Cleon

There are a number of factors here that could be the reason why you conceed late goals. I will list what it could be, but don't know what it will be 100% due to me notseeing the games.

Concentration, check to see if your players have low concentration. This stat is what determines how focused a player is for 90 minutes. If they have low concentration, especially the defence, then they will tend to conceed late goals. As they tend to let their minds wander at times.

It could also be training related. Make sure the team do quite a bit of tactics training, as this is what makes them play as a team. It makes them more solid and less chance of conceeding late goals.

Maybe the opposition have switched formations and you might have needed to counter that by changing the odd instruction to accomodate? Im not saying change formation yourself btw, but just the team and maybe the odd player instruction.

Substituion strategy's here are very useful. Try and have a few players who can come on and change a game. You get these sort of players in all leagues, so finding one shudn't be too hard. Make sure they are different from what you currently have in your side.

Mentaility, a few times when ive gone behind I go very attacking for 20 minutes or so and see if that unsettles the opposition. It doesn't always work but does a klarge % for me.

Tempo, you could also up the tempo to rile the opposition too if needed.

Also take off counter attack if the opposition are not coming onto you, its pointless if not. As it relies on the opposition coming at you very heavily.

danny_boy

Well in regard to your second point its simple, cut out the middle men and throw 3 up top and play a long ball game!! Make you sure you have a target man and play quite wide amd get the ball out wide at all opportunities this will ensure your attacking when getting beat, I'm Man U an when this happens Toni gets threw up front with rooney an saha an i always win 2-1 after being a goal down....

Asmodeus

Physical condition seems to play a part too- I believe that the more tired players are, the more prone they are to error. Just my opinion though!

Cleon

Its true, also increases risk of injury

deadeyedunc

I find that slowing the tempo down helps to defend a lead as you should have more possession. I've also had some success with a slow tempo and counter attack, even scoring when defending a lead.

Huyton Red

try making changes in the dying minutes, that helps alot, like if ure using a 4-5-1, take a striker off for a stirker, or take a midfielder off for a defender, u dont know how effective this is

bean feast

Keeping a lead—
Play narrow, have less men making forward runs, slow the tempo, play shorter passing, up the time wasting slightly, and keep the 4-5-1

Alternatively—
Play deep, narrow, low closing down, direct passing, high farrows on wingers, high tempo, and counter attack. This is cheeky, but if you have the players, it is possible to sneak a goal.

Coming back—
I ONLY sign players with high determination amongst other stats of course. Determination is vital if you want your players to come back from the dead. The main problem though from what you have told me seems to be the formation. I don't see many teams playing only one up top to grab a goal. Throw at least one more striker on, and gradually become more cavalier as the minutes tick away. When I am chasing a game, when it's late and looking grim, I'll always have a big target man on the bench and I'll bring him on and I'll play a:

----st----st----

--wg--------wg--

-------cm-------

-------dm-------

--fb--cb--cb--fb

I'll have all my team on high direct passing, high tempo, no time wasting, play through centre, target man checked, and play to target man head. With this version (as compared to 06), tall players that SHOULD win headers DO win headers, so I get a lot of success with knockdown headers from the big man. I have all players on cross often, and cross aim target man. I have a long farrow from the CM and farrows on the advanced wingers. This is vital since when playing the long ball, there MUST be players supporting the big striker, otherwise the opposition will keep picking up the second ball. Lastly, the other striker should be very pacey, and play on the shoulders of the defense for any flick ons.

Naturally, this doesn't always get me a goal, but it certainly gets me some chances in the last few minutes. This is just one way that I like to go about it.

Huyton Red

-
- - - -
- -
-
- -
-

sometimes it help centralising your game and wingers to make your team more compact

Huyton Red

thats failed miserably lmao

karimbcfc

My inability to defend a lead is currently making me want to dispatch my laptop through the nearest window. I have a feeling that certain half time team talks have far too great an impact and good teams especially become impossible to resist. It's got to the point where I've been 3-0 up with 35 minutes left and then been laid under siege at almost the flick of a switch as the opposition run riot back to level terms.



Allow me to elaborate. I'm 3rd in the Prem with Birmingham, 442, doing well with just occasional alterations to mentality and passing style – yet my team’s defence is more pourous than ever. It is literally impossible for me to hold a lead. It’s not like I play with a gung-ho midfield either, but two short farrowed wide players and a barrowed defensive central midfielder with instructions to reflect that. When defending a lead I either pack the midfield or try to get the ball down the channels for my forwards to hold up.

Either way I find that teams literally swarm all over me, penning me into my 18 yard box and poke passes over my flailing centre halves head) (something it's almost impossible to replicate with your own setup, FWIW0, who invariably never pick up their man. It’s exceptionally frustrating because I can be 3-0 or 2-0 up at half time and find myself overwhelmed in the second half.

Any practical ideas? Altering the D-line obviously doesn't work very well and despite basically asking my fullbacks to sit on the goal line they're still suspect to balls in behind.

I'm looking forward to the patch, I think.