Quick question about jumping/height/heading

I know that height in the game is incorporated into the jumping stat, but I'm curious about something.

If a ball is played in at head height for a 6'2 player who actually can't jump particularly high, and the same ball in exactly the same situation to a shorter player with a great leap(such as Cahill, just an example though), assuming they both actually are able to reach the ball, does the fact that one player had to jump for the ball affect anything? I mean if a player is stable and has his feet on the ground, he's going to be able to direct a header better than someone who has had to jump for it surely(Assuming they're both as good at headers as each other normally). So does the game take that into account or not?

Just curious, hope someone can shed some light on this. Cheers.

I don't think anyone outside of the programmers themselves are likely to be able to answer your question. However, from my understanding, jumping is the sole attribute taken into consideration, regardless of height.

For example, and these numbers are totally made up, you may say someone with jumping of 1 may head balls at the 5'8" level, while jumping of 8 allows one to reach balls at the 6'6" level, and jumping of 20 will allow someone to reach balls at the 8' level. Someone that is 6'6" with jumping of 8 cannot reach balls higher than 6'6", as if he wasn't jumping at all. At the same time, he cannot possibly have a jumping attribute of lower than 8, as that is his standing height. Someone 5'8" may have 1-20, and if he has jumping 8, he is considered equal as the guy that is 6'6" with jumping 8. Reaching a ball that is at the 8' level will only be possible by someone with a jumping attribute of 20, regardless of height.

The quality of headers is determined by the heading attribute (and probably some mental stats and such), but is definitely not dependent on whether the guy is standing on jumping, because someone is always assumed to be jumping for the ball, as my analogy to the jumping of 8 has alluded to.

Just looked on 10.3, Peter Crouch has Jumping 18 and Heading 17. As Peter Crouch should have a jumping of about 5, as he actually gets shorter when he jumps, I would say the explanation by Sergiu21 makes a lot of sense.

It's pretty poor from a stat point of view IMO, but if it works, it works, and I'm happy with that.

It's pretty poor from a stat point of view IMO

Not really, 20 beats 19. Simple, uncomplicated, easy to code, easy to spot, easy to judge, easy to plan.

If SI removed height from the game no one would ever have these discussions.

I know that height in the game is incorporated into the jumping stat, but I'm curious about something.

If a ball is played in at head height for a 6'2 player who actually can't jump particularly high, and the same ball in exactly the same situation to a shorter player with a great leap(such as Cahill, just an example though), assuming they both actually are able to reach the ball, does the fact that one player had to jump for the ball affect anything? I mean if a player is stable and has his feet on the ground, he's going to be able to direct a header better than someone who has had to jump for it surely(Assuming they're both as good at headers as each other normally). So does the game take that into account or not?

Just curious, hope someone can shed some light on this. Cheers.

As I understand it from reading a couple of PaulC's posts:

A) As you know height is already included in the jumping stat.

B) When a player makes an attempt to win an aerial ball he makes a decision to either jump or not - If he jumps then jumping is used, if not height is used.

C) Those along with other attributes decides who wins the ball.

D) Once decided who wins the ball heading takes over to determine accuracy with maybe other attributes having a lesser affect.

If he jumps then jumping is used, if not height is used.

Very interesting. I didn't know that.

Very interesting. I didn't know that.

It changed for FM09 or more likely FM10.

I can't remember which but Paul did post up during a couple of discussions that height makes a difference now within the ME.

But of course other attributes are important, like bravery and anticipation mainly, and possibly strength, determination, aggression. Form/motivation is all important too.

For example, My Arsenal team were playing Birmingham. Birmingham crossed a ball into the box, and the commentary said, "Vermaelen beats Zigic in the air and heads the ball to safety..."

Now obviously Zigic is much taller than Vermaelen (6'8" vs. 6'0"), and Zigic has a better "jumping" attribute (20 vs. 15 iirc), but Vermaelen won the ball because of other factors (anticipation, bravery, form/morale/motivation etc.)