Divvy question of the day.

Where is the instruction to waste time? Can't find it anywhere!

It's a shout that you can only use when you're on the contain strategy.

It's a shout that you can only use when you're on the contain strategy.

or defensive

Ah thats why I can't see it, playing control / counter.

Not sure I agree that I shouldnt be allowed to time waste, especially for counter attack.

Why would you waste time when you are using counter attack?

Why would you waste time when you are using counter attack?

To use the battle cry of the fanboys, it happens all the time in real life. Teams looking to play the clock down but also alive to the killer counter-attack.

That does not make any sense, if you use counter attack as a team order then you can't be asking them to waste time.

What is a player supposed to do when he gets the ball, does he look for a fast attack forward or does he slow down play and pass it around the back 4 to run down the clock?

Would be good to be the manager in that team as you would never be wrong!

"Why did you play the ball long looking to set up an attack when you should be wasting time!!?"

Or when the player takes the lesser of 2 evils in the same situation......

"Why are you wasting time when I have told you to use a counter attack and hit the team fast as soon as we get the ball!!?"

Edit-

I will add if you want to hold on to a lead and looking to keep it tight at the back then use 'contain', I have used this in the past and while it says 'the team is not looking to score' they can hit them on the break.

I have scored goals using 'contain' as the team will look to defend first and foremost but that is not to say if they see a really good opening that they will not take it.

Hi Daylight,

Ive always been able to counter attack and waste time in previous versions of FM. It's simple in my view, when the chance to counter is on you take it, otherwise keep the ball, take longer at throws etc. Frustrate the opposition.

I have never seen counter attack mentality as "hit the team fast as soon as we get the ball", as you put it. In fact I'm not sure its ever been like that... Hitting the team fast as soon as you get the ball would indicate a high tempo game, get the ball forward quicky, exploit the space.

Yet, counter attack has a slow tempo. Especially in previous versions when we could actually see the sliders, counter attack tempo was 6 or 8 notches? I forget how many exactly, but only just a higher tempo than defensive mentality.

This slow tempo isnt about getting the ball forward quickly, its about breaking with pace when the opportunity arises to do so. And if the opportunity to counter isnt there then you keep the ball, build up slowly, taking fewer risks. Just because you've won the ball back doesn't always mean that the opportunity to counter is available.

Even more importantly, I should be able to choose my team mentality and whether or not I want to time waste. For example...

I'm a big club playing a minnow in the cup and I'm 2-0 up. I dont want to go all the way down to defensive mentality, as this might invite pressure onto my team. So maybe I only want to go to counter attack, which is still a slow tempo, but still slow the game down and waste time.

Maybe I only want to go to control mentality, as I know im better technically and can keep the ball. I want to keep a higher line and keep possession. But I still want to slow the game down too, take longer at goal kicks and throw ins etc. Why would this not "make sense"?

It was also my understanding from previous versions that a defensive mentality still tries to "counter attack" by default.

I can understand your point if you were talking only about attack mentality or higher, but otherwise, of course it makes sense that you should be able to waste time!