Why do my players ignore my overlapping full backs and instead just play a hollywood pass leading to loss of possession...

[goku4]

I have been reading a lot through the guides and tried to tweak my tactic, lowering mentality to play a bit more possession-based against teams parking the bus. This example is from a win but it's still getting on my nerves the way we sometimes play. We were leading 3-0 and made life far more difficult than necessary. As in this situation, I wonder why my right inside forward on support does make this weird choice instead of playing it to max aarons...

This was the tactic, I orignally started with until it was 4-2.

I later changed to CONTROL and a bit slower tempo. The situation above occured on CONTROL mentality. I finished the game with 45% of possession... I am currently 1 point behind the leaders and I can not accept this...

This is the heat map of the game above

I would welcome any kind of help and recommendations about how I can tweak my tactic to play a bit more possession-oriented without giving away possession so easily. Is it due to my attacking instructions or pressing? I haven't tweaked anything regarding possession except that the Wingers have high pressing and the forward has aggressive tackling...

[Experienced Defender]

2 hours ago, goku4 said:

I am currently 1 point behind the leaders and I can not accept this

You should be extremely happy to be 2nd in the EPL with an underdog like Norwich. And even more so considering how unstable and sort of messy your tactic is. 

 

2 hours ago, goku4 said:

I finished the game with 45% of possession

So what? 

Anyway, if you want to improve possession stats, then instructions such as pass into space, counter, run at defence and  wide attacking width don't make much sense, especially when coupled with a high team mentality. Plus the fact that you don't manage a top team with world-class players.

[goku4]

1 minute ago, Experienced Defender said:

You should be extremely happy to be 2nd in the EPL with an underdog like Norwich. And even more so considering how unstable and sort of messy your tactic is. 

 

So what? 

Anyway, if you want to improve possession stats, then instructions such as pass into space, counter, run at defence and  wide attacking width don't make much sense, especially when coupled with a high team mentality. Plus the fact that you don't manage a top team with world-class players.

What would you improve or change in order to crack those defensive teams? 

[Experienced Defender]

Well, if I managed (a team like) Norwich, my tactic - and style of play - would look considerably different, to begin with.

Btw, given that you are 2nd in the league, your tactic obviously works already, so I am not sure you really need tactical help and advice (at least at this point). 

I am probably not the right person to give you the type of advice you are looking for, simply because my approach both to the tactics and game in general is strikingly different from yours. Because when I manage an underdog, my first priority is to avoid relegation battle. Whereas you are unhappy even with the runner-up position in the strongest league in the world. 

Where I could help you is how to make your tactic more possession-friendly (if that's what you actually want to achieve). 

[goku4]

18 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

Well, if I managed (a team like) Norwich, my tactic - and style of play - would look considerably different, to begin with.

Btw, given that you are 2nd in the league, your tactic obviously works already, so I am not sure you really need tactical help and advice (at least at this point). 

I am probably not the right person to give you the type of advice you are looking for, simply because my approach both to the tactics and game in general is strikingly different from yours. Because when I manage an underdog, my first priority is to avoid relegation battle. Whereas you are unhappy even with the runner-up position in the strongest league in the world. 

Where I could help you is how to make your tactic more possession-friendly (if that's what you actually want to achieve). 

Well, tbf, I finished 4th in the first season with just one backup signing. There should not be a room to complain and the same tactic in the second season brought me a 3rd place so far after 13 games. My problem is that I feel there is more potential for my team. I dominate lots of games, go into a 1-0 lead but somehow the opponent scores with its very first shot on target and the game ends 1-1... I do not score enough goals and give away possession so easily. I feel like there is room for improvement. Just again, while I was leading 1-0 had 15 shots on target, my full back just runs into the defender loses the ball and I concede a long ball counter in the last second... I just want to know why my players often ignore the player next to them and instead rush into opposition players... I tried control mentality and without run with ball, but still it is often the same... just wonder what is wrong with the instructions leading to these situations...

[Experienced Defender]

1 minute ago, goku4 said:

I dominate lots of games, go into a 1-0 lead but somehow the opponent scores with its very first shot on target and the game ends 1-1

Probably because your tactic is too ambitious and defensively risky for a team of such reputation and strength. 

 

2 minutes ago, goku4 said:

I do not score enough goals and give away possession so easily. I feel like there is room for improvement

As I already said in my first comment, you are using a few instructions that aren't possession-friendly. And there is also room for improvement in your setup of roles and duties. 

Start with the following tweaks:

- remove pass into space

- remove run at defence

- remove counter

- remove wide attacking width (leave it on default)

- add shorter passing

And even though this may sound counter-intuitive, you might also need to remove work ball into box, even though this instruction itself is possession-oriented. But at the same time, if your players are not good enough - both technically and mentally - to keep the ball under pressure in the final third, then the work ball into box TI can easily lead to a loss of possession in a dangerous area and thus allow the opposition to quickly hit you on the break (especially given how defensively vulnerable your setup of roles and duties is). 

[goku4]

2 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

Probably because your tactic is too ambitious and defensively risky for a team of such reputation and strength. 

 

As I already said in my first comment, you are using a few instructions that aren't possession-friendly. And there is also room for improvement in your setup of roles and duties. 

Start with the following tweaks:

- remove pass into space

- remove run at defence

- remove counter

- remove wide attacking width (leave it on default)

- add shorter passing

And even though this may sound counter-intuitive, you might also need to remove work ball into box, even though this instruction itself is possession-oriented. But at the same time, if your players are not good enough - both technically and mentally - to keep the ball under pressure in the final third, then the work ball into box TI can easily lead to a loss of possession in a dangerous area and thus allow the opposition to quickly hit you on the break (especially given how defensively vulnerable your setup of roles and duties is). 

Thx, I am currently 2nd but I really don't let the current situation make me blind. I feel that it is not working as I want. I have so many shots but only 1/3 of that are on target and I also have the problem that my players often not see the player next to them and instead just rush things...

[Pasonen]

9 hours ago, goku4 said:

This is the heat map of the game above

Heat map is telling that usually passes are made for the right flank like you wanted. You can start by removing dribbling and pass into space. Thats enough for a starter. 

2 hours ago, goku4 said:

Start with the following tweaks:

- remove pass into space

- remove run at defence

- remove counter

- remove wide attacking width (leave it on default)

- add shorter passing

There could also be problem when you use more aggressive tactic. It could be advisable to use these @Experienced Defenderchanges when you're holding the lead. But you're 2nd so ... :D.

Edited August 24, 2020 by Pasonen

[goku4]

Yes that's right, but these passes are not made quite that often as I want it. Aim is to create overload on the left side and then use space on the right with long/direct balls. I just wonder, why so many tactic creators use the "pass into space" and "more dribbling" when it can just lead to loss of possession quite often...

[Experienced Defender]

14 hours ago, goku4 said:

I also have the problem that my players often not see the player next to them and instead just rush things

This could also have to do with a player's mental attributes (decisions and/or vision in the first place). It's not necessarily tactical.

[HUNT3R]

Could also have to do with either tactical familiarity or their role familiarity in this tactic.