away games
Def line - 15
Closing down - 5 for the whole back four

I also use short passing for the whole team and play at a slow tempo.
Surprisingly despite playing a def line of 15 in away games, I don't seem to get caught out with the long ball over the defence despite playing two CD's with a pace of 10-12. I think the def line setting and closing down of rarely compliment eachother really well. And with my backline pushed up really high it gives the oppposition midfield very little time and space to create anything against me.

you still having success with this?

[adonis]

Looking at the date of post iirc I used those settings prepatch. AFter the patch it totally screwed up. Since the patch I have found wwfans defensive setup solid, rarely closing down, tight marking and man marking.

[pele10]

cheers mate

[MattUK]

I was wondering if anyone links to read threads about defense rather than questions with numbers. I hope you dont take offense but I want like a detailed analysis on what a defensive line does etc, marking etc

[Chro]

well i jus started a season wif portsmouth and created a 4-1-2-2-1 tactic with a flat back four, DMC, 2 MCs, wingers and one striker.

my back four was set up as such:
(all zonal marking)

DL/DR -
mentality - 7
creative freedom - 4
passing - 6
closing down - 9
tackling - normal
fwr rarely, rest all mixed

DCs -
mentality - 7
creative freedom - 3
passing - 12
closing down - 5
tackling easy
through balls mixed, the rest all rarely
tight marking checked.

my DMC was mendes who i set to be the playmaker with playmaker box checked, mentality 8, creative freedom 16, passing 10, closing down 5, tackling normal, rest all mixed.

my first 9 games i won 7 and lost 2, conceded only 4 goals, kept 7 clean sheets (all of which i won 1-0). thought i did quite well defensively until i started to become favourites against teams and my defence started leaking goals, and i went on winless streaks, but i still ended the season with the 4th best defensive record in the league at 10th position so i guess these settings worked for me.

my back four were mainly taylor campbell primus and pamarot and i was afraid the 3 slow old men would be my downfall at first but it turned out they were solid and i was quite happy with their performances.

[chriseldiablo]

I have success with both Mentality 20 and 1. I use Creativity 1 on all Defenders.

The Forward Runs is set to 'Mixed' on my DR/L; I tweak this during game, depending on how the enemy plays. I rarely find any success with this off, even with lousy teams. I play a Flat 442 atm.