retired_gsorensen723

Just wondering if any of you kindly people have any views on what I should do with my central defensive pairing and their passing ability.

Managing West Ham, playing an attacking 4-4-2 formation, my two centre-backs are Curtis Davies (passing 10 creativity 9) and Ezekiel Garay (passing 6 creativity 1). I've got both set to creativity little and passing normal. Davies constantly gives the ball away, and the ball's usually passed behind him for the opposition to score.

Am I better off setting passing to;
direct/long or will that just give the ball to the opposition further up the pitch.
short so that (in theory) they pass the ball to a teammate with better passing ability
or, shall I ditch both of them?

retired_rebebeccag

Mate, I have totally given up on trying to get my DC's to do anything other than thump it forward (high) at every opportunity.

No setting, and I've tried them all, can prevent it.

retired_sharonverm

I would almost agree with Kristian except I think that it entirely depends on your formation. If I am playing with 2 up top (I hardly ever do), I set my full back's to direct/long passing with the theory that they can slip my strikers in on the counter. As for my CB's I would set them to direct.

I ALWAYS play with a DM anchor man playmaker though, so I always have my CB's on ultra short passing in the hope that they give it to the maestro. It seems to work for me. With a basic 4-4-2 though, I can understand Kristian's frustration Sometimes the CB's act a little 'special'. Have you downloaded the patch, mate?

retired_rebebeccag

Yep, all patched.

Whole team on 4-6 for passing, and 4 defenders, one DMC, 2 MC's, and 2 wingers, none of whom are above 12 for mentality, so theoretically should be too far from the DC, and the 2D shows this too. Tempo usually about 6-8, and width between 8 and 12.

But they consistently miss the 5 players near them in favour of thumping a high ball up to the striker or diagonally to the furthest away winger.

Absolutely driving me nuts. Against the top teams it means you give possession away cheaply every bloody time, and eventually they score through sheer number of chances they create.

retired_slayerbing

try setting to direct passing and try through balls on mixed.

retired_rebebeccag

See the bit where I said I'd tried "no setting, and I've tried them all, can prevent this"

Seriously, I do feel like I've tried everything. First this I did was to lengthen the passing, on the basis that if they were hitting it over the midfield, then the midfield can't be close enough even though the 2 of the 3 are rarely more that 20 yards away when the ball is blasted forward.

Well, the midfield were just missed out anyway. So I went shorter, same result. IN actually fact from 1 passing all the way up to 20, my defenders pass completion barely changes from 60%. They do pass sideways a lot, but ONLY when they get the ball around half-way line (i.e. cleared by opposition from an attack) hardly ever though inside my half.

If they were marked, fair enough, but one of them at least always seems to be in space, and the lone striker has 3 or 4 opposition players round him so it's never a better option!

retired_sharonverm

I'm not sure where your problem lies mate. It seems to solve the spazzy passing problem when you play a DM anchor, but it seems that you play very similar to my style anyhow. What team are you? Have you managed to pick a Sunday League team?

retired_slayerbing

maybe it's their mentality that's to low. That would explain probably.

retired_slayerbing

also give your DMC or more fefensive midfielder low closing down, this will make him a more viable passing option.

James1226

Yes, With mentality below 6 for CD's they become to reluctant to pass forward, which usually mean they will eventually pass it into that nice empty area in front of goal.