Roles/TI/PI to get my team to press

[baddragon62]

Hi guys, I am really struggling to get my advanced players to close down and hastle the opposition players successfully in the opposition half.

I have tried just about everything with the combination of closing down + get stuck in etc, and am going round in circles so have pared it back to the basics.

The formation I am truing is :

--------- SK(D)

FB(S) CD(D) CD(D) FB(A)

W(A) CM(S) CM(D) WP(S)

------ DLF(S) CF(A)

Mentality : STD

Shape : Flexible

Currently back no TI/PI.

My objective is for my two wide players plus my two up front to contribute during the the defensive transition in an attempt to win the ball back in the opositions half or at least make it hard for them to break out, without the rest of my team getting drawn out of position on defence.

What would you fine people use as a starting point with TI's/PI's to get things started?

I was thinking about leaving the closing down TI as sometimes and then setting the wide players and strikers to close down more. My thinking with this is I want the other players to hold shape and only my peripheral players to aggressively press the opponents. Am I on the right path here?

[alinp]

I was thinking about leaving the closing down TI as sometimes and then setting the wide players and strikers to close down more. My thinking with this is I want the other players to hold shape and only my peripheral players to aggressively press the opponents. Am I on the right path here?

Just try it and see what happens.

[baddragon62]

I have and am seeing no change. I have no clue what to try so am after some assistance.

[TheJanitor]

If you want you team to press as a unit, I found out the playing in a Very Fluid philosophy helps, as it give your players similar sets of instructions. Also, unless you are playing FMC and have players who have great pressing ability, all you need is just a little patience. You're will gel and you will find the right players in the right spots to press.

[ajsr1982]

You could try putting the 'Close down (much) more' PI on the players in question. A couple of observations, though, for what it's worth.

1. You risk your midfield two being overloaded if the opposition does manage to get out. You can do something to mitigate that, such as pushing your d-line (and hence the rest of your defensive block) higher up.

2. Your wide playmaker probably won't be in a great position to close down at the start of your defensive transition, which could result in other players being pulled out of position (namely your CM-D or your full back).

Just my opinion of course, but I think it's tough to make a pressing system work with a two-man central midfield. I fully expect that statement to be blown to bits, but that's my experience of it.

[El Presidente]

How about defensive forwards or defensive wingers? They will certainly press.

[tkg]

Do the selected players in those roles have the attributes to effectively press?

A whole bunch of attributes are involved but i'd be paying attention to:

Work rate, stamina, determination, decision making, anticipation, aggression, concentration, marking and positioning.

I'd initially favour work rate, determination, decision making, anticipation and aggression for those attacking positions. The other stats are more closely related to keeping the pressing up throughout the whole match.

Other possible options would be to push your defensive line forward, consider opposition instructions and instruct some attacking players to mark tightly.