Proper defending and long passing.

[Gelohk]

Defending kills me. ISSPE was the only game I played before WE6I, and well... sometimes I cuss and yell at the screen because I'm sure my back line don't have a damn clue that some of them are world class defenders. Some games, it's okay, my guys get every loose ball, win most headers, and overpower strikers. Other days, Aston Villa rips me a new one to the tune of 5-0. I just haven't gotten comfortable defending. The only way I am ever sure is when I have everyone back, and yet I still find myself giving up headers on goal. I need some help, someone, anyone... what am I not doing right? (PS I've only been playing a week)

Also, what would be the most comfortable long pass settings to use? I'm using the default one, which is comfortable until I'm almost parallel to the penalty area, and then the computer seems to randomly choose whether to cross or long pass. Is there one that is more balanced?

Oh, and any suggestions for some reasonably priced keepers and strikers for my new D2 campaign would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[314frog]

try signing a defensive MF like davids or makelele to close the gap on those strikers and attacking MF... it workd for me...roy keane was very useful until i was tempted to sell him for 7000pts...kool dude...see hard work pays off... now i need to sign vieira...or davids...
or try playing an italian style defending ..use a sweeper...the libero...very useful for defensive minded players and very effective

iiite peace

pi

 

[Swerve]

I agree w/ Pi. Until you learn how the cpu attacks (it loves through balls on the ground and over the top), play with a sweeper in defense (don't laugh, but David May is actually very good). Anyway, it is fairly realistic defensively, Try to push guys out wide (or onto their weaker foot) if you can and DO NOT DIVE IN. When the cpu is coming down the wings, use the square button to have the cpu auto defend with a SB, so that you can take someone into the middle to guard the cross if the cpu gets it off (sometimes you'll want to defend the attacking winger yourself or double team). Also, if the cpu gets a quick 2 v. 2 attack, just slow the attacker down until the midfielders get back, you don't have to win the ball back quickly just wait for help--> and if you do get beat and can't catch the guy who has the one on one (if you are on extreme), just do your best to get back and tackle him from behind. This may sound dirty, and your player will probably be sent off, but I have won alot more games than I have lost doing that rather than conceding a goal. Also, try not to chase people all around with your center backs, if possible chase guys coming thru the middle with a defensive midfielder. The one thing that you will never really get used to are the crazy deflections just be careful, and if you can't pass the ball out of your defense just clear it anywhere, you may even get a lucky thru ball over the top.
But, just try to anticipate and do your best, it takes time.

For the long passing I use the either 1 or 5 (can't remember) the one where you press L1 and circle to cross from anywhere, but you can also just face in and cross with circle. They work well for me, but again practice (I hate when people tell me to do that!)

As for keepers:
Cavallero-Arg.
Vonk-So. Af.
Van der Sar-Neth. (might be able to sneak him)
There are actually alot of pretty good cheap keepers just look around!

 

[Gelohk]

Well, I signed Oscar Cordoba, and he is doing pretty well. I mean he gets a lot of work, but always seems to be there... has built up a good rapport with practically all my squad in qiute a short time. As for the defensive midfield thing, I signed Yakubu from Ajax, but he is taking waaaayyyy too long to settle. So I signed on Robbie Savage. Boy, what a revelation. Sits in front of the back four, mops up the loose balls and just does his job well. He spells Vorlander when the captain is tired, and is just a scrapper...talk about bargain buy!

With the defense, I've got Rio Ferdinand, Aliou Cisse and Hong Myung Bo. Cisse and Hong sparkle, but there is just always a sense of danger when I partner Rio with either of these two in a flat back four. Can't understand it.

 

[D. Neale]

playing as ajax, i'm using a 3-1-3-3 formation, one that i perfected waaay back with ISS 98. i set the defensive midfielder to drop back and cover but i don't use him to mark anyone. i set the side midfielders attack attitudes to forward and lateral, but i run the counter attack and opposite side attack strategies simultaneously. this keeps my flank players from drifting too far forward so they are available for an outlet pass, but it also means i can quickly switch play with a simple circle long pass. this scheme also allows me to use a lot of one-touch passing, even under pressure, which allows you to pass out of danger while retaining control AND it builds your team's cooperation levels.

my first acquistion was schmeichel from aston villa. yeah, he's old and fairly expensive but he's got three successive clean sheets and i'm sitting comfortably in second place with the best goal differential in the table.

like swerve said, i also suggest using the square button to pressure the CPU when they are moving into your final third.

 

[Gelohk]

One of my problems is getting used to the waaaay toned down effectiveness of the two man press. Like I said, ISSPE was my only foray into the series previously, and you could pretty much abuse the CPU attackers with pressure. Now, I find that when I use the pressure, the CPU finds the holes that my extra defender vaccates with aplomb... takes getting used to. I've allowed some pretty embarrassing goals against the smarter players as a result of that Square button . Ball physics is often the thing. Sometimes a perfectly executed defensive play turns into a sudden one on one with my keeper proving his worth... hey, Cordoba's pretty danged good, by the way. But I'd rather not do that too often. Hard on the heart.

Cooperation levels.... okay, another issue. I have seen previously that it improves as players play together. But does that mean that they must actively link up during games? For instance, I signed a slightly edited Emre on loan at the end of D3, and he is by far the worst transfer dealing I have made. He has had one sparkling game (scoring a hattrick), but otherwise the guy just is asleep out there. Every thing he does backfires... do I need to pass to him more?

 

[D. Neale]

Originally posted by Gelohk
Cooperation levels.... okay, another issue. I have seen previously that it improves as players play together. But does that mean that they must actively link up during games? For instance, I signed a slightly edited Emre on loan at the end of D3, and he is by far the worst transfer dealing I have made. He has had one sparkling game (scoring a hattrick), but otherwise the guy just is asleep out there. Every thing he does backfires... do I need to pass to him more?

in the in-game information pages it explains that players may take a while to settle in. and, yes, the way i understand the cooperation levels is that they go up when players complete accurate passes between them. so one suggestion i have is to pass to emre and have him pass right back to build him into the flow of the match. i swear, i don't know how konami came up with this system, but it works. i often pass forward, then back then hit the same man with a thru pass. also, use the pass, then R2 to send the player who just passed sprinting forward. it's tricky because it leaves space open behind them but it definitely helps in building up moves.

 

[francescoP1]

dude, its all about practise..

i wouldnt agree with what the other guys are telling you about changing formations. As in real life football, every team has a formation that suits it better - always according to the players it has in each position. what i suggest you do in the technical side of things is to play around with the attacking attitude of the players. to keep a balance between defence and attack while at the same time making use of your star players. what i try to do is keep a balance between the attack (red) and defence (blue) arrows.
Now for some advanced techniques..These need a lot of practise and i suggest you spend some hours in the training mode to familirize yourself with them. try starting off against four defenders, and then adding the defensive halfes, sde halves and so on to gradually improve your skills.
What you need to do is learn how to use the r2 button when the ball is in the air or you are not defending to get the best positions (this also goes for attacking play). you need to position yourself and let go of the button before you go for a header though as if you do otherwise the opposing player will most probably get it.
for headers you also need to time your jumps to get the best resutls - dont press the square or x button all the time to get a header. this is useful for pressing as well. dont constantly press the x button to get the ball. learn to defend patiently and charge at the right time.
finaly you need to use the square button to call up another player to help you, provided that you will not leave a huge gap somewhere else. again, dont use it all the time, and try tapping it rather that keeping it pressed beacause the AI for this move is rather disapointing and your player will most of the time not mark correctly.

 

[PRO_TOO]

Originally posted by Gelohk
Well, I signed Oscar Cordoba, and he is doing pretty well. I mean he gets a lot of work, but always seems to be there... has built up a good rapport with practically all my squad in qiute a short time. As for the defensive midfield thing, I signed Yakubu from Ajax, but he is taking waaaayyyy too long to settle. So I signed on Robbie Savage. Boy, what a revelation. Sits in front of the back four, mops up the loose balls and just does his job well. He spells Vorlander when the captain is tired, and is just a scrapper...talk about bargain buy!

With the defense, I've got Rio Ferdinand, Aliou Cisse and Hong Myung Bo. Cisse and Hong sparkle, but there is just always a sense of danger when I partner Rio with either of these two in a flat back four. Can't understand it.

isn't his name Ivan Cordoba???

 

[selimgoeren]

No it is in fact Oskar Cordoba, actually the keeper from Besiktas Istanbul.

He seems to be not so long, but I think his reaction is good.

I remember a UEFA-CUP match where he just got a ball from around 40 metres, he has not the best penalty area controlling...

 

[D. Neale]

Originally posted by francescoP1
dude, its all about practise..

i wouldnt agree with what the other guys are telling you about changing formations. As in real life football, every team has a formation that suits it better - always according to the players it has in each position. what i suggest you do in the technical side of things is to play around with the attacking attitude of the players. to keep a balance between defence and attack while at the same time making use of your star players. what i try to do is keep a balance between the attack (red) and defence (blue) arrows.
Now for some advanced techniques..These need a lot of practise and i suggest you spend some hours in the training mode to familirize yourself with them. try starting off against four defenders, and then adding the defensive halfes, sde halves and so on to gradually improve your skills.
What you need to do is learn how to use the r2 button when the ball is in the air or you are not defending to get the best positions (this also goes for attacking play). you need to position yourself and let go of the button before you go for a header though as if you do otherwise the opposing player will most probably get it.
for headers you also need to time your jumps to get the best resutls - dont press the square or x button all the time to get a header. this is useful for pressing as well. dont constantly press the x button to get the ball. learn to defend patiently and charge at the right time.
finaly you need to use the square button to call up another player to help you, provided that you will not leave a huge gap somewhere else. again, dont use it all the time, and try tapping it rather that keeping it pressed beacause the AI for this move is rather disapointing and your player will most of the time not mark correctly.

this is really sound advice. after i developed the formation i'm running now, i stuck with it, even when i was struggling against a team. my goal was to build the team around the system, acquiring players with the the right attributes for the positions i ran. i adjust tactics and positioning, but i stay within the system.
i was also worried by the number of people who suggest playing an ultra-defensive style. i don't like that in real life so i didn't relish having to play that way in a simulation. so far, i've avoided that road and succeeded. i think you should francescoP1's advice about balancing your attack attitudes and strategies in the way that best suits your instincts and avoid playing a particular style just because it gets results. i play a very attacking style with a team that lacks any real superstar and i'm doing just fine in D2 now.

cheers.

 

[Gelohk]

To Pro-Too.. Oscar and Ivan both play for Colombia... one's a keeper, the other is a central defender for Inter. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that he was the best central defender in the Champions League this season.

Okay you guys, I've switched up to hard, and have done relatively well. At first I ran the generic 4-3-3B, and Only had to spend two seasons in D3. But as I started to really have to battle in D2, I dropped both the wingers back, so they were playing almost alongside my OMF. It looks like a 4-5-1, but sure doesn't play like one. The two outside strikers really get back when I have to play defense. I usually leave the counterattack on so when I do have to make a hurried clearance, I can find the CF, and then link up with one of the streaking wingers. Lots of chances of goal, lots of end to end football... I don't believe in defensive football until the last ten minutes, and only when I have a one goal lead. The system works so well, I had one game where I popped seven past a really very Jaded Rangers team.. four for Trezeguet, three on the break for Amoroso. Which of course meant that I lost the next game 0-1 to Inter.

The header tip has worked very well for me, francescoP1. Timing that button press is everything. I've scored some really spectacular headers with defenders from corners. Thanks loads.

Now, to wrap my fingers around the elusive R2 button... practise, practise.

 

[Gelohk]

BTW, what did you guys think of that Champions league final? A horror show, if I ever saw one... even worse than that time Liverpool went to Camp Nou and refused to play any attacking football whatsoever. I was almost ashamed to be a football fan...