Something irks about man marking

I don't know if this issue has popped up yet, but since I just conceided a goal due to it, I have to bring it up:

Ever noticed that whenever your opponent changes formation, the options for your man marking stay the way they are? Let's assume you assigned your left back to mark the opponent's AMR.

Everything goes pretty well. It's a nill nill draw up to the last ten minutes of the match. In a stroke of genius the opposing manager decides to pull his AMR in the centre position and to bring on another player to put him in the role of the AMR. You then watch the opposing team performing an attacking move. You see your right back getting dragged out of position while he's trying to cover his assigned player who's now playing centre. You watch the new AMR break through your defense because of it and presto, it's one nill down in the 90th minute.

Happened to me.

Now this isn't so much an issue if you're watching the full match, maybe. There's still time to react accordingly. But how about if you're sticking to highlights with the clock ticking down at a much faster pace? I haven't got a clue. What about you?

I don't know if this issue has popped up yet, but since I just conceided a goal due to it, I have to bring it up:

Ever noticed that whenever your opponent changes formation, the options for your man marking stay the way they are? Let's assume you assigned your left back to mark the opponent's AMR.

Everything goes pretty well. It's a nill nill draw up to the last ten minutes of the match. In a stroke of genius the opposing manager decides to pull his AMR in the centre position and to bring on another player to put him in the role of the AMR. You then watch the opposing team performing an attacking move. You see your right back getting dragged out of position while he's trying to cover his assigned player who's now playing centre. You watch the new AMR break through your defense because of it and presto, it's one nill down in the 90th minute.

Happened to me.

Now this isn't so much an issue if you're watching the full match, maybe. There's still time to react accordingly. But how about if you're sticking to highlights with the clock ticking down at a much faster pace? I haven't got a clue. What about you?

Editing functions would be an ace feature to be had on this board, btw.

Yes indeed. Man-marking is a key ingredient in my game-plan, which is why during the match I default to the formations screen rather than play rating screen when the AI leaves the pitch screen. i then immediately hit the pause button and re-group. Sometimes the change doesn't take effect until after they've scored

Defo needs sorting!

That pretty much sucks. But then, there's always the option for zonal marking. Last resort? :/

When I select man-marking I do it only in the team instructions page and find this works fine. That way the team is instructed to man-mark and marks the player correlating with their position. Or thats how I see it as its never been a problem.

The only time i ever specifically instruct a payer to mark another player is if it is a danger man, for example someone like totti. I then have two players man-mark him and keep him out the game

I rarely man-mark, but when I do it's generally a striker, so my CBs are usually ok. I've found man-marking Adebayor is a good way of keeping his goal scoring to one per game against me, having been frustrated by his repeated hattricks. I always need a DMC though, with a farrow to the DC position.

Do two things:

1 - Do as suggested by nojabold and set man marking for the team.

2 - Set opposition instructions for tight marking, closing down and mixed tackling on specific, dangerous strikers. This way your defenders don't get dragged around the pitch.

I usually find using this method that defenders with decent marking stats etc. mark even the best opponents out of the game, and they consequently get subbed.

Whatever happens, when using man marking you have to be on the ball and watch out for any changes to the opposition – when new players come on, you have to set opposition instructions for them if they're dangerous.

I don't think it's a bug in the game; it's part of the balance of tactics.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by nojabold:

When I select man-marking I do it only in the team instructions page and find this works fine. That way the team is instructed to man-mark and marks the player correlating with their position. Or thats how I see it as its never been a problem.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's what I do as well, but in cases I don't anomalies like these are likely to occur.. E.g. I would often pick a defender for a striker each, so that only this defender and this defender alone marks the striker for the entirety of a game. In any case, this is a pretty bad thing to happen if you ask me. FM players are sometimes a bit like Lemmings from the chaps at DMA. You have to give them instructions for the most simplest of things save for running - and even then they would follow your instructions them even if they would lead to major hurt.

Don't get me wrong though. Technically this is just a major tactical mistake that could happen in RL footie as well. Wrong marking. It's just that the game doesn't give you an opportunity to react in time (especially if you're sticking to highlights only, extended or no) that may be lacking. Highlights mode and specific marking don't gel very well together.

If that's an issue that needs to be fixed at all is all up to SI though. After all, they're trying to simulate footie, and as such, maybe they want you to be that dedicated to the game at any point of a game.

Why can't you just say "man-mark whoever is playing right wing"?