I don't know if this is the right place to let this out, but I feel I should.
I have had 100+ hours simply watching full matches now on 24 like I did every year, and I can confirm nothing has changed. I bought this game learning from the feature showcasing articles that players would be 'less likely to run with the ball all the way down the flanks'. Yet during my time playing full match, somewhere like 80% of the opponent threats come from when a wingback receives the ball from deep, runs all the way to the byline, and threatens my goal with a throw-in or a corner. If any fullback is capable of doing this regularly in real life, he must be GOATed. This is just as frustrating as the similar scenes from any past FM titles.
I was excited at first to learn about the new positional play feature. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but it's also very limited in terms of representing dynamics in real-life football. The IFB is cool but I'd use a WB(D) all day. The rotation feature that allows players to occupy half spaces in the AM strata? It looks decent on paper, but when you play full-match you will notice it becomes rigid and locks player movement rather than allowing for the free-flow of player rotation we see in real life.
I have been saying this for years, and every year ended up a disappointment. It's really the dynamics of football rather than the authenticity of player animation that needs to be worked on. If this game is to reflect what happens on a football pitch, a real one, we will need a full separation between offensive and defensive formations. We need free and respective command over how the players act with and without the ball. I fully understand the technical difficulties that you might have to overcome in achieving this, and I'd say the least you can do is to allow central players to operate on the flanks and wide players in central areas. For example, the CAM in a 4312 system should roam freely and actively support the wingplays when a fullback receives the ball or even play as a winger when needed; other cases in a 442 system with a compact 4 midfielders setup would see a wide mid come in central or even arrive at the other flank to create an overload. I'm glad that some roles in this game, like the IWB, already offer a certain degree of rotation. I'd assume the same can be done for other roles in different strata.
I hope you understand my frustration. I love this game. I love the experience of telling the team what to do on the pitch versus the direct control over everyone as in FIFA. And given the hours I have spent these years on watching full matches, I can safely say this game does really well in representing every aspect of the football world, except for what happens on the pitch. This game is getting increasingly expensive each year, and I don't want to blame anyone. But the frustration is real. I don't know if the new engine next year is going to change the situation. I think I'll have to wait and see.
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