I've just watched two seasons of football on full match,and it's worse that I thought

This is not a moan. I am as bigger fan as anyone of FM. I have tried to convince myself that it is me that can't get realistic passing accuracy, consistent tactics that keep possession a lot. But unfortunately it isn't, or at least, if it is possible to the extent of how Barcelona have done it, it certainly isn't easy enough to get the team to play how you want. I have tried EVERYTHING, and had some success but very very very little, then you play a good team, and you egt ripped to shreds, your passing accuracy goes into the 60's when i have it on retain possession pass to feet and eveyone's passing on 0!? Players do stupid things like head it out under no pressure: defenders oof it despite me having it on passing 0 and creative freedom 0 and limited defender!? The main problem though, is that you can't get the players to do what you ANYWHERE NEAR AS YOU COULD IRL. Say. for example, I wanted a player to go to the ball all the time, or a winger to go to the wing when we have the ball but come inside when we don't, want a player to play inbetween a winger and a centre midfieder, wanted a player to make runs in behind the defence but still play as a winger. The simple answer is the positions on the board are not flexible enough and you cannot get your side to do what you want. Another example, irl, temas play from the back, but still push up massively, no chance on fm! Your players oush 40 yards out when the keeper has the ball! You simply cannot get players and the team to do what you want them to do. You watch a match, and it's like watching the same over and over, the full backs get the ball about 985 times during a game, it's ridiculus nthing like irl at all. Even when I watch other sides, this is when it hit home. No team got above 80% passing in any game!? Barcelona coming knowhre near what they do irl, no team keeps possession because basically it isn't possible and you can't get the players to do what you want. Teams passing accuracy at the highest level not getting above 75%, absolutely absurd. The incapability of even the AI to do what they're meant to as irl or any team whatsoever to get realistic pa's and possession whilst still creating just proves how impossible it is to cinsitently play football like Barca or at least get a good pa. Even if I did Barca in no detail, i should be getting 65% possion 85% passing against average teams eaaaaaaaaaasily, but no. Anothe contributing factor is player intelligence, hoofing it clear whereas irl they'd hold the player off, and play it, especially when defending this is a probelm. If under pressure they never get the ball and play out from the back, they will hoof it, no intelligence or listenining to what i've said, jst hoof it out instead of passing it out as irl.Bottom line, fm need to add feautures to make it easier to get what you want from the team, think of every single thing that is implemented irl. The main thing is 'total football', just not possible as easily or consistently as it should be. The match engine needs to be improved hugely. If i want to emulate barca on the game is should be able to, yet it is widely known tht that is not possible!! Options like play from the back and genreally miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiles more depth to allow EXACTLY what you want from a player. Before anyone says anything i'd like to stress i have tried to convince myself it is just me but it isn't , i have searched the net and everyone says the same. I want the game to be good as much as anyone, but the tactics and ME, w/e makes it so so so hard to get what you want from players, needs to be imprved. Thank you

Not much point in reading that big chunk of text. Maybe split it into some paragraphs?

Paragraphing is for losers.

JLuck15, even though I read your post and probably others will, I am also sure you get far more people reading it if you split it up into paragraphs.

Anyway there is a thread on FMBritain (maybe there is one here as well) with a discussion on how to play like Barcelona. I don't know if I can post the link here so I can pm you with it, if you want it.

Paragraphing is for losers.

While I completely disagree with that view I do have a couple of ideas.

If you set your passing and creative freedom as low as they will go then you will see players hitting long balls quite frequently. The reason for this is that if you tell them to only make really short passes then they will only look for players who are very close to them, and if there is no player very close then they will often end up under a lot of pressure because they are holding onto the ball waiting for a player to get close enough to pass to, and if they wait too long then they will hit a long ball or a poor pass because they couldn't find a short pass.

If you tell them to play a very short passing style then you are better off giving them more creative freedom, as this will allow them to look beyond the very small area around them.

Paragraphs are your friend

Anyway I just want to pick out some of your faults.

your passing accuracy goes into the 60's when i have it on retain possession pass to feet and eveyone's passing on 0!? Players do stupid things like head it out under no pressure: defenders oof it despite me having it on passing 0 and creative freedom 0 and limited defender!?

By putting passing on 0 you are only giving the players a very small passing range and if there are no teammates within that range they are forced to clear the ball.

A limited defender role is the total opposite of what you want in your tactic. A limited defender is one with low technical ability who primary objective is to win the ball and clear it upfield.

The main problem though, is that you can't get the players to do what you ANYWHERE NEAR AS YOU COULD IRL. Say. for example, I wanted a player to go to the ball all the time, or a winger to go to the wing when we have the ball but come inside when we don't, want a player to play inbetween a winger and a centre midfieder, wanted a player to make runs in behind the defence but still play as a winger. The simple answer is the positions on the board are not flexible enough and you cannot get your side to do what you want.

Its not easy but can be achieved with the right players.

PPMs & role make a difference but players seem to have a particular natural way of playing and you need to work out how to use them best.

In terms of splitting the vertical axis into five rather than three it would be useful and there was a thread opened today on the subject.

Another example, irl, temas play from the back, but still push up massively, no chance on fm! Your players oush 40 yards out when the keeper has the ball! You simply cannot get players and the team to do what you want them to do. You watch a match, and it's like watching the same over and over, the full backs get the ball about 985 times during a game, it's ridiculus nthing like irl at all. Even when I watch other sides, this is when it hit home. No team got above 80% passing in any game!? Barcelona coming knowhre near what they do irl, no team keeps possession because basically it isn't possible and you can't get the players to do what you want. Teams passing accuracy at the highest level not getting above 75%, absolutely absurd. The incapability of even the AI to do what they're meant to as irl or any team whatsoever to get realistic pa's and possession whilst still creating just proves how impossible it is to cinsitently play football like Barca or at least get a good pa. Even if I did Barca in no detail, i should be getting 65% possion 85% passing against average teams eaaaaaaaaaasily, but no.

You can't really compare FM against Barcelona in RL as they are very much an exception currently.

For the record though I had 79% pass completion in the last game and that wasn't with a top team while I was playing only slightly worse opposition.

Its worth pointing out though the more attacking you play the lower you would expect your pass completion % to be.

Anothe contributing factor is player intelligence, hoofing it clear whereas irl they'd hold the player off, and play it, especially when defending this is a probelm. If under pressure they never get the ball and play out from the back, they will hoof it, no intelligence or listenining to what i've said, jst hoof it out instead of passing it out as irl.

This is all down to the orders you have given them.

Low mentality and the lack of a pass available within the range you've given them being the main cause.

Its quite clear from the earlier part of your post you have a poor grasp of tactics and the way to apply them.

I suggest you read the TT&F guide.

Cougar and Mackem, they wer just some examples, I have tried EVERYTHING, and had some success, but never consistent. I do not have a limited grasp for the final time, I have just tried everything to see, and i was giving some examples! I actually have never played with a limited defender that was measnt to be central. With Spain i beat Macedonia 2-0 when they whad 11 men back, with possession 78% and passing accuracy 91%, which i was pleased with considering we created loads aswell, exactly the same next match, and only 60% possession something like that, this shows i do grasp the tactics, i'm just saying that it is not consistent enough. The AI teams are so far away from irl, the passing accuracy and possession in some matches is laughable, I watched Barca from 10 games, never ONCE did they get above 80% or 60% possession, irl they will do that every game. This was the same with many other top teams, ridiculus tbh. Regarding fm britain, I have read that and it actually says that you cannot emulate them properly due to,'limits in te match engine'.

I am delighted to say that i take it back. After starting from scratch again I seem to have (so far) found something that works.

Would be easier to read in a few paragraphs.

Pleeeease. Use the enter button. Works a treat for readibility.

Can't be bothered to force myself through this pile of letters.

Pleeeease. Use the enter button. Works a treat for readibility.

Can't be bothered to force myself through this pile of letters.

This, most people haven't got the patience to sit and read through something like that.

I'd happily comment but there is no way I'm reading that OP.

Dude, use edit and put some paragraphs in.

Well done to anyone who has read that.

I am delighted to say that i take it back. After starting from scratch again I seem to have (so far) found something that works.

Care to elaborate?

if you have a narrow formation, but have wingers hug touchline works so that they push wide with ball and come inside without it (i think)

Controversial view this perhaps, but it's a computer game! If you want real life football watch the TV.