The issue of being both footed

Ive searched in vain for a clear explanation of impact of two footedness and so am asking here

I currently have two strikers with very very similar stats, yet one is scoring a lot lot more then the other

The only difference i can see is that he is reasonable on his weak foot, where as the non scoring striker is very weak.

I didnt realise how much of a difference being two footed is?

Making me think, if the player looks worse in stats but is both footed, then he will actually play better for you? then then person with better stats but weak other foot

For a striker being two footed is a huge advantage that allows any space in the box to be a goalscoring chance. It doesn't matter which side the defender channels you down or which foot the ball lands at or which direction you turn because you can lash an accurate shot towards goal with any foot.

You may also notice that players that like to dribble benefit hugely from being able to use both feet and that the best dribblers in the game are all players that can use both feet. Players that can only use one foot are not even the same league as dribblers that can use both feet. A one footed dribbler can skin opponents by knocking the ball past them or cut inside with their strong foot but they cannot hold the ball up and dribble past 2-3 players in a mazy run. They cannot roll the ball from one foot to another and they cannot shimmy past opponents.

Where two footedness is most outrageously obvious in its potency is at Free-Kick. For a two footed player the wall is completely irrelevant and they can choose the best side to curl the ball around no matter where the free kick is. A two footed free kick expert of 14 will score more free kicks than a one footed free kick expert of 17.

My own tactics use Wingers that are one footed and always cut inside and two strikers that are two footed that can frankly score from any chance, pull off every move and play any pass. I choose this setup because my strikers are small and central and wingers incredibly clever and wide.

If you want a straight up answer then footedness is hugely important, but it depends on how you use your players.

My own tactics use Wingers that are one footed and always cut inside.

How on earth do you get your wingers to do that? I'm currently in the BSN and have very one footed wingers but all they do is charge down the outside.

yes how do you make them cut inside

im sure i have seen it somewhere before on the game thou. Somthing about cutting in not sure carnt really remember though

If they are Left Footed play them on the Right flank.

I follow SFraser's tactical ideas, but I have my wing-backs on player swap instructions. That way they spend half their time going down the wings and half their time cutting inside - much to the confusion of the oppo defenders.

[pasted from another thread]

Where two footedness is most outrageously obvious in its potency is at Free-Kick. For a two footed player the wall is completely irrelevant and they can choose the best side to curl the ball around no matter where the free kick is. A two footed free kick expert of 14 will score more free kicks than a one footed free kick expert of 17.

never seen that irl or even in fm. what a joke.. also never noticed Messi's game suffer becouse he's using his weak foot for walking only.

game developers rate footedness way too high.

Agreed with Mitja! Some players who are brilliant IRL are single footed but still do ok, take arjen robben or messi like you said.

If they are Left Footed play them on the Right flank.

that's so easily dealt with if the player is shown onto his weaker foot

never seen that irl or even in fm. what a joke.. also never noticed Messi's game suffer becouse he's using his weak foot for walking only.

game developers rate footedness way too high.

I'm not really interested in your whining, the original poster asked how two footed works ingame and I explained it to him.

If you wish to argue against how footedness works ingame then you are going to have to argue with this pkm. Everything I have said about footedness can be clearly seen in this match replay. Note especially how I actually use footedness to make my tactic function.

Enjoy.

Personally I dont think it makes as big of a difference as others seem to think. I have a completely right footed striker who scores just as many goals as his strike partner who has a decent left foot and a strong right foot. The completely right footed player also scores more goals than any other real two footed striker I have had.

There might be a small advantage but I havent noticed it at all. My AMR is completely right footed and scores lots of freekicks get 20 plus assists a season and averages more than any other two footed player I have had.

I do agree that having a right footed player on the left wing can results in cutting in and scoring goals but its not impossible for a left footed player to do this on the left wing.

It is entireally dependant upon how your players work within your tactics. One footed players are at a disadvantage in terms of the execution of a variety of options but not in the execution of options that apply to their strongest foot. If the majority of opportunities and options fall to a players strongest foot, or indeed he can craft opportunities and spot options for his strongest foot then he will be at no real disadvantage.

For example I have two strikers that are both small and regularly tight marked, therefore there is little point in my playing a completely left footed player on the left wing as all crosses and passes will put the ball infront of the player and the defender will win it. Therefore I play a left footed winger on the right so that all crosses and passes are into the space infront of the defence with the defender behind the player, so my two footed strikers can turn in either direction and have a good shot at goal with either foot. Likewise my Wingers themselves provide a dangerous goalscoring threat from shooting themselves, cutting in and shooting from range or operating as extra strikers with the left footed winger operating in the right hand side of the penalty box, where he has the range of the goal to shoot from. Thus no player is overly hindered by his favoured foot and have all options available to their strongest foot and function perfectly well.

Place him on the other flank and he might be perfect if I had Luca Toni upfront, but I do not and he would be entireally useless for my current team and my current formation. He certainly would provide absolutely zero goalscoring threat from inside or outside the box.

I was just looking through my Sunderland team which I have had the most success with and there is only one player who has decent for his other foot. Every other player in the whole squad is one footed, a bit strange really.

I have a right footed AMR who cuts in and scores around 20-25 goals a season if I played my right footed winger on the left do you think he could do even better?

I was just looking through my Sunderland team which I have had the most success with and there is only one player who has decent for his other foot. Every other player in the whole squad is one footed, a bit strange really.

I have a right footed AMR who cuts in and scores around 20-25 goals a season if I played my right footed winger on the left do you think he could do even better?

How are you defining 'cuts in'? Just asking as some people referred to the diagonal arrow as cutting in.

It's just I tested it to death and the probability of a right foot only player on the right wing dribbling inwards was relatively small so I find it hard to believe he is getting 20+ goals dribbling inside the FB and hitting shots.

More from

- sneaking in behind onto a through ball

- dribbling right to the goal around the FB easily because of the CB covering 'bug'

- end of crosses to far post unmarked

?

Not being antagonistic here, just honestly curious as to how this winger is scoring .

What is the CB covering bug?

I would say half his goals are freekicks and a few of them are through balls from the fullback. He cuts inside alot and scores at the near post or pulls the ball back to the striker running in. He is a phenominal player I am now wondering if he would score even more on the left.

I found an easy formula for calculating just how much foot preference affects technical stats, and comparing players to eachother more easily.

Right/Left Only - stats are what they are

Right/Left - add 1 to every stat that has something to do with foot technique (Corners, Crossing, Dribbling, Finishing, First Touch, Free Kick Taking, Long Shots, Passing, Penalty Taking, Tackling and Technique)

Either - add 2 to every stat that has something to do with foot technique (Corners, Crossing, Dribbling, Finishing, First Touch, Free Kick Taking, Long Shots, Passing, Penalty Taking, Tackling and Technique)

Doesn't sound all farfetched does it?

What is the CB covering bug?

I would say half his goals are freekicks and a few of them are through balls from the fullback. He cuts inside alot and scores at the near post or pulls the ball back to the striker running in. He is a phenominal player I am now wondering if he would score even more on the left.

I used quotes for bug as some don't see it as such. Basically CBs go to mark a striker instead of covering the FB or closing down a winger who is heading to goal after beating a FB. GK getting beat at near post too easily or lack of complexity in how they behave/move is another 'bug' (again subjective and with unrealistic expectations ).

With those issues in mind he'd probably score less as beating a FB on the inside the CB will usually react at some point or a defensive midfielder will track back to put in a tackle (might boost his assists with through balls for pacy striker?). Unless of course he is Messi-like in his attributes in which case he'll take on the whole team with ease, accelerating past flat footed defenders and curl it into the far post near the edge of the box .

Too slow to be Messi like but is still one hell of a player.

This CB covering bug makes me laugh surely this sort of thing is the thing that should be sorted out before the game is released.

I'm not really interested in your whining, the original poster asked how two footed works ingame and I explained it to him.

If you wish to argue against how footedness works ingame then you are going to have to argue with this pkm. Everything I have said about footedness can be clearly seen in this match replay. Note especially how I actually use footedness to make my tactic function.

Enjoy.

all I wanted to say is that there's no player who will take free kicks with both feet (Nedved maybe). show me real life example not pkm.

Im not sure what's wrong with whinging about one of the only things that worked perfectly well in this game and then being ruined?

You may also notice that players that like to dribble benefit hugely from being able to use both feet and that the best dribblers in the game are all players that can use both feet. Players that can only use one foot are not even the same league as dribblers that can use both feet. A one footed dribbler can skin opponents by knocking the ball past them or cut inside with their strong foot but they cannot hold the ball up and dribble past 2-3 players in a mazy run. They cannot roll the ball from one foot to another and they cannot shimmy past opponents.

If you mean in the game, I'd agree with you. Real life, no. The best dribbler of all time, a certain Argentine, was very left footed.

Mitja: maybe Ronaldo? Dave Kitson takes penalties with both feet. That's all I can think of.

AB: Isn't that guy as fast as Messi? I thought Messi was 14/14?

Messi is 18 and 17 on my game.

If you mean in the game, I'd agree with you. Real life, no. The best dribbler of all time, a certain Argentine, was very left footed.

Mitja: maybe Ronaldo? Dave Kitson takes penalties with both feet. That's all I can think of.

AB: Isn't that guy as fast as Messi? I thought Messi was 14/14?

I am not talking about the execution of specific moves, I am talking about the move options available. This is the fundamental point to consider with two footed players.

One footed players can be equally successful at certain dribble types or certain technical skills as two footed players but they do not have the same options available to them or certainly are nowhere near the same level of execution at those two footed dribbling moves.

For example, a two footed player can shift the ball from right foot to left foot quickly, beating a man and opening up a large angle for goalscoring. A one footed player trying that move will either mis-hit the shift from foot to foot or mis-hit the shot.