Crossing is useless

[Vami]

That's a provocative statement, I know, but hear me out.

 

Each player at each moment generally has 4 possible plays: dribble, pass, cross or shoot. If you look at success percentages, it is obvious that crossing and long shots are both the least optimal choices. Yes, you can get an occasional assist from a cross or a goal from a long-range effort. However, just like Frederic Bastiat said, it's important what you canNOT see. And that is the wasted chance of a different, alternative choice.

 

Real life also shows clearly that ball played to feet is the most efficient way of building up play. The evidence for it is of course the spread of tiki taka and its mutations across the world and the massive success it brought to teams like Barcelona and recently City.

 

If you want to play efficient and optimal football - you should limit crosses and long shots. The disadvantages and wasted chances outweigh the occasional points you win.

 

Whenever I create a new tactic, I set all individual instructions to "shoot less often", apart from the striker. Now I also started adding "cross less often" for everyone. And it works. Instead of mindlessly crossing with a conversion rate of 10-20%, my full backs prefer to send low diagonal passes with an 80% efficiency.

 

Try it yourself and keep the ball on the ground.

[Andrew Marines]

2 ore fa, Vami ha scritto:

That's a provocative statement, I know, but hear me out.

 

Each player at each moment generally has 4 possible plays: dribble, pass, cross or shoot. If you look at success percentages, it is obvious that crossing and long shots are both the least optimal choices. Yes, you can get an occasional assist from a cross or a goal from a long-range effort. However, just like Frederic Bastiat said, it's important what you canNOT see. And that is the wasted chance of a different, alternative choice.

 

Real life also shows clearly that ball played to feet is the most efficient way of building up play. The evidence for it is of course the spread of tiki taka and its mutations across the world and the massive success it brought to teams like Barcelona and recently City.

 

If you want to play efficient and optimal football - you should limit crosses and long shots. The disadvantages and wasted chances outweigh the occasional points you win.

 

Whenever I create a new tactic, I set all individual instructions to "shoot less often", apart from the striker. Now I also started adding "cross less often" for everyone. And it works. Instead of mindlessly crossing with a conversion rate of 10-20%, my full backs prefer to send low diagonal passes with an 80% efficiency.

 

Try it yourself and keep the ball on the ground.

It's not the crossing itself, it's the crossing by the byline. Cross from early is a good strategy event in IRL football cause the defense is moving backwards.

I do this too but watchout, the player on the flank gotta have a passing option close