Direct Passing = Long Passes?

In the previous version of FM, the options for passing were 'Short' and 'Long" - in this game the only options are 'Direct' and..something else, I think it's 'Shorter'. Anyway, my question is, are Direct passes and long passes the same thing? Because I'd like my team to play a direct, sharp style of football, but I absolutely despise long balls.

yeah.... i got the same problem too.... choosing Direct passing for my tactic and all i see are my players pumping long ball up....

Benjamin,

I think what you want for a "Direct, Sharp Style of Football", You want Short Passing with a Fast Tempo.

Direct Passing + Fast Tempo = Pump ball up as quick and often as possible

Direct Passing + Slow Tempo = Work ball around for a while until you see an opening and then pump it forwaerd

Short Passing + Fast Tempo = Quickly move the ball up the pitch while keeping it on the ground.

Short Passing + Slow Tempo = Gradually and patiently build up the attack.

Benjamin,

I think what you want for a "Direct, Sharp Style of Football", You want Short Passing with a Fast Tempo.

Direct Passing + Fast Tempo = Pump ball up as quick and often as possible

Direct Passing + Slow Tempo = Work ball around for a while until you see an opening and then pump it forwaerd

Short Passing + Fast Tempo = Quickly move the ball up the pitch while keeping it on the ground.

Short Passing + Slow Tempo = Gradually and patiently build up the attack.

i second this i wantd to play a similar style the op and after a bit of tinkering, found this to be the best way to do it.

I don't find that direct passing equals long ball, rather they just look to move the ball forward more, playing a more penetrative style of football than patient.

The key in my opinion is to give your attacking players direct passing so that they play forward passes in the oppositions half to cut them open, but don't give your defensive players direct passing else they'll just look to hoof it up field from deep positions.

Thanks to both Death and Josh, although their advice is slightly contradictory.

Josh, I'll try what you said - although I can't imagine how playing a fast tempo game = sharp passes forward on the ground.

Death, if direct passing doesn't equal long balls - then where has that option from FM09 gone? It seems like it might just be another one of the 'new names' for tactical options from 09.

To access "long passing", you need to use shouts as well as the adjustment.

There has always been a distinction between direct and long. Direct is "get the ball forward", long is "just smash it".

You may wish to revert to Classic. This will let you use the old way of setting up the sliders. To achieve certain things, you won't need to wait until a match.

I always take direct passing to mean the quickest route to the goal which may be a hoof up the pitch or spray across the park rather than lots of short simple passes.

direct passing is the anti-football. it merely means "skip our creative midfielders and their creativity" and shoot the ball passed midfield to the striker(s) on the other end. it also limits ball posession.

the only scenario i would recommend such a tactic is:

- you have good passers and fast strikers against slow defenders in a long pitch

- you are playing against a team that plays a fluid or very fluid philosophy and they are sending their men forward; thus using direct passing as a counter attack option.

No conclusive answer on this it seems. Some think direct passing = long balls. Others simply think direct passing = more direct passes. Apparently short passing can also mean fast, direct passing as well...

No conclusive answer on this it seems. Some think direct passing = long balls. Others simply think direct passing = more direct passes. Apparently short passing can also mean fast, direct passing as well...

It's quite obvious, isn't it? Long passing is long passing, direct passing is direct passing.

It's quite obvious, isn't it? Long passing is long passing, direct passing is direct passing.

Not very helpful though as what the OP is asking is *how* to get long passes going if direct passing isn't it.

No conclusive answer on this it seems. Some think direct passing = long balls. Others simply think direct passing = more direct passes. Apparently short passing can also mean fast, direct passing as well...

Are you talking about "direct" as in the urgency with which one moves the football forward? Because that's not dictated on the passing slider.

Short passing can be "direct" in that sense - as in Arsenal on a flowing, speedy counter-attack, filled with short attacking passes, but not direct as in Route-one football, as supposedly played (according to Wenger) by Aston Villa and Stoke.

Note that if you put the team passing slider up to the max, it goes past "direct" and is described as "long"

Direct passing, sort of, means long passing. If you put your defenders on direct passing they'll often skip out your midfield and go direct to your attackers. Which is, I assume, what you want.

It is possible, however, to have midfielders with direct passing who don't hoof the ball long - they just have the freedom to spray the ball around the park ala Scholes, or any other deep-lying passing midfielder.

It's why direct passing works on counter attack.

Direct passing is long ball - there is no doubt about that. Anyone who thinks otherwise is deluding themselves.

It's quite obvious, isn't it? Long passing is long passing, direct passing is direct passing.

And is direct passing direct passes on the ground or in the air? How would I get my team to play a direct style without long balls?

Are you talking about "direct" as in the urgency with which one moves the football forward? Because that's not dictated on the passing slider.

Short passing can be "direct" in that sense - as in Arsenal on a flowing, speedy counter-attack, filled with short attacking passes, but not direct as in Route-one football, as supposedly played (according to Wenger) by Aston Villa and Stoke.

I'm talking about 'direct' in the sense that if there is a player 10 yards away, or a player who is open 30 yards forward, I wouldl ike the ball passed to him without the use of a long ball.

Note that if you put the team passing slider up to the max, it goes past "direct" and is described as "long"

Ah..okay, never noticed that. I guess that means that direct passing is in a sense, long passing.

In that case, how owuld one play a direct game without long passes? I don't want my team to just play short passes all the time, I want them to keep the ball on the ground but to quickly gain penetration by direct, sharp passes.

This is what I thought it was, and this is what I follow. It is how far you want them to pass the ball. If you have it set to short they will look for a short option, direct and they will normally try to pass to someone further up the pitch. So, yeah Direct = Long.

But also, if you have someone set to short passing and they are struggling to find anyone to pass 2 they will end up hoofing it up field aswell or getting caught in possesion by talking to long to find someone short to pass it to.

This is just 1 of many examples that things get confused because the interpretation of things between SI and the people who buy the game differ considerably. "none" teamtalk has different meanings to different people... "direct" means different things for different people.

Press conference answers of (around the lines of) "No i don't think the price tag will put pressure on the player to perform" which somehoe gets an "Unh" from the player because he wanted you to say that "you better live up to your price tag or i'm gonna cut your balls off"

many areas of this game are as confusing as hell

This is just 1 of many examples that things get confused because the interpretation of things between SI and the people who buy the game differ considerably. "none" teamtalk has different meanings to different people... "direct" means different things for different people.

Press conference answers of (around the lines of) "No i don't think the price tag will put pressure on the player to perform" which somehoe gets an "Unh" from the player because he wanted you to say that "you better live up to your price tag or i'm gonna cut your balls off"

many areas of this game are as confusing as hell

None of those areas are confusing.

The 'none' team talk is common sense - don't change anything.

'Direct' passing is long passsing so no confusion there either.

Press conferences - neutral answers won't upset your squad so you don't even have to think about that.

It's stupidly easy. There is absolutely no reason to get confused. It's actually a fault in the game that there is no challenge.

I think through balls also account for long balls.

Say you give your full backs the long ball often move, they will punt it up the field a whole lot more.

the "None" team talk means say nothing. It usually confuses the players because they don't know what you want from them.

the "None" team talk means say nothing. It usually confuses the players because they don't know what you want from them.

No, it doesn't.

It is well established that it the best option when the team plays well in the 1st half. If they are doing well then don't change anything (none).

If you are not happy then disappointing /expect more - I guarantee that this is the option to chose every time.

well 1 its quite clear many take direct as allowing players to make creative passes. if you look at the tactics creator in most cases more direct means more attacking.... so is it or isn't it long ball... some say it is long some say its not. None makes no sense... who cares if its the known concensus? Why is it called None? Its clearly confusing as hell to many. press conferences your argument is bad but its good in the way it shows that press conferences are pointless so i hope they remove them.

well 1 its quite clear many take direct as allowing players to make creative passes. if you look at the tactics creator in most cases more direct means more attacking.... so is it or isn't it long ball... some say it is long some say its not. None makes no sense... who cares if its the known concensus? Why is it called None? Its clearly confusing as hell to many. press conferences your argument is bad but its good in the way it shows that press conferences are pointless so i hope they remove them.

I agree that the game may seem confusing on the surface, but there are many players who have analyzed it very thoroughly, and if you read what they have to say in the tactics forums then you will see that you can play the game quite simply and hopefully appreciate the logic behind it.

According to the in game instructions "None" means ignore players.

I accidently in my last match forgot to team tak and just upset the whole team for not giving them enough credit. Even though I'm pretty sure I said congratulaions but when I check the team talk feedback out it said I said "none". so that could be a bug.

According to the in game instructions "None" means ignore players.

I accidently in my last match forgot to team tak and just upset the whole team for not giving them enough credit. Even though I'm pretty sure I said congratulaions but when I check the team talk feedback out it said I said "none". so that could be a bug.

Saying 'none' ie not giving a half time team talk is absolutely okay. They just carry on with what they did in the 1st half.

Forgetting to give a team talk at full time is pretty much always bad. Again, I would suggest keep it simple; if they win - tell them well done, and if they lose tell them you are disappointed. It really is that simple.

This is what I thought it was, and this is what I follow. It is how far you want them to pass the ball. If you have it set to short they will look for a short option, direct and they will normally try to pass to someone further up the pitch. So, yeah Direct = Long.

Direct= longer. Direct does not equal long, because otherwise direct=mixed=short, and therefore long=short.

And is direct passing direct passes on the ground or in the air? How would I get my team to play a direct style without long balls?

I'm talking about 'direct' in the sense that if there is a player 10 yards away, or a player who is open 30 yards forward, I wouldl ike the ball passed to him without the use of a long ball.

Ah..okay, never noticed that. I guess that means that direct passing is in a sense, long passing.

In that case, how owuld one play a direct game without long passes? I don't want my team to just play short passes all the time, I want them to keep the ball on the ground but to quickly gain penetration by direct, sharp passes.

You're describing what "direct passing" is. They won't necessarily keep it on the ground (even "short" doesn't mean that), but nearly every pass will be aimed at a human target, rather than an area.

Direct passing is passing directly to the player. Indirect/longball (though it needn't be) is passing into space.

This thread is five years old..

This thread is five years old..

If you awnt a quick attacking game with no long balls I would suggeset to use direct passing with "play out of defence" as a shout. If you apply a playmaker in midfield as well your team will tend to utilize the midfield as often as well. I`m no expert in the area though, as I prefer a methodical, slow passing game myself.

When You think about passing you must think in terms of transition. When you choose short passing that means - when you pass always look for the nearest player and safest option, thus slower and safer transition. Direct means,  you can skip the nearest player and aim for more forward passing to the further located player, thus faster transition.  Now, don't confuse tempo with this. Tempo is in my opinion just the speed of play. Imagine for example, how Man City starts it's games with slow tempo. Passing without decisiveness aiming just to come near the opposition's half. And now imagine Liverpool when they win the ball from their opponents, they charge at their goal without slow short back-forward passes, only direct passing to their forwards. This is just my personal opinion. Hoped it helped.

27 minutes ago, rokkeo said:

When You think about passing you must think in terms of transition. When you choose short passing that means - when you pass always look for the nearest player and safest option, thus slower and safer transition. Direct means,  you can skip the nearest player and aim for more forward passing to the further located player, thus faster transition.  Now, don't confuse tempo with this. Tempo is in my opinion just the speed of play. Imagine for example, how Man City starts it's games with slow tempo. Passing without decisiveness aiming just to come near the opposition's half. And now imagine Liverpool when they win the ball from their opponents, they charge at their goal without slow short back-forward passes, only direct passing to their forwards. This is just my personal opinion. Hoped it helped.

4 years since last reply in this thread, and the thread was started in 2010 lol