Long balls.

One for the LLMs perhaps?

One thing I have noticed with this game is that long balls over yout head always catch you out. But these aren't tactical long balls, they are almost always hacked clearances from defence, or rushed kicks from a ;keeper under pressure.

Now this is annoying on several levels. First, defensive clearances rarely, if ever, fly that perfectly to drop just over the heads of your defence and be perfectly weighted for the opposition striker to run on to it. same with goalkeepers. Especially at lower levels, the only thought is to get the ball away, no way a League Two player could hit that perfect 70 yard ball, under pressure, time after time. These are central defenders, not David Beckham. Can we PLEASE have 99% of cleared balls from the penalty area going out for a throw as in real life.

This is happening for me as well as against me, but usually my long balls get headed clear, even though I'm playing a long ball game with a target man designed to run onto the ball. The opposition tactics are esentially exactly what mine should be doing.

Also, once again there are far too many cases of players standing with the ball at their feet for five or six seconds until they have t taken off them without a fight. this also usually results in a goal for the opposition.

Don't know what SI can do about the first problem (especially when my assistant mnager is constantly telling me that I have too much space between the defence and the midfield as it is) but surely there should be some form of 'man on' shout programmed in.

When a player is sitting on the ball doing nothing, instead of just giving the ball up and standing there, he should just hoof it anywhere. (Which will probably end up as a Beckhamesque, needle threading through-ball...)

This was a problem with previous editions as well BTW, both the long clearance resulting in a goal for the opposition and the midfielder standing stock still with the ball at his feet.

I've noticed players sitting on the ball as well, and believe I read it somewhere else as well so I'm hoping its already listed with the bugs. As far as long balls, counter attacking seems to be what gets my defense to get some good long balls going, perhaps too many as you said.

Played as Leeds. Beat Barnsley and Norwich in friendlies using long ball -- both teams higher than Leeds.

It's not that long ball works, it's the type of ball that I find unrealistic.

In a straight race between a striker and a 'keeper to reach the ball first, if the 'keeper gets there first, the clearance will usually set up an unmissable chance for the other side. I've no problem with a midfielde ror defender picking out a perfect run, but it's panicked, hacked clearances that I'm talking about. In real life 99 times out of 100, they go straight through to the 'keeper, out for a throw, straight up in the air, straight to the opposition defence. In the game it's far more often that they set up a perfect pass.

It's the ability that lower league defenders seem to have, to play passes that Brazillian international midfielders would be proud of, time and time again that I find annoying.

By the time the ball reaches my half of the pitch, the opposition striker is always five yards ahead of my defenders.

This is a known issue and is under review.

Good to hear.

Is the 'standing still' issue being looked at as well? All it needs is a programmed 'man on' shout, so players would get rid of the ball before being caught in posession some times.

Last night I had two players not moving for five game minutes with everyone else standing around watching!

Last night I had two players not moving for five game minutes with everyone else standing around watching!

If you could post that in the FM09 Bugs Forum, uploading the PKM and stating the times players are still that would be helpful. Cheers. It's a known issue but the more instances of it the better.

I've not got the PKM, sorry.

I've not been taking the demo game all that seriously (replaying games I've lost 7-0 or when I've let in a last econd goal, that sort of thing) etc, so after they sat not moving for that long, I quit out of the game.

I've been playing with Farsley and the long ball thing has been a constant issue for me too. Must be something to do with a lack of technical ability in the lower leagues or something. Be good if it gets irradicated.

Must be something to do with a lack of technical ability in the lower leagues or something.

Or maybe too much technical ability by the forward. I have noticed forwards running onto long balls and absolutely perfectly controlling the ball as it lands - they carry on moving with the ball at their feet with no bounce. In reality even the best players receiving a 60 yard long pass will have to check their stride then lose a bit of momentum as they control the ball - with a good chance of a poor first touch forcing them wide.

That's very true.

Any lower league player who brings that sort of ball down in one, would get a standing ovation for that alone.

Defenders being slightly quicker off the mark to realise that the ball is going WAY over their heads, combined with the possibility of strikers making a few mistakes in that situation (and added to having the clearance going anywhere but straight down the middle) and the problem would be gone.

You do occasionally get goals like that, but they are certainly usually the exception rather than the rule.

play the 5-0-5 formation with long balls!! works a treat