try through balls

[gallas 10]

i always thought this meant that when allowing your players to use this option often it'd make them play a more attractive, fluent, weaving style... but now i'm wondering if it's more to do with long balls over the top... can someone help me out please?

[Intercept]

The definition of a "Through Ball".

Through Ball (plural Through Balls)

Noun

Definition - Pass going through opposition to teammate. In soccer, a forward attacking pass that travels through a group of opposing players to reach a teammate.

Going off that assumption than the obvious way to view it, is that they will look to open up or scythe defence's open by either sending the ball over the top or through a gap that a player create's, which is exactly how it transcends into FM. When you have your players looking to play through balls often, than they will naturally look to continually send through a pass that will rip apart defence's and allow your striker to get into a one-on-one scenario with the goalkeeper.

If you want your team playing attractive, fluent and a weaving style of play, than you want your player's playing less through balls and look to pass the ball around. You want a high amount of free-roles as you want your players finding space to allow for a pass to connect, you want a high tempo so the passing is quick and the ball is moved around opening up space in the oppositions defence. You want a high mentality as you want the ball going forward or sideways but never backwards, along with a high defensive line so the play is always in your oppositions half along with a wide width so that there is always space to pass into.

In my understanding, if you want to play attractive, possesion based attacking football, than the last thing you want is every player on the field trying through balls constantly. I would have my best creative players who have a high decision making stat to have "Try Through Balls" set to "Often" as they are the one's who will scythe open defence's and get your strikers into one-on-one situations.

[gallas 10]

ahh, thanks for the help. quality post man, i'll alter what you've said and see how it works. thanks again.

[isuckatfm]

My 2 cents/pence/insert relevant currency here on it:-

Through ball in FM = pass in front of pass target

Short or long does not matter. If Player A's most likely pass recipient often has space in front of him set him to TTB often. If you want your full back pinging balls over the opposition line for the winger to run onto give him high passing plus TTB often (mentality as well but no one really knows concretely). If you want your FB distributing to a deep playmaker and said playmaker is lined up with the opposition's deeper MC (assuming 442) give the FB short passing and TTB often if you want him feeding the deep playmaker into the space the opposition is allowing. If your Fbs inside MC is consistently covered high but is consistently attempting to run beyond said marker give the FB TTB often to feed him in behind. etc. etc.

Remember TTB = try to pass in front and keep that in mind with respect to formation/mentalities/forward runs, then apply a little common sense based on what you see in the 2D and it shouldn't cause any great confusion.

Of course it all depends on players and what's good for the goose ain't always good for the gander .

[higgins]

TTB = is the easiest way to give away the ball cheaply, if you're not a top team, so use them wisely.

[SSJ3-BROLLY]

TTB = is the easiest way to give away the ball cheaply, if you're not a top team, so use them wisely.

Good one, was just about to post that, i personally never put more than two players (unless i'm using an AMC in my system then three players) on TTB while controlling one of the big teams. I did notice my possession and play in general to have improved greatly

[SPDtrip]

Good one, was just about to post that, i personally never put more than two players (unless i'm using an AMC in my system then three players) on TTB while controlling one of the big teams. I did notice my possession and play in general to have improved greatly

Does that mean you keep most of your players on the rare or normal setting ?

[gallas 10]

i just played three whole games, with every player on rarely playing try through balls. while there was more possession for my team, i don't think they seemed to be playing as stylishly as when i had my four midfielders playing ttb's often.

[SSJ3-BROLLY]

Does that mean you keep most of your players on the rare or normal setting ?

I keep them on the normal setting, only CM's & AMC's get TTB.

[SSJ3-BROLLY]

i just played three whole games, with every player on rarely playing try through balls. while there was more possession for my team, i don't think they seemed to be playing as stylishly as when i had my four midfielders playing ttb's often.

I never use rarely when it comes to TTB.

[AcidBurn]

So would it be better to have players like Iniesta and Xavi on through balls mixed, due to their high decisions and general mental attributes they will only play the through ball when they think its the best option?

[gallas 10]

that seems like a good sounding plan.

[Intercept]

AcidBurn

For Xavi and Iniesta I have them on Often, but also have "Run with Ball" set to often. So when they see the Through Ball on they take it, when they don't they dribble with it. If you link those two with a player who has high mental stats you can rip apart defence's as he will dribble or play the through ball when he see's the chance.

It also come's down to the fact that both Iniesta and Xavi are just amazing when on the ball that I trust them with "Try Though Balls" on often. They have all the stats to control when they decided to take the option and when to pass it onto a team-mate.

[SSJ3-BROLLY]

So would it be better to have players like Iniesta and Xavi on through balls mixed, due to their high decisions and general mental attributes they will only play the through ball when they think its the best option?

Pretty much, as they do possess "try killerballs often" as well. Personally, i did notice more varied through balls (like a lob over the defense etc.) when the TTB setting is on normal.

[phnompenhandy]

My 2 cents/pence/insert relevant currency here on it:-

Through ball in FM = pass in front of pass target

Short or long does not matter.

If your read Miles' latest blogs on the tactics creator and 'shouting', you'll see that that's exactly how SI define it.

TTB often now = 'pass in front of man'(paraphrased), whereas rare TTB is worded 'pass to feet'.

I agree with those posters saying intelligent midfielders should be given mixed with high CF and leave the decisions up to them.

[AcidBurn]

AcidBurn

For Xavi and Iniesta I have them on Often, but also have "Run with Ball" set to often. So when they see the Through Ball on they take it, when they don't they dribble with it. If you link those two with a player who has high mental stats you can rip apart defence's as he will dribble or play the through ball when he see's the chance.

It also come's down to the fact that both Iniesta and Xavi are just amazing when on the ball that I trust them with "Try Though Balls" on often. They have all the stats to control when they decided to take the option and when to pass it onto a team-mate.

Thanks for the answer, I thought so, that was the instructions I had them on when I was Barcelona.