How to tell if your opponent is playing wide or narrow etc?

[bricktamland1]

One of the things (of many) I am struggling to cope with is adjusting properly to the AI as the game progresses.
I find many times I can lock them down in the beginning but eventually the AI will change formation and I get stumped/outsmarted and end up conceeding late.

So I ask the following for some help/advice.. (keep in mind I watch the match on comprehensive so I tend to see what's happening on MY team but I don't really know what to look for on THEIR team, you know?)

What is the easiest way to tell if the AI is playing wide or narrow against me?
Are there certain tell tale signs to look for other than seeing their formation?

What things do you look for pre-match to exploit?
Sometimes I look for a younger player in the FB slot but other than that ... I dont' really know what to exploit and if so ...how? Usually if one of their CB's is weak the other is rock solid ...so I normally don't look to exploit that...should I be you think?

What is the easiest way to tell if they are playing a high line so I can try to launch the ball over the top to take advantage of this?

Any other advice would be more than welcome.

Thank you

B

 

[beeje13]

The best way would be to watch the previous games if you want to go into that much detail. While playing the opponent yourself, your assistants feedback can be helpful, but, again, you can tell yourself by watching the game.

Hope I might have helped.

 

[bricktamland1]

Yes but when watching the game ... how can you tell? It does not seem obvious to me you know?
Also is there an obvious way by observing the heat map perhaps?

 

[beeje13]

The method i mentioned is just observation, when the ball is being passed about in the middle of the park in open play (not after a set piece), then the opposition are playing a very high line high if the central defenders are around at the centre circle. They will be playing really deep if they are just outside the edge of their own box.