Difference between long ball & direct?

What exactly is the difference here? Obviously long ball is whacking it up field, but what does direct do adjusting the slider all the way? Is it long ball but hitting it up field even more without hesitation so to speak or something on those lines?

Anyone? Lol.

long balls are exactly what it says long balls from defence to ur attack. direct balls are more direct for example keeper passing to ur defender, defender passing to a mid, mid passing to forward in quick succesion ideal for counter attacks. i think direct style tries to by pass spraying the ball around in defence and just aims to get the ball forward but keeping it on the ground. long balls are just long thumped balls from defence straight to forward.

Seems strange though if that's true, surely direct should be near the "short" option not far right after long ball? As it goes in order. I always play attacking short. Attractive fast passing. Surely that in itself is direct? Doesn't even explain in the manual.

hmmm not sure ud need to ask one of the SI developers. i also play short fast paced attacking football. but i go direct if im losing and its 2nd half. i think it cuts out passing the ball back to defenders and just takes more risks when attacking so may lose the ball more but have more chances of getting a shot.

The old definition in early CMs was that ong ball is just hoofing it up the pitch anywhere and hoping one of your players can get there. Maybe towards the keeper, maybe the corner flag. Direct is hoofing it upfield, but to a player or where a player should be soon rather than a vague part of the pitch.

So long balls are obviously random hopeful hoofs up the field, and direct is hitting forward as quickly as possible but to a team mate? Any official insight as well?

i would think its progressive.

the slider goes from --- Shortest -> Longest

so the highest amount of direct isn't much different from long ball.

direct means the goalie / defenders passing through midfield straight up the pitch

and you will need players forward for it to work

It's like Arsenal in real life play free, flowing attacking passing football which people call direct. But direct seems different in reality terms to FM?

There will be an answer somewhere in the T&T forum. Go in there and do a search, it may well wield accurate findings.

in real life if teams played "direct" football all the time i think it would be just a end to end game with both teams losing possesion alot. but i think when they say in real life direct i think it means when they decide to build an attack theyll make it direct and fast as oppose to a slow building attack.

For example FIFA game is more of a direct style of football ull notice players on that game always attack by passing forward all the time and its unrealistic to do it all the time. in real life just like in fm teams spray the ball around this is what is happenening behind the scenes when u see the clock going up fast and no highlight is been shown. But when a highlight is shown its showing an attack opportunity. one last thing if teams where constantly playing direct football all the time im pretty sure they would be very very tired from running back and forth all the time

Long balls. Think players who aimlesslly kick a ball up the field, like a Steven Gerrard, whilst a Direct ball is someone who plays a long ball up the field direct to one of his team mates, like David Beckham. To those upset Liverpool fans, I was thinking more of the England Gerrard than the Liverpool one.

Direct ball means more through ball, more balls to run on to, every ball is a forward ball as oppose to a side or back ball