retired_monica90

You don't agree that home teams have on average more possession than away sides? Sure Suusex Hammer's tactics may be deploying his team in a direct manner which would see him having less of the ball (I don't know this, he didn't mention his set-up)- but my Arsenal side that is set up to play a possession game sometimes yields 45% of the ball at home, despite winning by three goals or more. This seems odd to me.

retired_meagw1479

i coach a very very talented celtic side..against DUMBARTON in the scottish cup, they had 69% possesion, yet i won 7-0. how can such a lowly team like dumbarton get almost 70% possesion against my side playing a short passing game...weird

retired_vmacalik

If you watch a full match, you will see a lot of teams playing away against you arent even counter attacking, they are just timewasting at the back, hoping for a 0-0.

Playing 442 with a normal DL and closing down, will see your 2 forwards half heartedly trying to win possession from the 9-10 opposition who are just playing keep ball in their own half with only 1 or 2 strikers in your half.

You have to push right up and close down over the whole pitch. Possibly change formation to 352 or 343 (even 253 is quite solid enough to defend against most of the no hopers you will play) and think about changing out and out strikers like Berbatov to more hardworking team players like Rooney/Tevez.

retired_monica90

Well if this is the case then perhaps SI need to redress the influence attributes have on closing down, otherwise teams (human and computer) will just resort to playing in this way for a draw/to sustain a lead. Whatever the reason, the outcome is distinctly lacking in realism.

retired_monica90

Sorry to bump this, but as you're online Paul I was wondering if you could shed any insight into this?

retired_appoint

Maybe, but that is one example only.

At first I played a home tactic and an away tactic but kept leaking far too many goals with the away tactic so now only play with the Home one.

I play attacking, with a normal width, slow passing with a slow tempo, closing down varies from player to player. I use a Target Man played to head so that could explain why I lose possession if that was the case.

My point is though that when at Home I have less possession but when I am away I hoave more possession,,, with the same tactic??

Now anyone with half a brain who watches Football will know that in 90% of games the onus is usually on the Home Team to go forward and that alone will ensure more possession.

retired_vmacalik

Maybe, but that is one example only.

At first I played a home tactic and an away tactic but kept leaking far too many goals with the away tactic so now only play with the Home one.

I play attacking, with a normal width, slow passing with a slow tempo, closing down varies from player to player. I use a Target Man played to head so that could explain why I lose possession if that was the case.

My point is though that when at Home I have less possession but when I am away I hoave more possession,,, with the same tactic??

Now anyone with half a brain who watches Football will know that in 90% of games the onus is usually on the Home Team to go forward and that alone will ensure more possession. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Going forward with the ball dosent ensure more possession. If the opposition dosent want to attack and you arent going all out to win the ball back then they will have more possession. 99% of it will be in their own half but they will keep the ball.

When Mourinho talked about "parking a bus in front of goal" he wasnt just referring to defending deep but to the oppositions total lack of ambition and refusal to come out of their own half.

retired_monica90

You're right Newky, but the problem is that if closing down now relies (more) upon a player's attributes as opposed to the closing down settings, then we're unable to go all out to win the ball back. If this is true then it puts more emphasis on work rate, bravery etc which means some of us will have to change our transfer policies and/or training regimes completely. While this is potentially more realistic, it needs to be clarified so we can be sure exactly why players aren't closing down. Is it the player's attributes or his instructions?

retired_jenjen

I win games, ton of shots on goal, and possession wise i might be down 60/40 %.

retired_monica90

So why's this happening SI? Is it our tactical set up or an acknowledged problem?