A Comment On Crosses

[rocheyb]

One common complaint about FM16 - and I have already read it about FM17, too - was that crosses were overpowered; too many goals being created by crosses from the full backs and wingers, particularly those played to the back post.

I've been sitting at my computer desk for the last couple of hours, creating logos for my Custom Logo Creation Thread here on this site, while catching up on the last four episodes of Bundesliga Football Highlights on the ITV player. Nearly every other goal is from a cross of one sort or another - in fact, even as I am typing this sentence, Marco Fabian has just chested in an equaliser for 2-2 for Eintracht Frankfurt at home to Bayern Munich, lurking at the back post to meet his teammate's cross from the right. And the next match up is Werder Bremen vs Bayer Leverkusen; 1-1 at half-time, both goals from crosses. Bremen won 2-1, their second was through the middle but they really should have added a third from a left wing cross that put their striker one-on-one with the keeper.

Not very scientific, I know, but enough to make me skeptical about the claim that crosses are overpowered in FM.

 

[Death Ball]

I haven't played enough yet, kind of taking a break to be fresh for full release, to state anything as set in stone opinion or observation; but I don't see there's an OP problem with crosses. I may have seen still some more cross goals than in FM15 (let's remember in FM15 people were complaining because crosses didn't work enough) but not as to say they're OP. Perhaps to think some might think it is but trusting it's not too far off and if it is, the programmers will know to improve it with a simple tweak.

What I can tell is that if crosses are OP, they aren't in the same way as in FM16. I've yet to see any cross like the infuriating crosses from FM16 that made me be this close to go back to FM15. And those were a matter not of the cross itself being OP, but the defending being **** from goalkeepers at any post and defenders from the far post.

Goalkeepers against crosses to the near post: they love to step away from the near post and open the goal for the opponent.

Goalies against crosses to the middle: they love then to run to intercept the ball at a point well after that in which it will meet the attacker, effectively opening up the goal so the shot has nobody to save it.

Goalies against crosses to the far post: In this case they pick one point in the ball's path ahead of them, wait for the ball to pass it, and then they run to it, again effectively vacating the goal so nobody can save the shot. Or they simply stand in the near post twiddling their thumbs until the goal is scored.

Far post fullbacks: so often marking the attackers from their backs, that is, making sure the attacker is between themselves and the goal, instead of them being between attacker and goal (or attacker and ball, which probably is better), so they can't really put any pressure on the attacker nor can they contest the ball or block their path. And any kind of defender in which they tend to have no reaction event until the ball reaches the target of the cross, which 99% is way too late, because it'll be a goal before they even have the chance to close down the ball.

I feel as if crosses were to be too powerful in that there are many goals from crosses it's a consequence of an improvement I've seen everyone ask: the players don't shoot so much from extremely tight angles near the byline, instead choosing to cross the ball as a better option. The consequence is what was asked: as the better choice is taken more often, more often it's proven right and works to get a goal.

 

[MarshaEllison]

A comment on crosses is just a blog which was written by the people who like to do writing a lot. I also essay writers write blogs but writing such types of inspirational blogs is a very difficult thing. So everyone should do whatever they want to do.

 

[emmajoe]

You can probably game it by giving everyone massive contracts. Amazing post! Vex 5