Help me score goals!

[pdmalcolm]

I don't want this to be a classic whinge about the match engine... Because that is the recourse of the tinfoil hat wearer. 

However, I have a real problem in my current save where we're creating loads of chances, some clear cut, and really not scoring enough. We consistently loop weak headers into the keeper's waiting arms, strike the post from one on ones, crash headers into the bar... I don't think I've seen us get to a rebound first in 3 years. Opposition keepers all seem to be direct descendents of Lev Yashin also. 

I recruit strikers on Finishing, First Touch, Composure, Pace and Strength... I'm comfortable that we're creating chances we're just not bloody scoring. I plotted this season's numbers because I was noticing a pattern and it takes us 9 shots on target to score on average. We rarely score more than one a game. 

So what am I doing wrong?

[Michael Sant]

There's different approaches and tactics obviously plays a huge part.

Two of the most important attributes for me though are anticipation & acceleration. 

Anticipation is in part a players speed of thought, the chance to see where a ball could spill loose, could drop, where a pass is going and Acceleration is the speed of movement. Pace can be great over longer distances, but Acceleration wins over 10 yards. 

[b2khn]

Think about flexibility and dynamic roles.

Dynamic Roles getting players into areas, that differ from their defending position, when your team is in possession.

Flexibility allows players to unlock those transitions, to move into areas, they tend to score from.

The game indicates how flexible your tactic is. Certain numbers of support roles are needed based on your team mentality.

Finaly it needs time to set up the move of a player in a dynamik role to set up a move. Patient build up play followed by a change of pace when the opportunity arises, are key to prepare chances.

[pdmalcolm]

6 minutes ago, Michael Sant said:

There's different approaches and tactics obviously plays a huge part.

Two of the most important attributes for me though are anticipation & acceleration. 

Anticipation is in part a players speed of thought, the chance to see where a ball could spill loose, could drop, where a pass is going and Acceleration is the speed of movement. Pace can be great over longer distances, but Acceleration wins over 10 yards. 

 

For reference, here are my 2 strikers. Escobar got 20 goals last season, but in the three year's I've been at Sampdoria, I've never had many scoring options.  Sala is the young up and comer, but he just cannot score. blasting things straight at the keeper, hitting the post of an open goal... etc. 

[Pasonen]

44 minutes ago, pdmalcolm said:

he just cannot score

unlearn shoot with power. that is making things worse.

[Prepper_Jack]

This might be better served in the tactics forum, really.

Not all "chances" really have a good chance of going in. A chance is really just a shot on goal from a certain position near to the goal. A good keeper will position themselves to minimize reasonably predictable shots. You could very well have a striker with great stats produce 5 clear cut chances a match, but fail to produce anything in terms of goals, because they've made a predictable shot in an inopportune moment.

Your players traits do matter here. One of your players here has "tries first time shots". On the surface this may appear to be good, because it can lead them to make shots before the defense has a chance to reposition themselves. Depending on your tactics, however, it could ultimately lead to a high degree of wasted opportunities, as it is quite similar to "shoot on sight" or "shoot more often". If your strikers are in a pairing that make high use of horizontal ball motion, it can work decently well. Otherwise, you are more or less ensuring your striker is taking a low quality shot. Your other striker has shoots from distance and shoots with power. These too can lead to wasteful shooting in many tactical setups.

Your player traits really need to be tailored to your tactic, or vice versa. Counter attack systems deal a lot with one on ones, and in those instances you want your players to round the keeper or lob the keeper. If you're playing a system where you work the ball into the box, you may want to give a striker duo the ability to play one on ones, and something like "places shots" that lends the player to be a bit more considered to when he strikes. I generally avoid giving strikers "tries long range shots", unless I have moved them back into an AM(C) or M(C) role in a tactic that lends itself to long range shots. Such a tactic can be very effective if you have a couple midfielders and advanced midfielders with excellent long range shooting, moving the ball around horizontally to find a space to fire through defenders into goal.

The other big factor in wasteful shooting is tempo, and you need to strike the appropriate balance. Higher tempos can generate more chances, but your strikers end up exerting themselves a lot in high pressure situations, tend to make worse decisions, and the shots will be of an inferior quality. If you have a low tempo, you do tend to get fewer chances, but being more patient and considered can pay dividends when a more calculated and precisely kicked ball heads towards the net. A players stamina, work rate, and other physicals do factor into this. One of your strikers is excellent for high tempo play.. and the other is not.

Edited December 31, 2021 by Prepper_Jack

[isignedupfornorealreason]

1 hour ago, pdmalcolm said:

Sala is the young up and comer, but he just cannot score.

His decision-making is shocking, so he's liable to make the wrong call with shot placement/power most likely.

But he's young, and that should be an area that he'll improve on.

 

Both your strikers look decent to me, I wouldn't pay much heed to those trying to blame the traits.

I would say, given how well rounded the players are, the issue is likely to be tactical and form.