Preventing last-minute concedings?

[C-Mon]

So I'm playing a journeyman save and I'm currently managing SD Delémont, a club with mid-table ambitions but no players or funds to back it up. I've managed to drill in a successful, offensive strategy with a mostly solid defense, and I pull off being the third most goalscoring team in the league all the while being the one that concedes the most goals. Entertaining games, but frustrating for the manager, cause' there's a whole of teams dropping out of the Swiss Challenge League in the first seasons, and I keep dancing back and forth over the drop zone.

My biggest problem is that I've conceded something like 10-15 goals in injury time, the majority of them from corners. This will often come in games where I've gone one up and held them safely for the last half of the second half, or in games where I've equalized against vastly superior teams. I've tried bringing on more well-rested legs, playing more defensively or even adding a fifth defender, but none of it seems to have any effect. Anyone have any ideas to how I can prevent this from happening?

[Jarmel]

If your winning the possesion game then dont change your tactics to be defensive, it only invites them to attack you more .

Or stop your wing backs from running forward have your stikers tightly mark the 2 cm's , make your two mc's drop a little deeper zonal marking closing down low and man mark their fb's with your wide midfielders tightly . And start praying. For defensive corners bring you stikers back to mark the posts and make sure your good headers are marking the talls , and your mediocre headers are man marking ( presuming they have some marking/postition skills)

Or drop a cm to dm anchor , sub out a striker and bring in another mid and try to retain possession, use the shout work ball into box , dont let your fb's run forward that way they will stay back and help retain possession , slow tempo short passing . Most important is make sure the keeper has short passing and set to defender collect . If you have one fb that is better on the ball than the other, then distribute to him . Also dont have a high Dline when trying this , lower it to midway if its not allready.

Turn counter attack off also , this will help retain the ball but may also lead to missing the odd goal late if they are pushing hard.

Also check the player motivation if anyone is complacent get em off if you have good cover on the bench , if their fitness goes under 70% and arent stikers then sub them if you have adequate replacement . In most cases a fresh mediocre player is better than a tired better player.

Watch the game and see who is driving their attack and try to nuetralize him . If it is a DM then get one of your strikers to man mark him tightly this striker will need a support role not attacking or he wont do it well enough

[Jarmel]

There is another option change formation if your playing with 2 stikers , change to a 4-1-2-3 , with the wide strikers out wide and man marking their FB's a lill bit more risky but sometimes attack is the best defence.

[C-Mon]

Alright, I'll try these things that I'm yet to try, thanks.

[PeeKay]

I would just like to add that if you are conceeding from corners then this can happen at any time in the match. Your opponents are probably getting more corners as they push forward. Check your set pieces and make sure that there are setup correctly. Tip's for corners:

- keep at least 2 players forward as this keeps 3 (or more) of the opposing players back

- get defensive midfielders to man mark

- get big forwards to go back

- (personal preference) get passer to edge of area as it provides calm exit

[Jarmel]

Yes i shoulda mentioned leave a couple forward at defensive corners , make them your two worst jumpers/slash headers. thanks Peekay. I only play with strikers that can jump and head well so i allways have em back and use my fast wingers to stay forward . Added bonus to this is that they will get onto ball coming out of the penalty area quicker than any striker woudl due to them having a lower attacking mentality .

[C-Mon]

I would just like to add that if you are conceeding from corners then this can happen at any time in the match. Your opponents are probably getting more corners as they push forward. Check your set pieces and make sure that there are setup correctly. Tip's for corners:

- keep at least 2 players forward as this keeps 3 (or more) of the opposing players back

- get defensive midfielders to man mark

- get big forwards to go back

- (personal preference) get passer to edge of area as it provides calm exit

Although it CAN happen in any time of the match, 90 percent of the goals conceded from corners are within the last 5-10 minutes of the matches. Most other corners seem to have a "regular" chance of going in.

One problem is that I don't really have any aerially sound players apart from a winger, but I don't have the budget either to strengthen.

I have done a couple of tweaks though, and although I've only tried it in a couple of matches so far, it seems to be working. Since my team is so ****** in the air, I've tried some of Jarmel's advice (offensive players hounding their defensive players), and I've also tried having my backs funnel the opponents through the middle of the pitch, as I concede most corners from blocked crosses. Players are generally not good from a distance at this level, and most of their shot evade both players and goal.

[PeeKay]

Although it CAN happen in any time of the match, 90 percent of the goals conceded from corners are within the last 5-10 minutes of the matches. Most other corners seem to have a "regular" chance of going in.

One problem is that I don't really have any aerially sound players apart from a winger, but I don't have the budget either to strengthen.

I have done a couple of tweaks though, and although I've only tried it in a couple of matches so far, it seems to be working. Since my team is so ****** in the air, I've tried some of Jarmel's advice (offensive players hounding their defensive players), and I've also tried having my backs funnel the opponents through the middle of the pitch, as I concede most corners from blocked crosses. Players are generally not good from a distance at this level, and most of their shot evade both players and goal.

Not being good in the air can be a real problem not just on corners. When poor teams get desperate they will start pumping balls long to a big striker or for a counter.

Also, I would risk conceding the corner than funneling opposing player through the middle. The goal is in the middle pitch and it usually best to keep opposing player away from it and the chances throught he middle of the pitch are easier to take than from wide.

[C-Mon]

Also, I would risk conceding the corner than funneling opposing player through the middle. The goal is in the middle pitch and it usually best to keep opposing player away from it and the chances throught he middle of the pitch are easier to take than from wide.

I actually think it's preferable to herd them through the middle as my defenders are far more capable on the ground. If I were to push them out wide they would have opportunities to cross, and with my terrible aerial record, I don't want that...

It seems to be working now. Have two matches left and I'm looking to finish the league outside of the relegation zone.