Balls over the top...

I need some advice.

I keep losing goals via long balls over the top of my defence. It doesn't matter which team I'm playing; it happens. Over 50% of the goals I concede are this. In my last friendly I lost two goals to Tresor Kandol beating my defence and running on to beat the keeper. It never happens as easy for me, but that's another matter.

I play with a variety of formations, changing to what I feel I need for match, but it's always the same.

I've tried setting my defence to deep but then I get told there is too much space between defence and midfield (of course I get told in every game that my midfield and attack are too far apart).

Is this a problem that not just I am facing? It's starting to bug me.

I need some advice.

I keep losing goals via long balls over the top of my defence. It doesn't matter which team I'm playing; it happens. Over 50% of the goals I concede are this. In my last friendly I lost two goals to Tresor Kandol beating my defence and running on to beat the keeper. It never happens as easy for me, but that's another matter.

I play with a variety of formations, changing to what I feel I need for match, but it's always the same.

I've tried setting my defence to deep but then I get told there is too much space between defence and midfield (of course I get told in every game that my midfield and attack are too far apart).

Is this a problem that not just I am facing? It's starting to bug me.

I'm sure i heard that this was a bit of an issue and wass going to be toned down in the next patch.

Although, if your DC's are very slow and your up against pacey strikers with your defensive line pushed forward, this could also be a problem?

To stop the gaps you need to have your players on closer mentalities.

I'm sure i heard that this was a bit of an issue and wass going to be toned down in the next patch.

Although, if your DC's are very slow and your up against pacey strikers with your defensive line pushed forward, this could also be a problem?

To stop the gaps you need to have your players on closer mentalities.

You mean tight marking and man marking?

Tight marking isn't something I make use of regularly so it may be a way forward. Thanks.

I have to say I definitely don't have the fastest backline in the world. Could be accentuating my problems, so deep may be the way forward for me.

Play narrower so that your back line is more compact, and instead of playing a deeper back line only change the attributes for all your players so that their mentality is down by about 3 notches.

I was having this problem and taking everyone back a few notches made us sit deeper (and a nice side effect was more possession).

You mean tight marking and man marking?

Tight marking isn't something I make use of regularly so it may be a way forward. Thanks.

I have to say I definitely don't have the fastest backline in the world. Could be accentuating my problems, so deep may be the way forward for me.

I actually meant the gaps between defence/midfield/attack that your Ass man mentions

it's annoying me too!

got a miserly back-four with Wrexham in the BSQP - joint with the divisional leaders Torquay on 6 goals conceded.

I'm certain 3 of those goals were keepers punting the ball long over the head of my DMC, and between my 2 DCs, for the striker to run on to....

i'm thinking it's a "magic bullet", like wot done for old JFK in the '60s!

always play with a DMC (has to have good jumping/heading for me, as I like to drop them back with a back-arrow), to sort out the long ball over the top - doesn't do any good any more as far as I can see!

think it is to do with playing a "high-line" or "pushed-up" with "wide" style of play - more space between/behind your back four, more space for the keeper to punt the ball in to!

will eventually get it tweaked close to bearable, I expect!

I concede alot of the following goals

1. ball over the top

2. freekick/corner/longthrow

3. crazy dribblers running into space you dont expect them to be able to reach.

I actually meant the gaps between defence/midfield/attack that your Ass man mentions

With the help of someones post in General, I now know what you mean.

Setting defenders to 5 notches and a holding MF to 8 notches on mentality, for example. That assigns the gap.

I thought I had it all nicely set up but I'll have to take a good look over my formations. I did notice the MF to strikers gap close up when I put in an attacking MFer.

I do like how FM is much more tactical this year. Or at least it seems to be.