Players running for the ball??

Am I the only one getting seriously annoyed by this? Quite often my players are in a position where they 100% of the time should be picking up or recieving the ball yet, FM has other ideas and my players seem to do something ridiculous, ending up in them not getting the ball.

Example 1.

Player 1 is my right back, usually hoyte who has acc and pace 17. Hoyte is clearly closer to the ball than the opposition player yet, he decides to do some ridiculous sideways run and gets nowhere near the ball whilst the opposition player gets there by running normally and creates a good chance for his team. This is happening quite a lot for me and it's seriously starting to be a reason for me to just stop playing the game.

Example 2

The red player is my forward, Hulk. The ball has came over the top and Hulk speeds ahead of the defender and looks set to latch onto the ball. You would bet your house on him getting there and at least having a shot. Then what happens? Suddenly, Hulk loses all his speed and slows to half the speed he was going and the defender, still running at the speed he was going, easily gets in front of Hulk and clears the ball. This really baffles me. If it happened every now and then, I'd just imagine that maybe the player lost his footing or something, but, when it's happening a few times each match, it just absolutely infuriates me.

Example 3

Here again, my player is red, opp player is black. I've used a def as an example here but it pretty much happens with all def and mid players. As you can (or maybe you can't lol) the opp player is coming towards my defender. He's coming at a steady pace and my def moves forward towards him. The player keeps coming and my def keeps going at him. Just as my def gets near enough to make a tackle, like any normal defender would, he suddenly decides to stop and decides that he'll just back off him and allow him to come further towards my box and create a chance for his team to score. What's the point of a def closing a player down, getting close to him and the backing off without attempting to make a tackle?

These are just three examples that I'm using because these seem to be the three that I see more often than other weird happenings. Infact, If i don't see one match where this doesn't happen, I'd probable suddenly wake up in a cold sweat.

These three things are absolutely killing the game for me.

Does anybody else experience this?

And if this is happening to everyone else, is this going to be sorted by the next patch?

I've not read anything you've written yet but can I just say I'm very impressed with your pictures

I've seen similar behaviour, especially the sideways run.

I've not read anything you've written yet but can I just say I'm very impressed with your pictures

Why, thank you kind sir. lol

I've seen similar behaviour, especially the sideways run.

Yeah that annoys and the changing of direction. Highly annoying and costs me many goals.

The sideways run is majory annoying. Although I had one the other day...where the ball was passed into another players path and he ran completely the opposite way

I think what you have to be careful of in your analysis is this:

What you're seeing in the 3D view is a representation of what took place in the Match Engine, and what you're seeing is not an accurate reflection of what took place in the Match Engine.

So, the sideways running didn't cost you the goal, something else did (player's pace maybe) the visual representation just makes it look like the sideways running caused the issue.

I think what you have to be careful of in your analysis is this:

What you're seeing in the 3D view is a representation of what took place in the Match Engine, and what you're seeing is not an accurate reflection of what took place in the Match Engine.

So, the sideways running didn't cost you the goal, something else did (player's pace maybe) the visual representation just makes it look like the sideways running caused the issue.

Yet we're supposed to use the 3D representation to create and tweak tactics, and work out where we are going wrong. This becomes hard when players do bizarre things when near the ball. I had two players run up to the ball in a game a couple of days ago, one after the other, and both got to within a couple of feet and turned and ran away from it, allowing an AI attacker to get to it (uploaded the pkm in the bugs forum).

Yet we're supposed to use the 3D representation to create and tweak tactics, and work out where we are going wrong. This becomes hard when players do bizarre things when near the ball. I had two players run up to the ball in a game a couple of days ago, one after the other, and both got to within a couple of feet and turned and ran away from it, allowing an AI attacker to get to it (uploaded the pkm in the bugs forum).

I agree that there ARE some issues there, and I've seen behaviour just like you described. Heck I've seen the goalkeeper run to the ball and then not pick it up or kick it away, allowing the other team to nick the ball and score.

The question in my mind though is what I saw what really happened in the ME. My guess is that in the ME, my keeper didn't get to the ball in time or some other such thing.

Frustrating!

I tell you what my biggest gripe is about running for balls and running with ball is that the opposing team seems to (i am guessing here) out muscle???? (????) my players as they run for the ball. I mean by this that they can be running either in front, or behind or to the side of them and they lose speed to around 2/20 for a second or two regardless if there is contact between the players and let them get to it first or let them get in range for a tackle.

Those pictures look just like a Commodore 64 game I used to play called Internation Soccer. Good times!

I agree that there ARE some issues there, and I've seen behaviour just like you described. Heck I've seen the goalkeeper run to the ball and then not pick it up or kick it away, allowing the other team to nick the ball and score.

The question in my mind though is what I saw what really happened in the ME. My guess is that in the ME, my keeper didn't get to the ball in time or some other such thing.

Frustrating!

Exactly what I was thinking. There should be a better co-operation between the ME and the 3D, in some cases. To put it in other words, the 3D should represent better the calculations made by the ME, so that we have a better and more realistic picture of the highlight.

Even if they only fix the "who gets first to the ball" issue (the highlight representation, I mean), we'll be talking about a major improvement in the "feeling" of the 3D.

I've seen similar behaviour, especially the sideways run.

Oh yes, it's like some "Strictly Come Dancing" move!!! The "conceding 6 odd corners a match due to a clearance hitting the back of another defenders head" is a good one as well!

anyone had the one with the keeper turning his back on a ball 1ft in front of him and just standing there !!

One of my defenders played a long pass back from just inside my half. The ball stopped just short of the box.

My keeper comes running out,,,,when ball dosent keep coming into the box,,and he cant handle it,,you would expect him to just kick it ,,right.

WRONG,,,, My keeper just stood still and turned his back on the ball,, leaving the Opposition attacker the easy job of taking the ball and scoring.

Only happened once so far,,,but not good ,lol

I have posted this in the bugs forum mate but I don`t know how many others did the same, but yes it has made me play on commentary only now as I think you get a much better game that way at least you don`t see it happening and for some strange reason you seem to get more goals per chance created on commentary, it might just be me noticing this but there doesn`t seem to be any link between watching in commentary or watching in 3D strange I know but I have noticed this happening, give it a try and see what you think at least till the patch comes out but if this patch doesn`t fix this then game over till 2010.

anyone had the one with the keeper turning his back on a ball 1ft in front of him and just standing there !!

One of my defenders played a long pass back from just inside my half. The ball stopped just short of the box.

My keeper comes running out,,,,when ball dosent keep coming into the box,,and he cant handle it,,you would expect him to just kick it ,,right.

WRONG,,,, My keeper just stood still and turned his back on the ball,, leaving the Opposition attacker the easy job of taking the ball and scoring.

Only happened once so far,,,but not good ,lol

Yep twice for me in 4 seasons, the commentary both times said my keeper didnt see it as the opposition striker home. I think it looks like he is looking at the ball but is actually searching for a contact lens that just fell out

the best error is where my keeper rushes out to the ball, stands still for 10-20 seconds gets tackled and they score.

Now this has to be a bug because its happened 8 times in a season and its unrealistic that a premiership keeper does it even once.

That and along with the seemingly stupid runs my defenders do where instead of running to cut the player off they go to where the ball has just been (hence being 5 ft away from the ball now) giving the striker a 1o1 with the keeper.

anyone had the one with the keeper turning his back on a ball 1ft in front of him and just standing there !!

One of my defenders played a long pass back from just inside my half. The ball stopped just short of the box.

My keeper comes running out,,,,when ball dosent keep coming into the box,,and he cant handle it,,you would expect him to just kick it ,,right.

WRONG,,,, My keeper just stood still and turned his back on the ball,, leaving the Opposition attacker the easy job of taking the ball and scoring.

Only happened once so far,,,but not good ,lol

I hate this it always happens to me. And i dont thinnk there is anything you can do with it either is there.

It ruins the game really.