FM22 - Best Solution to the IW/IF Problem

[Colonel Getafe]

As we know, SI are aware of the issue with IW/IFs not performing as they should and the recent update didn’t fix it, however I wondered if anyone has found a best solution so far to suit a tactic that uses them?

I’ve ran tests with multiple teams with multiple TI’s and PI’s to try to get my IW/IFs to cut inside with the ball (without the ball they sometimes do), but nothing I try seems to have any effect one way or the other, regardless if my IW/IFs are set to Attack or Support or I if set team mentality to play wide or narrow, dribble, press, high/low tempo etc.

There are a lot of positives about the FM22 ME, but it's very disappointing that to enjoy it fully it seems you have to use tactics that don’t involve these roles, so perhaps this could be a thread for ideas/discoveries that offer best practice to finding a way to play with IW/IFs within a given setup so it isn't so infuriating watching them do the opposite of what they're supposed to do?

All and any suggestions for getting some functionality out of these key roles welcome. Thanks.

[properdisco]

I have a unbeaten (in league) home record with inverted guys 3 seasons in, I think it's because I commit to playing narrow vertical tiki taka, focused through the middle and also asked the groundsman to set up the pitch up accordingly (the one that says wide players will likely struggle). Also had slightly better luck with IWs than IFs until recently. The lack of cutting inside while dribbling is still a problem but the composed, good finishers as IFs will make dangerous runs inside. The good crossers and passers used as IWs usually rack up good assists. There have probably been a large amount of my goals scored via my AMR-IW hitting an aerial ball to the AML-IF. I see the ME problems but have got enough success from the players to persist with it. I also mentioned elsewhere that too often they look to finish a chance at the keeper's near post with their weaker foot, rather than shaping to finish at the far post with their preferred foot as you'd expect. That kinda bothers me more than the lack of inward dribbling tbh.

Edited December 9, 2021 by properdisco

[GOODNAME]

Play FM 21 lol

[Aoyao]

14 小时前, GOODNAME说:

Play FM 21 lol

U are right！

[kepz]

I know a lot of people are upset about this bug, but I honestly haven't been experiencing it in the way others have. 

Here's a screenshot of the player I signed specifically to play at IW-A on my team's left side followed by this season stats and attributes (images 1, 2, 3). 

And another screenshot of the times my other wing played on the left side in that role. 

And finally, my tactic.

As you can see, the results are pretty good: five total and five assists apiece from National League North-levels of talent, not bad production from a bugged position!

I watch matches with extended highlights on and the IW passes the eye-test for me *personally* since they run off the ball into the space created by my TF or occupy opposing CBs, freeing space for my mez, winger, or TF to exploit. 

[Fieldsy]

I wonder whether having a winger with cuts in trait would make a difference and see more inverted play than currently?

[alian62]

Not an issue in my game . Finding the ME great . 

[Colonel Getafe]

On 09/12/2021 at 17:21, properdisco said:

I have a unbeaten (in league) home record with inverted guys 3 seasons in, I think it's because I commit to playing narrow vertical tiki taka, focused through the middle and also asked the groundsman to set up the pitch up accordingly (the one that says wide players will likely struggle). Also had slightly better luck with IWs than IFs until recently. The lack of cutting inside while dribbling is still a problem but the composed, good finishers as IFs will make dangerous runs inside. The good crossers and passers used as IWs usually rack up good assists. There have probably been a large amount of my goals scored via my AMR-IW hitting an aerial ball to the AML-IF. I see the ME problems but have got enough success from the players to persist with it. I also mentioned elsewhere that too often they look to finish a chance at the keeper's near post with their weaker foot, rather than shaping to finish at the far post with their preferred foot as you'd expect. That kinda bothers me more than the lack of inward dribbling tbh.

Thanks for the info, will give a try to applying that in my test save, see how it goes. I like their play other than the non-existent dribbling factor.

[Colonel Getafe]

On 11/12/2021 at 20:51, kepz said:

I know a lot of people are upset about this bug, but I honestly haven't been experiencing it in the way others have. 

Here's a screenshot of the player I signed specifically to play at IW-A on my team's left side followed by this season stats and attributes (images 1, 2, 3). 

And another screenshot of the times my other wing played on the left side in that role. 

And finally, my tactic.

As you can see, the results are pretty good: five total and five assists apiece from National League North-levels of talent, not bad production from a bugged position!

I watch matches with extended highlights on and the IW passes the eye-test for me *personally* since they run off the ball into the space created by my TF or occupy opposing CBs, freeing space for my mez, winger, or TF to exploit. 

Thanks for the info. I'm still playing around with trying to get a tactic that can get some degree of tune out of the roles. I like their off-the-ball movement and the finishing is good, just the 'run with ball' I can't seem to get going.

[Colonel Getafe]

On 11/12/2021 at 21:02, Fieldsy said:

I wonder whether having a winger with cuts in trait would make a difference and see more inverted play than currently?

It's an interesting thought. Don't think I'd tried that one when I was testing a few variables. Will have to do a few test games of a natural-IW playing as a winger (not IW) but on his weaker/opposite side, with this instruction, so maybe he'll cut inside more then. Will add it to my list cheers.

[cowbei]

Play through the middle and play with a central attacking mid. Works like a charm, they still won’t dribble in that much but will run in to meet through balls.

[Fieldsy]

42 minutes ago, Colonel Getafe said:

It's an interesting thought. Don't think I'd tried that one when I was testing a few variables. Will have to do a few test games of a natural-IW playing as a winger (not IW) but on his weaker/opposite side, with this instruction, so maybe he'll cut inside more then. Will add it to my list cheers.

Will be interested in what you find, for example is this IW/IF specific as in the role or the position in the field (AML/AMR).

another thing is does the behaviour of dribbling change if the IW is in the MR/ML position?

[kepz]

1 hour ago, Colonel Getafe said:

just the 'run with ball' I can't seem to get going.

something else I noticed watching more comprehensive highlights: my left-flank IW tends to stop then turn onto his right foot and cross. I am going to try using a tactic with a left-side IF to see how they behave there.

[Valleyg]

On 11/12/2021 at 21:02, Fieldsy said:

I wonder whether having a winger with cuts in trait would make a difference and see more inverted play than currently?

I play an inverted winger on the left side and the 2 players I mostly use there are right footed and have been trained to dribble down the right hand side of the pitch.....my left wing back overlaps, and I have a very narrow tactic. I don't know if it's the reason why, but I do see the inverted wingers cutting in from the left, including some dribbling....maybe its worth training  the players you use in inverted positions to dribble down the opposite side of the pitch? See if it makes a difference?

[akinozcan]

I don't know why, but as far as I've watched the matches, I think Leon Bailey is the best player that acts like a if/iw. Maybe a reasonable result can come out if her and other players' features are compared.
 

[kingjericho]

The easiest workaround is to have players with opposite foot and then the role set as Winger. They naturally favour their best foot which results in them cutting inside very often, instead of dribbling to the byline to cross.

I play a classic 442 with wingers and when I use opposite footed players they naturally act as inverted wingers.

[LolloViola]

I play with a wide 4-3-3 and any IW/IF I use is constantly getting the worst rating, even if we win 5-0. Whole team above 7.0 and he gets 6.2/6.3.

[fc.cadoni]

27 minutes ago, LolloViola said:

I play with a wide 4-3-3 and any IW/IF I use is constantly getting the worst rating, even if we win 5-0. Whole team above 7.0 and he gets 6.2/6.3.

I don't mind rating so much; but changing from IW/IF to W I see my players getting above 7. Seems like this year is not the IW/IF year.

[suncrush]

Weird, because Gabriel Martinelli is my goat playing as an IF on the right.  He's outscoring Haaland.

[akinozcan]

39 dakika önce, suncrush said:

Weird, because Gabriel Martinelli is my goat playing as an IF on the right.  He's outscoring Haaland.

Is he cutting inside with ball? 

[suncrush]

5 hours ago, akinozcan said:

Is he cutting inside with ball? 

Yes. 

[bluehefner]

On 11/12/2021 at 20:51, kepz said:

I know a lot of people are upset about this bug, but I honestly haven't been experiencing it in the way others have. 

Here's a screenshot of the player I signed specifically to play at IW-A on my team's left side followed by this season stats and attributes (images 1, 2, 3). 

And another screenshot of the times my other wing played on the left side in that role. 

And finally, my tactic.

As you can see, the results are pretty good: five total and five assists apiece from National League North-levels of talent, not bad production from a bugged position!

I watch matches with extended highlights on and the IW passes the eye-test for me *personally* since they run off the ball into the space created by my TF or occupy opposing CBs, freeing space for my mez, winger, or TF to exploit. 

I've won 4 Champions Leagues in a row playing nothing but IF's and IW's, but the issue isn't that players in those roles don't perform it's that they aren't behaving how they should.

[Trugdish]

13 hours ago, suncrush said:

Yes. 

How are you doing that? My inside forwards will just run to the byline and then check back despite having cuts inside and dribble through centre ppms

[david_kax]

IF / IW do not dribble and very rarely cut inside with the ball. I have tried everything and you can have good luck and find a match where they cut inside 2/3 times, some gamers with that already say that the role works great and there are no bugs...

Let's face it, as long as SI Games is unwilling or unable to fix the bug and get the IFs to prioritize dribbling and running towards the goal and not the pass, it will still be sad to see Mbappė, Vinicius or Salah scared without dribbling or cuts inside with ball.

This ME has many good things, but other disastrous ones like the IW / IF with the ball, the lack of dribbling (whatever the statistics say) and the general cowardice of attackers not to face their defenders towards goal.

 

Solution? FM21

Edited December 15, 2021 by david_kax

[kepz]

9 hours ago, bluehefner said:

they aren't behaving how they should.

To a degree, sure, but like I said I am still seeing them making darting runs off the ball, stop, turn to their favored foot to dribble or cross all the while getting decent performances out of them despite them not being 100% perfect.

I just want to me the dissenting voice to the chicken littles on this forum that come here to do nothing but rage and complain that this game is trash/ruined/bugged whatever. No, they aren't perfect, but the players still produce and if you understand how to observe and make adjustments accordingly, you'll be fine.  

[butdoeshetrackback]

Personally I think IFs work great in FM22. I use natural wingers (right footer on the right, left footer on the left) with the IF (S) role. They will make diagonal runs in behind the defense to get on the end of a through ball (like the graphical representation of their movement shows on the tactics screen) and will attempt to beat their man in 1v1 situations. I can’t speak much to how IWs work cutting inside with the ball this ME but it’s not all bad. 

[Paulfitz]

After 8 seasons I am finding the issue is mainly to do with the left sided IW/IF.

 

I have had Mane, Mbappe and most recently Mussiala and all of them have had poor average ratings and poor returns on goals and assists compared to the right sided players.

I’ve had good youth products and wonderkids with CA of barely 130 constantly scoring and assisting more from the right.

Edited January 21, 2022 by Paulfitz

[Bakiano]

I was struggling a lot with that and had only one solution. To play without wingers.  

 

Not helpful, but it is what it is.  

[dabest]

play RM/LM wide midielder (A) with sit narrower / cut inside and ppms of cut inside / move ball to * foot before dribbling / avoids use of weaker foot

works great for me