Playmaker on DMC?

[MijnEigenFan]

I'm having trouble making the best use of them, while it's such a great relief for your defence to be able to play simple balls to that brilliant midfielder close to them. With Juventus, I made a 5-4-1 formation, more exact (1-3-3-2-1-1). Meaning 3 CB's, 2 very offensive wingbacks, DMC playmaker. 2 Dynamic CM's, A 2nd striker on AMC and A real striker. Think of it as Italy on the EURO 2012. The problem is Pirlo, the DMC, gets skipped in building up and so barely gets as much passes as other players. While I want him to be dominant and do what he does best. I tried giving him a free role, no pressure at all, full creative freedom but nothing worked? Anyone got any suggestions?

[tommonufc]

I've always found great success with play-makers in the DMC, much more so than in CM or AM.

What is happening in the game to see Pirlo bypassed? Are your center backs generally playing it wide to the wing backs and then forward?

I feel there good be various reasons to why Pirlo isn't seeing as much of the ball you'd wish - I have experienced these problems previously in many attempts to get playmakers to 100+ passing, and found there to be various different factors working in tandom.

Generally your full backs, or in this case your offensive wing backs (they, are in nature are going to bypass Pirlo and look to get the ball forward asap or run with it, leaving Pirlo sat watching..) will find most of the ball simply because it's easier for your side to move vertically up the pitch by trying to go around the opposition, instead of straight through the middle.

What are the mentalities, pass settings and general tactical instruction you are giving to your side, and players? Perhaps a few screenshots could make it a little easier to see where your going wrong.

+ Edit; Reading through your post again, you seem to be heading in the right areas regarding Pirlo himself, but have maybe glanced over the other 10 players in the team - and how they are set up to play with him - you will try and have to force or set up players to pass to him over over, maybe more direct passing opportunities.

[kevin3]

The problem probably doesn't lie with the settings of Pirlo but more with the settings of the rest of your team.

For a possession-based style, I would favour towards a standard mentality setting to make sure that your players prefer passing the ball around and look to build-up play through your playmaker. That combined with the shouts - Pass to feet, Play out of defence, Retain Possession, Work ball into box, Play through defence - will generally lead to building possession. Also, I would check that there isn't too many players in your squad given lots of creative freedom because you want your players to follow your instruction of getting the ball to Pirlo's feet.

[jimbobBRFC]

It most formations where I use a DMC I have him set as playmaker, the one exception being if the opposition play an AMC. I find it helps ball retention massively, 9 times out fo 10 your DM is in space whilst attacking so if a move breaks down the first person a player will look for is the DM. Who should be in spacec and also in a prime position to spread the play out to the other side of the pitch. He can usually see most of the attacking players in front of him and providing he has some sort of techincal ability he should be able to find the best option.

[MijnEigenFan]

I've made my 3 central defenders, limited defender, set walk with ball on wingbacks to sometimes, but if the wingbacks start making a move that's ok. Although passing is set through middle. The problem is that the defenders play the ball to the two central midfielders who try to dictate the game, but far less effective than Pirlo would do. I don't want to give the MC's an even more defensive mentality as I've even changed my general approach to counterplay to really build up, and it happens, it's just not Pirlo who is involved and it annoys me

[furiousuk]

What strategy are you using?