Can someone explain this to me?

It's happened yet again to me. I have a player sent off, so I go one up front (usually move my left striker with rare FR and rare RWB and HUB ticked).

I then go on to score at least one goal and have other great chances when a ball is played over the top for him to run onto.

Now I'm not complaining but :

1. Next game I try one up with 11 players with same instructions/player etc and he doesn't perform.

2. Running off the ball and with it when you haven't instructed it? It's not logical is it?

3. He never plays like that on the "left side" for the previous 80 minutes before the sending off?

I'm confused can anyone shed any light?

Thanks.

In relation to Forward Runs rarely: he's the only striker when you were down to 10 men so if one of your players kicks it long he is going to go after it regardless of settings.

Same applies to RWB rarely. You need to look at the when and where in relation to what you want him to do but you still have the black boxes that are creative freedom and general player decisions.

As for why he performs better when down to 10 men I haven't a clue. Pure speculation but maybe to do with AI settings. With you down to 10 men they probably went into attack mode

- committing the full backs forward

- playing a higher line

- possibly playing offside

All of which can make a long ball over the top to lone striker more effective. 4 clicks up or so of centre half mentality and defensive line will have an impact on the space between your striker (assuming his mentality stays fixed) and the CB at the moment a long ball over the top is hit. The smaller that gap the more likely the striker will get there first.

Add in that AI attack mode involves pressing higher up the pitch (increased closing down) => your CBs under pressure being more likely to punt it clear regardless of settings => more long balls for the striker to run onto.

As I said pure speculation (and not accounting for the 'difficulty' defenders can have with dealing with through balls).

It's happened yet again to me. I have a player sent off, so I go one up front (usually move my left striker with rare FR and rare RWB and HUB ticked).

I then go on to score at least one goal and have other great chances when a ball is played over the top for him to run onto.

Now I'm not complaining but :

1. Next game I try one up with 11 players with same instructions/player etc and he doesn't perform.

2. Running off the ball and with it when you haven't instructed it? It's not logical is it?

3. He never plays like that on the "left side" for the previous 80 minutes before the sending off?

I'm confused can anyone shed any light?

Thanks.

I would say that the fact that you have only 10 men and more space on the pitch will have an effect on this, the more room strikers have to run into the better.

I think motivation levels are coded to increase for a team which has had a man sent off(10 men). Add that to what isuckatfm said...