Players not obeying instruction

[ossietheowl]

So I'm playing with S.D. Noja in the spanish third division, so obviously my players aren't world beaters, but they seem to have a complete inability to listen to what I'm telling them - well some of them anyway

I'm trying to implement a tiki-taka style of football which seems to be working OK. Apart from against much better sides (for example Racing Santander are in my league this season) we dominate possession and restrict the opposition chances. Obviously FM gives the oppo stupid goals from set pieces etc. but largely I'm pleased with our progress.

I have one qualm though, my full-backs and centre halfs WILL NOT listen to me. I'm telling them to be more disciplined, pass it shorter and play fewer risky passes, but they just love to hoof it downfield. And it's not even when they're under pressure. At this level players seem to stand off my defenders, giving them all the time in the world to play it out wide or into the midfield, and they always have options. But no, a long punt straight to the opposition nearly every time, and this is how I'd say I concede most chances to the opposition as we give them the ball and launch a quick attack.

Has anyone else found this a problem so far, that players just refuse to obey your instruction? Any advice on how to get them to listen to me?

 

[vujevic]

we all have that problem because of match engine who is currently broken

 

[Dynamo_ZahnZee]

Have you considered that what you're telling them to do is not an option to them on the field?
If you are telling them to play really safe balls and pass short, but there is no player in a safe passing avenue, they are forced to hoof it up since you've given them no plan B.

We can't know anything about what is happening in your tactic unless we see the players around your CM's.


Considering you're playing in Spanish Division 3, I'd imagine the Composure and Decision stats are ****, so I'm not surprised they are not following the instructions when the chances get tight.

 

[ossietheowl]

Annoyingly I can't seem to upload the screenshot, basically I'm playing a 4-1-2-3. The back four consist of a supporting full back and a complete wing back, a BPD and a normal CD. I have a half back playing just in front, with two advanced playmakers in front of him. Possibly, given what Brendn has said, my issue is that there is too much of a creative 'gap', if you will, between my midfield and defence?

Would a regista perhaps work better than a HB?

 

[ossietheowl]

View attachment 433128

 

[AayushCFC]

Have you considered that what you're telling them to do is not an option to them on the field?
If you are telling them to play really safe balls and pass short, but there is no player in a safe passing avenue, they are forced to hoof it up since you've given them no plan B.

We can't know anything about what is happening in your tactic unless we see the players around your CM's.


Considering you're playing in Spanish Division 3, I'd imagine the Composure and Decision stats are ****, so I'm not surprised they are not following the instructions when the chances get tight.

It seems to happen even in EPL. Playing with say a top team, even if a player like Yacob has "Pass it shorter" PPM and he is not being pressurised at all, player instruction and team instruction is shorter passing, he'll still play long passes. (It's understandable with fluid mentality as it gives more creative freedom, but not rigid). It does happen quite a bit.

 

[vujevic]

We all have this problems basically match engine is broken and that is fact.

playing this type of game more then 15 years so I know what I am telling you

 

[Dynamo_ZahnZee]

Annoyingly I can't seem to upload the screenshot, basically I'm playing a 4-1-2-3. The back four consist of a supporting full back and a complete wing back, a BPD and a normal CD. I have a half back playing just in front, with two advanced playmakers in front of him. Possibly, given what Brendn has said, my issue is that there is too much of a creative 'gap', if you will, between my midfield and defence?

Would a regista perhaps work better than a HB?

The HB role effectivly drops him out of the midfield to pre-emptivly cover the defense for when the full backs move forward. He wont look to help in midfield (in my experience) and his role is to be ready to act as a 3rd CB/take the ball out of defense.

My personal favorite system for a midfield in a 4-1-2-3 is
DCM: Anchor Man
CM's: DLP(s) + CM(s/a)

Having two AP(s) crowds the play makers area of influence since there are two men trying to receive one ball.
A playmaker needs options otherwise he quickly get's played out of the game.

My rule of thumb: Long shots = low composure/low moral or the player has run out of tactical options.
You have to assume it's something you are doing since saying it's the match engines fault doesn't solve anything.

It seems to happen even in EPL. Playing with say a top team, even if a player like Yacob has "Pass it shorter" PPM and he is not being pressurised at all, player instruction and team instruction is shorter passing, he'll still play long passes. (It's understandable with fluid mentality as it gives more creative freedom, but not rigid). It does happen quite a bit.

Again, it's down to what option the player has in front of him. Are there people looking to hold their position to receive the ball because making a pass into the path of a player making a run is not a short pass. What is his concentration and work rate stats? Team work is very important for short passing.

We all have this problems basically match engine is broken and that is fact.

If it was fact, people wouldn't be getting success. It's too easy to blanketly say it's broken when I've seen it, first hand, working well.
Edit: I respect your opinion but I don't feel it's helpful. That's what I'm objecting to here. We're trying to make the best out of a bad ME instead of giving up.

 

[Dynamo_ZahnZee]

Annoyingly I can't seem to upload the screenshot, basically I'm playing a 4-1-2-3. The back four consist of a supporting full back and a complete wing back, a BPD and a normal CD. I have a half back playing just in front, with two advanced playmakers in front of him. Possibly, given what Brendn has said, my issue is that there is too much of a creative 'gap', if you will, between my midfield and defence?

Would a regista perhaps work better than a HB?

Try dropping your defensive line as pushing higher up and asking to play very short passes is counter intuitive when you're in your own half. Once you push the game into their half, you'll close down the gaps and narrow the space but while you're in your own half, you'll create a huge gap between Defense and Midfield, especially considering your DCM is acting as a 3rd CB. I'm assuming this is where you're having problems, regaining possession in your won half and then the CB's hoofing it back into the oppositions half?

Try dropping back slightly and see if that changes anything fro you.

 

[ossietheowl]

Thanks Brendn! Tried your suggestions and we broke our losing streak to muster a cracking 3-1 win away at high-flyers S.D. Logrones.

I think you were right about having just the one playmaker, after I implemented your suggestions the midfielders seemed to have more space and time on the ball - we finished the match with an 86% pass comp rate, not too shabby for a 3rd div. spanish side.

My keeper still gave a goal away by punting it, under no pressure at all, straight to their winger who promptly played a great cross for their target man to score, so still some way to go, but these changes have definitely improved our ability to play the tiki-taka

 

[Dynamo_ZahnZee]

Thanks Brendn! Tried your suggestions and we broke our losing streak to muster a cracking 3-1 win away at high-flyers S.D. Logrones.

I think you were right about having just the one playmaker, after I implemented your suggestions the midfielders seemed to have more space and time on the ball - we finished the match with an 86% pass comp rate, not too shabby for a 3rd div. spanish side.

My keeper still gave a goal away by punting it, under no pressure at all, straight to their winger who promptly played a great cross for their target man to score, so still some way to go, but these changes have definitely improved our ability to play the tiki-taka

Glad to hear you've broken the loosing streak.
I stubbornly persisted with 2 DLP for 6 months in one save and it nearly got me sacked, I learned my lesson from that and made sure that PL-makers are given options.


Just a thought: Considering you've got the FB's coming out of the defensive line and the DCM dropping deeper, switching from Rigid to Fluid might help reduce the gaps your team will leave in their formation and help the transitional phases of the attack. If you're strugelling defensivly, leave it on rigid but if creating chances is proving problematic, fluid might help assist you going forward.

With Goakeepers, I've noticed that "Short passing" + "Play to defenders" results in him punting it long a lot so I just play with Distribute to defenders: RB/LB (I'm a goalkeeping coach IRL, I'll shoot my GK's if they distribute to the CB's, it's suicide )


Best of luck with your Tiki-taka mate.

 

[AayushCFC]

I basically agree with Brendn on all of the points, but regarding my point, players tend to disobey instructions even if they have an option, specifically Center Backs. The other CB is beside him, no one is pressing him yet the CB tries to hoof the ball above all of the midfield for Striker to latch onto, mostly my striker scores but I'm talking about not following instructions.

 

[coendoz237]

Do you work for anyone I'd have heard if Brendn?