Utilizing crosses properly

[mouli]

Hello everyone! I need to get better results from crosses. My advanced playmaker on the wing usually drags the opposing full back with him when he cuts inside and makes space for my attacking full back to cross (unlike in the video). But my problem is that he is never able to get a good cross in. The cross either gets blocked or other players are able to close him down successfully because he takes too long. How do I utilize crossing situations better? (I am Newcastle and the opponent is Everton and they're also playing a 4231)

This tactic is currently in the building stage as the fm gurus suggest to build a tactic brick by brick. Any other advice is also welcome. I am trying to play possession football.

[CaptCanuck]

In that example your PF and T have collapsed the box for your attacking FB to run into - and it's only late that Everton's LB cops on that he needs to close him down - so the FB on attack is going to keep running into that space and take a shot in this single example. Everyone looks pretty well marked too. I'm guessing the PF and T on attack means they are always legging it into the box and bringing a lot of defenders with them, 2 v 3 situations which lead to easy clearances?

I get that Rondon is a brute and likely good in the air, but in that example say you had Rondon as a some kind of striker on support, maybe he drags defenders away and leaves Muto with a chance to attack a far post cross? I've found my leftside IF attacking far post crosses working out well.

I use WB (S) on my right side, so not sure how different that is from an FB (A), but I get runs down the right and crosses/passes a lot more than entry into the 18yd box with shots. Of course this doesn't take into account any PPMs Manquillo may have or his crossing, vision and other useful attributes. Edit: Crossing/Passing 11 Decisions 13 Vision 9 Technique 12 are maybe not the best for getting in quality balls.

Edited September 16, 2020 by CaptCanuck

[mouli]

13 minutes ago, CaptCanuck said:

In that example your PF and T have collapsed the box for your attacking FB to run into - and it's only late that Everton's LB cops on that he needs to close him down - so the FB on attack is going to keep running into that space and take a shot in this single example. Everyone looks pretty well marked too. I'm guessing the PF and T on attack means they are always legging it into the box and bringing a lot of defenders with them, 2 v 3 situations which lead to easy clearances?

I get that Rondon is a brute and likely good in the air, but in that example say you had Rondon as a some kind of striker on support, maybe he drags defenders away and leaves Muto with a chance to attack a far post cross? I've found my leftside IF attacking far post crosses working out well.

I use WB (S) on my right side, so not sure how different that is from an FB (A), but I get runs down the right and crosses/passes a lot more than entry into the 18yd box with shots. Of course this doesn't take into account any PPMs Manquillo may have or his crossing, vision and other useful attributes. Edit: Crossing/Passing 11 Decisions 13 Vision 9 Technique 12 are maybe not the best for getting in quality balls.

Even in 4v3(i.e. my fullback, PF, T, IF vs their far side fullback, 2 Cbs) situations when their fullback is way out of position to mark my ap on the right, he usually crosses straight to the opponents legs or losses the ball in some other way. 

Not sure what you mean. Are you saying that i should use Rondon on support? He's really good in air as you mentioned. 

And I agree that he's not the best player offensively speaking but he's got great mentals so I play him anyway. So you think this could be a player problem and not my tactic? 

[summatsupeer]

First thing i'd do is check the players attributes & traits out.  Besides the obvious Crossing attribute his other technical and mental attributes still play a part.  How quickly can he control the ball? Does he see a target and choose to cross to them? In that example he was wide open so maybe saw a chance for glory, rather than crossing to a teammate.  They weren't really open so I wouldn't say him dribbling it into the box was that selfish either. Is it the FB fault for them not being open? Even if Rondon is a powerful forward he needs to get into the right positions.

1 hour ago, mouli said:

I need to get better results from crosses.

Do you just want him to cross once he gets it?  There's a TI (Early Crosses) and a PI (Cross From Deep) for that, could even go to extremes and tell him Dribble Less.  His traits might overrule this though.

Do you want him to aim for a specific player if he's not doing a good job of selecting his target?  Theres a PI for that.

If he's still not taking enough risks to just put the ball into the box you could take things to extremes and add Overlap Right which will increase his individual mentality (whilst lowering the AMR so will affect him to).

[mouli]

8 minutes ago, summatsupeer said:

First thing i'd do is check the players attributes & traits out.  Besides the obvious Crossing attribute his other technical and mental attributes still play a part.  How quickly can he control the ball? Does he see a target and choose to cross to them? In that example he was wide open so maybe saw a chance for glory, rather than crossing to a teammate.  They weren't really open so I wouldn't say him dribbling it into the box was that selfish either. Is it the FB fault for them not being open? Even if Rondon is a powerful forward he needs to get into the right positions.

Do you just want him to cross once he gets it?  There's a TI (Early Crosses) and a PI (Cross From Deep) for that, could even go to extremes and tell him Dribble Less.  His traits might overrule this though.

Do you want him to aim for a specific player if he's not doing a good job of selecting his target?  Theres a PI for that.

If he's still not taking enough risks to just put the ball into the box you could take things to extremes and add Overlap Right which will increase his individual mentality (whilst lowering the AMR so will affect him to).

Thanks for the advice! I'll try each one of them later. 

[CaptCanuck]

51 minutes ago, mouli said:

Even in 4v3(i.e. my fullback, PF, T, IF vs their far side fullback, 2 Cbs) situations when their fullback is way out of position to mark my ap on the right, he usually crosses straight to the opponents legs or losses the ball in some other way. 

Not sure what you mean. Are you saying that i should use Rondon on support? He's really good in air as you mentioned. 

And I agree that he's not the best player offensively speaking but he's got great mentals so I play him anyway. So you think this could be a player problem and not my tactic? 

I was basing things off that single example and how it could have turned out differently, in regard to Rondon. You may have other passages of play where it looks better, but if you always have the PF and T occupying the same space as that quick vid, it could be a tweak is in order. For instance if Shelvey stayed at the top of the box, maybe Rondon is 1v1 or 1v1.5 and the odds are better and vice versa... although in this example with all that space the FB is coming in.

Generally speaking, after the ball is put wide to the FB, does the AP ever go out to him at the corner of the box to show for a quick one-two or is it usually the FB on his own quite isolated?  As Richie looks more like a Mez/CM positioning there than a winger.
Separately, have you tried the FB on S instead of A? I see he has 'get forward whenever possible', so maybe S is enough and being a bit less aggressive/attacking can get more measured crosses?

Anyhoo, tweaking formations is fun - as long as results eventually follow :-)

[mouli]

8 hours ago, CaptCanuck said:

I was basing things off that single example and how it could have turned out differently, in regard to Rondon. You may have other passages of play where it looks better, but if you always have the PF and T occupying the same space as that quick vid, it could be a tweak is in order. For instance if Shelvey stayed at the top of the box, maybe Rondon is 1v1 or 1v1.5 and the odds are better and vice versa... although in this example with all that space the FB is coming in.

Generally speaking, after the ball is put wide to the FB, does the AP ever go out to him at the corner of the box to show for a quick one-two or is it usually the FB on his own quite isolated?  As Richie looks more like a Mez/CM positioning there than a winger.
Separately, have you tried the FB on S instead of A? I see he has 'get forward whenever possible', so maybe S is enough and being a bit less aggressive/attacking can get more measured crosses?

Anyhoo, tweaking formations is fun - as long as results eventually follow :-)

No Richie is generally either too deep to be a presence outside the box as he's usually involved in the situation that leads to the fullback being free or if he's in the final third, he makes runs into the box and doesn't goes to the full back to provide a passing option. This is exactly one of things I want him to do. 

And yes I begun testing this tactic with FB on S but saw him getting in better positions on A duty. 

 

[mouli]

11 hours ago, summatsupeer said:

Do you want him to aim for a specific player if he's not doing a good job of selecting his target?  Theres a PI for that.

Is there any way to instruction the FB to cross to a specific player? I only see 4 options - aim at far post, near post, centre, target man. 

[summatsupeer]

Target man was the one I was thinking for rondon (if give him that role).  Otherwise aim for an area the player should be in.