Stopping WB/FB coming in too narrow?

[dave256]

Can anyone please help with this. WB's/FB's continually come in very narrow to mark the striker and leave soooo much space on the wings. No matter what instructions you give this always seems to be the case. I'm playing with 3 CD's and still the wide defenders come in to mark, meaning that I sometimes have 3 defenders around 1 player, leaving so much space. I have stay wider, close down more for FB's but it seems to be a programmed instruction for FB's to act this way despite your defensive set up. Time after time a winger will score a goal or be completely free of any attention...driving me insane

 

[jpflfc96]

Do you have the team instruction play narrower set?

 

[dave256]

Nope. I leave it blank and instruct the FB/WB to play wider, which should over ride team instructions anyways? Teh problem seems to be more that it's a pre-programmed instruction for the team to play narrower when defending and so FBs/Wbs will naturally come narrower. That's how I'm seeing it anyways. Only way I can get them to stay wider is to instruct them to mark the wider players, but this obviously has it's issues too. It's just ridiculous to have 3 CB's and see the FB mark the striker, along with the CB, and then frantically run out wide when the winger gets the ball...how does that make sense? I miss the days when you actually had control of the game

 

[jpflfc96]

Nope. I leave it blank and instruct the FB/WB to play wider, which should over ride team instructions anyways? Teh problem seems to be more that it's a pre-programmed instruction for the team to play narrower when defending and so FBs/Wbs will naturally come narrower. That's how I'm seeing it anyways. Only way I can get them to stay wider is to instruct them to mark the wider players, but this obviously has it's issues too. It's just ridiculous to have 3 CB's and see the FB mark the striker, along with the CB, and then frantically run out wide when the winger gets the ball...how does that make sense? I miss the days when you actually had control of the game

I get what you're saying. My 3CB tactic is working alright with the WBs so far, but I've only played 5 games with Twente, won 4 drawn 1. If you've got close down more active on the WB/FB it means they will close down any player with the ball, so they will close down a striker, that could be the problem.

 

[dave256]

I get what you're saying. My 3CB tactic is working alright with the WBs so far, but I've only played 5 games with Twente, won 4 drawn 1. If you've got close down more active on the WB/FB it means they will close down any player with the ball, so they will close down a striker, that could be the problem.

It's actually the close down more often instruction thats been saving me throwing the comp lol It's when the team opp have the ball the WB/FB will be marking the striker and leaving the space, despite the winger being nearest to his position. When a player comes near him with the ball he will dart towards him, which would be the close down more often instruction. I want the WB/FB to be in that half way space in between the striker and the winger, like they do in real life, so he can stop balls being played through but also be close enough to hold up the winger if passed to. You can either man mark the winger, which leaves space in between striker and winger for through balls, or the WB/FB seems to naturally come narrow and mark the striker, which leaves acres on the wings. Seems to be the only options. I want him in between the winger and striker when the opp are building the attack

 

[jpflfc96]

It's actually the close down more often instruction thats been saving me throwing the comp lol It's when the team opp have the ball the WB/FB will be marking the striker and leaving the space, despite the winger being nearest to his position. When a player comes near him with the ball he will dart towards him, which would be the close down more often instruction. I want the WB/FB to be in that half way space in between the striker and the winger, like they do in real life, so he can stop balls being played through but also be close enough to hold up the winger if passed to. You can either man mark the winger, which leaves space in between striker and winger for through balls, or the WB/FB seems to naturally come narrow and mark the striker, which leaves acres on the wings. Seems to be the only options. I want him in between the winger and striker when the opp are building the attack

Yeah that would be the effective way with dealing with attacks, but the tactical options and ME are so rigid that everything is an absolute if you get what I mean. You can do 1 thing and 1 thing only rather than a mix of different styles. I try and combat leaky wing defence by playing with very fluid which stops some goals, just kept a clean sheet against 4th place with the first game with very fluid.

 

[dave256]

Yeah that would be the effective way with dealing with attacks, but the tactical options and ME are so rigid that everything is an absolute if you get what I mean. You can do 1 thing and 1 thing only rather than a mix of different styles. I try and combat leaky wing defence by playing with very fluid which stops some goals, just kept a clean sheet against 4th place with the first game with very fluid.

It's so frustrating. Can you run me through the instructions you give as far as a defensive approach? How does the fluidity help the defence? I mean, do you have midfielders on tight marking or something?

 

[jpflfc96]

This is my formation with team instructions, I tried high and deep defensive lines but they were both equally bad so I just left it, the BWM and DLP both share defensive responsibilities so when the opposition attacks, they sit in front of the defence, allowing the WBs to stay wider where they can be used on the break.

View attachment 370869

I only use a high fluidity because players will fill in for others when they're out of position, but rigid works okay too. As for player instructions, I don't use too many, just pass shorter (because I aim to control the game) and for WBs I tell them to 'run wider with the ball' as it stretches the opposition defence and allows the front 3 to be more central and provide an attacking threat.

This tactic is very much work in progress as I only started it tonight, quite surprised with some of the results and I've only had one game where the opposition had more CCCs. Going forward it looks good but defensively it can be shaky, might stop using BPDs, but Twente's defence isn't the best.

 

[dave256]

This is my formation with team instructions, I tried high and deep defensive lines but they were both equally bad so I just left it, the BWM and DLP both share defensive responsibilities so when the opposition attacks, they sit in front of the defence, allowing the WBs to stay wider where they can be used on the break.

View attachment 610176

I only use a high fluidity because players will fill in for others when they're out of position, but rigid works okay too. As for player instructions, I don't use too many, just pass shorter (because I aim to control the game) and for WBs I tell them to 'run wider with the ball' as it stretches the opposition defence and allows the front 3 to be more central and provide an attacking threat.

This tactic is very much work in progress as I only started it tonight, quite surprised with some of the results and I've only had one game where the opposition had more CCCs. Going forward it looks good but defensively it can be shaky, might stop using BPDs, but Twente's defence isn't the best.

Cheers bud. I've just been using the balanced and standard and so will change that to fluid and see how it go's. I'm intrigued as to how your IF is performing out wide? I've een curious and tinkered with the wide forward role and could never tell how happy I was with it haha

 

[jpflfc96]

Cheers bud. I've just been using the balanced and standard and so will change that to fluid and see how it go's. I'm intrigued as to how your IF is performing out wide? I've een curious and tinkered with the wide forward role and could never tell how happy I was with it haha

He's not really a wide player, I've told him to sit narrower so he acts as the second striker, supported by the AMC. The only problem I'm getting is that I'm too heavy towards the right, it's okay going forwards but in defence, their defenders can play their way out easily, may have to do a bit of manual marking. But the IF performs pretty well and gets goals and assists

 

[jpflfc96]

My latest result after a slight tweak, not bad seeing as PSV are strong, their CCC was a shot from a tight angle and mine was from a 1v1, the half chances were good too. Looking positive, I changed mentality to control and it's working better for me.

View attachment 370846

 

[dave256]

You could try your CF man marking the FB? I've found it quite effective having my forwards mark the FB's. It can make them stutter runs for through balls, but I've found through balls mostly ineffective on this years edition anyways. The main point is that it will reduce the FB being used as an option for them to build their attacks from the back