Time wasting

Is there an effective way of time wasting on this game? I'm, 3-2 up on aggregate against Arsenal in the CL, they need the away goal to go through and its the 85th minute, I set my tactic to often time wasting. I get a counter going in the 85th minute, my winger aimlessly smashes it accross the box which the keeper collects and they go up and score from it. I wanted him to run it into the corner and keep it there. Is there away to do this?

Did you drop the players creative freedom?

Change your strategy to 'contain' and your players will adopt a more time-wastey style of play, such as holding up the ball, running into corners, passing backwards and retaining possession, etc.

Change your strategy to 'contain' and your players will adopt a more time-wastey style of play, such as holding up the ball, running into corners, passing backwards and retaining possession, etc.

I've only used the 'contain' strategy once and it worked pretty well, I was playing Chelsea away and scored inside the first 10 mins, they battered me for the entire first half and equalised, more of the same in the second half but couldn't get that second goal, so I switched to contain and it worked pretty well. I don't like the idea of using it for long periods of the match tho, I prefer attacking strategies - I kinda think anything too defensive invites too much opposition pressure.

I use classic but what I have noticed is that a few people, me included, sometimes tried to shut up shop with the counter attack ticked in an effort understandably to catch teams on the break. The problem is in FM that seems to mean most players bomb forward and if you lose possession and it can prove costly. Now I revert to a 4-2-3-1 with counter off and it works well as the two DM's cover the defence well but at the same time you still can attack and players will join but won't all bomb forward aimlessly. So IMO don't use counter attack.

I find 'Contain' and the shout Retain Possession usually does the trick, although it's not good for one's nerves at times...

I've only used the 'contain' strategy once and it worked pretty well, I was playing Chelsea away and scored inside the first 10 mins, they battered me for the entire first half and equalised, more of the same in the second half but couldn't get that second goal, so I switched to contain and it worked pretty well. I don't like the idea of using it for long periods of the match tho, I prefer attacking strategies - I kinda think anything too defensive invites too much opposition pressure.

I only ever use it from about 85 minutes on and only if hanging onto a one-goal lead. At any other time I find it just invites the opposition to have a go and prefer to use counter.

I forgot to change the creative freedom. Thanks for the response, straight after the game my two centre halfs want to leave the club for a bigger challenge. Selling them both to Man City so they can rot in the reserves!

I find 'Contain' and the shout Retain Possession usually does the trick, although it's not good for one's nerves at times...

Thats my usual tactic, Contain/retain possesion/ clear ball to flanks. ALthough not untill the last 10min at the most

i go to control and retain possesion. then go and score 2 or 3 goals i the last 10 minutes instead O.o