Are we just following every other sports game now?

I really like my sports games, but there is a consistent complaint among them, the complete lack of good defense. I play EA american football games, and so many players complain about the inability to put a defensive 'scheme' into play and that there is little ability to truly play defense. It is now, for me at least, a part of football manager.

I wish it were my tactics, and I am happy to hear feedback, but it is the number of schoolboy errors and complete lack of logic by my defense that made me turn off the game. The number of times a kick from the opposition's keeper has bounced over my defender while he stands still and watches it, to the complete lack of defensive shape and working together to defend. That coupled with a defender's inability to simply clear the ball while it is bounced around in the penalty area just highlights what is for me the major failing in this game. I can build my attack decently enough, but I would say almost half the goals are either 25 yard plus screamers (I know, it is being looked at) or a calamity of errors on the defense that a Sunday league team does not do.

My midfielders have no idea how to work together to defend, more than one defender consistently chases an uncontested ball, and the complete lack of cover in the center of defense is appalling. Players reacting to the ball instead of the movement of the man, and running to try to cover something only to reconsider half way there and run back. 8 men all in my box covering 3 opposition players while their midfielder sits outside the box uncovered. (happens to me too)

The worst part is the scorlines are coming out appropriately, so it feels like a complete crapshoot every game. Its not like there are loads of errors and the score is 5-6 for each team. 2-0, 3-2, 0-0, 1-0 are consistent, meaning the game knows it has errors and compensates to still acheive realistic results rather than realistic simulation. It is just not good enough. Only about 1 in 3 or 4 goals feels like a development of play. Sorry SI, maybe next year.

I agree on your points but at the same time I think that this is the best simulation of real life sports and the development of AI just isn't there yet.

There are some problems when balls bounce of players and players think their team is in possession while in reality that lone striker is chasing it down...

There is more and I hope the match engine will evolve further, but yeah, it's often frustrating, especially if your little sister would know what the guy is supposed to do in a certain situation.

For me it is the complete lack of control when it comes to defense. With so many years of creating this game, the defensive tactical adjustments are still nonexistent. There is not even an attempt to improve this side of the game, and the only way to try to build a good defense is to buy good players and cross your fingers. This is completely opposite to the offensive side of the game where you can really play to your players' strengths and at least get some semblance of a team working together. With so many ideas going through this forum over the last few years, I had hoped SI would take a few and add something to the game in this area.

Instead, defense has just been mostly neglected, like most sports games have done. With the introduction of the 3d match, I expected better.