retired_dssmith1965

This may sound a little obvious, but in the FM2007 demo I'm finding that the team mentality slider is more effective at positioning the players on the pitch when attacking / defending. There's less need, for example, to set a mentality for the defensive unit, then another mentality for wide players, and another for the strikers. This is making the game for more intuitive to make a quick change if we go a goal down / goal up.

If I'm playing a basic 4-4-2, I'm now only setting the odd player to have individual mentality, such as a CM to be more defensive (2 or 3 notches less), and the second forward to play a little deeper.

If a code change has been made in this area then I welcome it as it now takes seconds to switch from a neutral approach, to a more attacking one.

retired_elpata

I'm finding out more and more, that I have to keep changing shape not only instructions to deal with certain teams. ATM I am using 442, but often have to change that to 4222, 4132, 41212 etc depending on how I need to play against certain people.

Its not a case of wanting to change formation, its almost forced upon me because of how the opposition plays.

retired_kellyk

I'm getting more convinced that one tactic that hammers the opposition 8-0 may not work against another team. I'm actually having to make minor tweaks here and there to curtail wingers, in some formations.

Noel I'm using the same team now as well. It is strange to see 'Pool compromised from over the top balls. I even got them playing a 343 for some matches.

The key in CM has always been the midfield. Get it working right and the tactic is sorted.


Having tried it defensive instructions as varied as 0 closing down to 20 closing down, I seem to be gravitiating more to the low closing down numbers for defenders. Its just the midfield instructions that have me stumped. Do I go for high closing down? mid with tight marking? I seem to be making changes for every opp I meet. So much for my one tactic for all oppositions, looks like I got to think for a change.

With Liverpool I've tried...a 343 which is not too bad. A 4132, a 442 Diamond. Currently I'm testing out a tactic that looks like the Metodo and another one that looks like WM

JeffRogers

this confuses me also! everytime i think about set-ups i find myself gravitating towards the middle more and more on everything, as i like to make 1 formation for the whole of my game life. therefore using width is an advantage for home games but not away, as is a high defensive line! so i usually find myself sticking to mixed/normal settings mostly, with only few exceptions!

but anyway back to the defence which is confusing me most! If i have low closing down but tight marking. how does that work? because surely if your tight most of the time then your closing down most of the time too so whats the point of having high closing down? Are we getting confused here or is it just me?? while writing this ive come to the conclusion that closing down maybe how far a defender will follow an attacker with the ball and nothing to do with when the attacking player comes into your radius, which is what i previously thought! Surely that should be just down to tackling, how hard a defender tries to win the ball!!

i dunno! can anyone shed any light on the closing down issue as this is THE big issue for me?

P.S. ive been looking for slider links also for some time on 06 but the only 1 i have come accross that seems to work is the link between the time wasting and tempo which i have the same. because i usually play a slow tempo and short passing game so to avoid getting caught on the ball i match them with time wasting! Well i did on 06 anyway! havent played enough of 07 yet!!

retired_mgavlick

this confuses me also! everytime i think about set-ups i find myself gravitating towards the middle more and more on everything, as i like to make 1 formation for the whole of my game life. therefore using width is an advantage for home games but not away, as is a high defensive line! so i usually find myself sticking to mixed/normal settings mostly, with only few exceptions!

but anyway back to the defence which is confusing me most! If i have low closing down but tight marking. how does that work? because surely if your tight most of the time then your closing down most of the time too so whats the point of having high closing down? Are we getting confused here or is it just me?? while writing this ive come to the conclusion that closing down maybe how far a defender will follow an attacker with the ball and nothing to do with when the attacking player comes into your radius, which is what i previously thought! Surely that should be just down to tackling, how hard a defender tries to win the ball!!

i dunno! can anyone shed any light on the closing down issue as this is THE big issue for me?

P.S. ive been looking for slider links also for some time on 06 but the only 1 i have come accross that seems to work is the link between the time wasting and tempo which i have the same. because i usually play a slow tempo and short passing game so to avoid getting caught on the ball i match them with time wasting! Well i did on 06 anyway! havent played enough of 07 yet!! </BLOCKQUOTE>

My reading on closing down in 06 was that it was exceptionally useful, if not vital, against temas that sat back against you as it was the only way you could regain possession rapidly. However, when teams came at you high closing down became more risky as opposition players could easily slip into the gap your closing down player left which could open up space behind the back four. I'm not sure if that corresponds very well to real life though.

retired_kellyk

Been messing about with D-Line the last couple of sessions, and these are my observations.

D-Line doesn't just refer to your backline but your entire midfield and defense too. Whether your D-Line is low or high, your defenders still go the same distance back and forth to make a tackle or clear a header.

The difference between high dl and low dl would be the amount your midfield or wingers drop back to assist your defense. So if you play with a low DL you will have your mids drop back lower, which means that your DCs don't have to close down unless the ball has beaten the mids.

I'm now more or less comfortable with a D-Line not more than halfway. A fully pushed up one seems to make my wingers more attacking, literally assigning my backline with full responsibility.

What about closing down? Personally I don't think there is one setting for closing down. IRL when you see teams play, some teams close down with 10 feet of a player, others within 5. So it really depends on your style of play. For me, I'm happy to see my defenders on low closing down and my attackers on high and my mids on mid.

Does anyone feel the same way or should I check myself in?

retired_thedizzyangel

100% agree with that, although definitely more realistic, it is unfortunate because it's not how I enjoy playing the game

retired_thedizzyangel

Is it just me or do the centrebacks commit themselves far too often whilst the ball is in or around the penalty area and get turned too much?

Even on low CD mine, even against inferior opposition, dive in reminiscent of a Mr. Bramble.

retired_kellyk

I totally agree. It seems to me now. even if you set CD to 0, the moment a player enters his zone, he commits to tackling. What I've done so far is to experiment with the D-Line. Assuming that everyone bar the opposing strikers in your half and the AI is knocking the ball apart, a high DL would mean that your mids are more likely to further apart from the Defenders. In such a case, when your mid is beaten then the DC who's supposed to be in the next zone will step up and close down, because he is already set to close down in own area. The higher the DL the earlier the DC moves the lower the DLine the later he moves.

There is a part of me that tends to agree with Cleon and Bux when they say they need to make modifications to their tactic, which does limit my enjoyment of the game somewhat cos I'm lazy. But it will make "tweakers" intensly happy.

Another thing..if its true that you need to make modifications for each and every different tactic that you come across, it could be more interesting. But, I think we're jumping the gun here. The engine hasn't changed that much, its still determined by the same things. The only difference I see is that certain fundamental changes have been made to the sliders, maybe even the relationship between sliders, which is why i've been paying more attention to the effect of DLine and Closing Down. The two work together, I think. And I'm testing all this out with a back 3 cos, it's easier to see how the DCs react.

Anyone else looking at this feel free to jump in. I hate eating alone

retired_Jackieboy

Yes I've noticed this too.

I haven't worked out a way of stopping them doing so either.