PPM: Hugs the touch line

[Medmax]

Hey, I was wondering does this PPM is applied to the wide player at all time?

Or does it differenciate when you're in or off possession of the ball?

Without the ball: I play quite narrow and found a defensive stability in my tactic. In defense: my FB are positioned close to the 3 CB and start to close down from INSIDE to OUTSIDE (meaning pushing the opposite Winger to the touch line), not starting from OUTSIDE to INSIDE (close from the touchline and closing the opposite winger down "vertically" or from the touch line to inside the pitch). I find it quite effective that way.

With the ball: against team which play more defensive/counter/park the bus against me, I wouldn't mind to add extra width with my FB hugging the line and supplying crosses to my 3 ST, as it may be crowded around the penalty box.

Obviously, I guess adding the hugging the touch line for my FB would be beneficial in the attacking phases, but would it overwrite the team instruction and change their position on the pitch when defending? I don't really want to leave a gap between my FB and CD. It will open some space and invite the opposite wingers/Inside forwards (cut inside) to move into this channel...

Thanks

[herne79]

It's used when your team are in possession, not when defending.

And like all PPMs, it's a tendency not an instruction - so it's not something they'll do all the time, just more often than they would if they didn't have the PPM.

[Medmax]

Thanks, so learning it is for the attacking ones

[FrazT]

One issue I have found with this instruction is the foot preference of the player involved.  I have this instruction on both my AMR and AML but was constantly frustrated by them cutting inside all the time.  I eventually checked and found that my AMR although natural in the position preferred to use his left foot and my AML chose to use his right foot, thereby countering their instruction and ppm.  It also meant that the midfield got very crowded and picking up passes was difficult, sometimes causing a need to shoot unnecessarily from distance.

[Medmax]

That's actually a very good point that you highlight

It doesn't concern me because I'd like to teach it to my "regular" Full backs/wingbacks.

But this is very relevant that you mention it when it concerns inverted wingbacks or Inside Forwards cutting inside like all these players in modern football (opposite foot of the wing: Neymar, Hazard, Martial, Reus, Ribery, Robben...). I guess this PPM can be efficient to traditional wingers and Full backs to stretch the opposition defense then.