How to get FBs to close down and stop crosses?

[danny4690]

In my current game as Villa (LB-Bennett/Luna, RB-Lowton) I'm conceding a lot of goals from crosses. Watching the games opposing wingers consistently have too much time on the ball and defenders stand off.

To counter this changed my own formation from a 4-1(dm)-2(cms)-2(wingers pushed up)-1 to a more traditional 4-4-2 with the wide midfielders set to close down and defend their zones. I've bumped up defensive training and altered full backs to be as defensively minded as possible, closing down as much as possible and tightly marking their man. And yet I'm consistently conceding from crosses. The issue isn't the CBs or goalkeeper as many crosses are dealt with, but if 20 crosses are coming in per game it's not unreasonable that 1 could result in a solid chance.

Is there a sure fire way of instructing the FBs to close down and stop crosses at the source, in the same way as you can, for example, dictate other specific actions like throw ins, shots, attacking crosses etc?

Cheers

 

[Igneos79]

there is no need to change your formation...how do they manage to get a cross? Are your fullbacks staying with cbs, are they to slow, or simply not agressive enough? There is a number of things you can do, like increasing the fullbacks mentality, if they are not agressive enough, or lowering their duty to support or even defend, if they are to high up the pitch, and increasing width, if they are staying with cbs...

 

[XxScholesxXLegend]

Also you could look at opposition instructions, maybe set tight marking on the players and force them into the middle, by showing them onto their weaker foot

 

[iAbyss]

Set your FB's to mark tight , show onto weaker foot and even meet the oppositions wingers with hard tackling. Notice you need good tackling, marking, work rate and acceleration for your FB's (more defensive FB's).

 

[danny4690]

Thanks guys, I never thought tackling aggression would make much of a difference but I'll give it a go, in the hope that it doesn't result in too many bookings. It's more that the opposition wingers have way too much time on the ball and the FBs are either too slow to close down (they're both quick, it's more they only move to close as the cross is about to come in) or they just don't get close enough or put an effective tackle in. I'll give those changes a go and see what happens, cheers!