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[deejay10]

Since 9.0.3, I have had the same recurring problem in all the tactics iv made - pass completion rates for fullbacks.

Far too often, when my full backs receive the ball short from the goalkeeper, or a CB, they play a long ball to the strikers, generally giving the ball away cheaply, whatever passing, mentality or CF settings I have them on.

The problem is far worse in narrow, wingerless formations. In 4-4-2's its still a problem, but sometimes they play the ball down the line to the ML/MR.

Anyone else have these problems ? And is there anything I can do to combat it ? Lowering the mentality of my wide players ? Playing a very high width (16+) in wingerless formations ?

Could anyone post their individual instructions for their fullbacks, especially attacking fullbacks in wingerless formations ?

I'm finding this one tactical issue impossible to solve, and its affecting my enjoyment of the tactical side of the game.

Examples:

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/6789/fullbackexample1.jpg - full back picks up the ball from the goalkeeper

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6149/fullbackexample2.jpg - full back pumps the ball upfield straight to the opposition fullback

[Nevrin]

Last notch of normal for creative freedom, last notch of short passing, run with ball mixed, cross from mixed and cross ball often.

Try to have your MCs with rare or mixed forward run so that they can track back to support the defence players.

[deejay10]

Do you have your goalkeeper distribution set to short, defender collect ? When your full backs pass the ball out of defence who do they generally pass to ? What pass completion % numbers do you get from them ?

[Nevrin]

Yes I do set my gk distribution to short and defender collect. Whenever the fullbacks get the balls, they either pass to my DCs or MCs. I have 84% and above pass completion for my DRL, DCs and MCs.

Take a look at my screenshot.

http://community.sigames.com/showpost.php?p=3556862&postcount=4574

[deejay10]

Those are excellent pass completion rates. Do you use global mentality, or individual mentalities ?

[Nevrin]

I used individual setting including mentality. I would suggest that you give a last notch of normal of creative freedom for your fullbacks and last notch of little for DCs so that whenever the gk pass the ball to the fullbacks, they can use their creativity to pass the ball either to the DCs or MCs.

From my screenshot, you will see that I give my whole team MIXED forward run except often for FCd and rarely for DCs to avoid forward run which is not needed. I want my team to attack and defend as a unit so, mixed forward run is the best. Whole team run forward together when they are READY to attack. Else, they will stay at their positions.

[RT--]

Generally speaking, I always have full-backs set to a more direct type of passing than anyone other player (first notch of direct, at least). I'm sure if you could access pass completion rates of full-backs IRL, they'd be lower than most other players too.

Obviously the key is to make sure they have a couple of good, simple passing options when they're on the ball. Watch a whole game and pause it every time a full-back gets possession. Look to see what their options are (bearing in mind that the shorter their passing is set, the nearer their team-mates will need to be for them to try and pass it to them). Just don't sacrifice a sensible team setup to solve this one problem.

If you're really desperate for them to have good pass completion rates, you could always set up a DM as a playmaker with forward runs rarely (and tick use playmaker obviously) who will by and large be free for a simple pass for both full-backs.

[RT--]

In the screenshot you posted, the ful-back has very little in the way of sensible passing options. He can either give it back to the keeper or to the centre-back (both potentially risky), try and knock it around the oncoming player to the left-most central midfielder (risky because it could be intercepted easily) or hammer it long towards the winger. If he's not on direct passing, he's unlikely to even consider that option, so will just hoof it away in order to play it safe.

[batata169]

if you want pass completion then put RWB rarely on both fullbacks with mixed creative freedom and corssing often.

My fullbacks have 50 passes or more each per match.

[deejay10]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Yes iv found the key, as some of you have said, are passing options. That means reducing the wingers mentality so they are not too far ahead of the play, so they provide a clear and safe option to distribute the ball to. So doing that helped somewhat. Also increasing their creative freedom and passing from short, to a few notches into normal actually helped a bit too.

I'm yet to find the right balance for wingerless formations though. Its a shame, because with some teams Id really like to play a 4-3-1-2 or a narrow 4-4-2 diamond.

The reason this is so important, is I can actually pinpoint the reason for more than half the goals I concede back to one of my defenders giving the ball away with a wild long pass under no pressure. Its difficult to get the right balance though, as I dont want to leave my attackers isolated, and also sometimes its good to have a few players on FWD runs often.

I only want my fullbacks to be either quickly moving the ball to my midfield or wide players, or putting a cross into the box. I dont want them to have too much of the ball, as that means other more influential players are not seeing enough action to dictate the game.

[deejay10]

Generally speaking, I always have full-backs set to a more direct type of passing than anyone other player (first notch of direct, at least). I'm sure if you could access pass completion rates of full-backs IRL, they'd be lower than most other players too.

You make a very good point, especially with very attacking fullbacks. I can understand them having lower pass completion due to crosses not always connecting with their targets. However it totally frustrates me when I see them mindlessly blast the ball into touch, or straight to the oppositions' defence, just because they don't immediately have a pass on, or they do, but just don't choose to use it.

And then I see the AI, even if they are a lower league team, stroke the ball around like they are Barcelona! But that's another issue lol