Ultra-aggressive teams on small pitches

[Contexx]

Playing as Roma and undefeated about a third way through the league schedule, and facing the other undefeated team in the league, which happens to be Udinese. MoutMouth watering match, everybody on Superb morale, a just looking through their results, they had huge success, including ripping Juventus apart 3:0 in the previous match.

I do my team talks, usual OI's, and match starts and first thing I notice is the pitch! Where is the rest of the pitch?? Reminds me of previous versions, but it's noticably smaller. Obviously they're playing on a shorter pitch, and not only are they playing on it - but they're kicking lumps out of my team and hitting direct balls from all over the place to their onrushing strikers and wingers. It was a scary 15 minutes which I had to watch in full mode just to figure out what was wrong.

Now, Udinese play a 4411, and seem to use high closing down and very aggressive tackling and direct passing. The motivation of my wingers and fullbacks went from "motivated" and "composed" to "anxious". Udinese went Tony Pulis on me, and it totally threw me off my game. No time on the ball, no space to play in, and getting closed down all over the pitch, including and especially my back four and DMC!

I first tried to use the shout to drop deeper, and that lead to their first CCC, and a series of corners and shots on target. Had to "get ball forward" and hang on, and I was lucky a goal was disallowed as their striker fouled my DC. Instead, I did what all clueless people do - if one way doesn't work, try the opposite. I told my team to push higher up! My DLP was getting bullied, so I moved him back to the DMC position, and pushed my aggro ball winner higher up into the BWM (s) role.

Pushing higher up on a small pitch worked. It didn't allow them to pass it around and led to plenty of offsides and my team getting stuck in and winning the ball where it mattered - that danger zone between midfield and my penalty box. More importantly, it allowed my team more pressure through my own direct passes.

The game ended 2:0, with my striker intercepting a pass from their defender, and another scrappy goal in the end when they decided to go on full on attack.

This is not a brag post but just wondering what's the best course of action against ultra-aggressive teams on these kinds of pitches. Playing high up and giving as good as I'm getting worked, though it led to some pretty chaotic football looking more like ice hockey than calcio, and a lot of moments where my own defenders are making "too close for comfort" interceptions and immediately leading back to chances for my team.

I must say I enjoyed the match because it caught me off guard and is different from most other Seria A team set ups, but it's very unsettling, especially when having flair players not used to getting lumps kicked out of them.

Question summary - how to deal with teams being ultra aggressive with tackling and closing down, and on small pitches?

[peleJunior]

I always try playing wider against aggressively closing down teams my reasoning being they got to put in extra work to do it and extra space becomes more exaggerated with their over committed closing down.

[lam]

Hard tackling and high pressure would suggest that they are attacking, same for the Direct passing, though this is not certain.

However if it is the case, and depending on their players, you might want to sit deeper, invite the pressure and then break fast. See where they have gaps and then exploit that. Despite having the extra man in the midfield, this shouldn't affect you breaking fast through the middle as he should still be attacking, so the middle is still an option, but if they push their wingbacks forward, then that would be a good choice too.

If they are NOT tight man marking, and you have the talent, a fast paced passing game can be effective as it draws fouls. If you are doing this and you managing to do it high up the pitch then just be sure to have men back incase they break.

[PeeKay]

I guess it comes down to your team and the two extreme methods.

1) Go toe to toe and replicate them. It's takes it out of your hands and makes it who can score the most. Exciting!!!

2) Go the Spanish route, make the pitch big and pass it at a slow patient tempo until they tire an hopefully grab a goal.

[wwfan]

I agree with PeeKay. Either take them on at their own game and ramp up the tackling and pressing (hassle opponent, get stuck in) or open space (play wider, drop deeper) and either spray the ball around until an opportunity opens up (get ball forward, pass to feet) or play keep ball and rely on through balls into the spaces their pressing opens up space for you to pass into (retain possession, pass into space).