Creative Freedom – how it works. Explanation.

[Smac]

Yeah, I was hoping we'd get to that. I find the original experiment quite plausible if all other factors are "just so". And that could be a platform for exploring the relationship between CF and say: Decisions, Pressure, Pass availability, "vision", etc.. I find data-driven analysis of the black box very interesting and potentially useful to those of us who seem to not quite be able to sew together coherent methodology from general definitions of terms.

[Clearcut]

He's throwing out all of it, which is a shame, as the basis of it isn't too far wrong. Higher CF might result in good defenders playing a wider variety of passes when they are on, even if their tactical instructions tell them to do otherwise. However, it might also result in poor defenders trying idiotic things.

Ultimately, as my post # 17 suggests, it is other factors that make the most difference. However, these may be brought into play more when CF is higher.

All I wanted to achieve is one simple thing – when one of my defenders has the ball and he is under opposition pressing then he’ll do follow things at any cost:

a) If there are open midfielders/strikers up fields then he will make pass to them to the feet.

b) If there are no any open midfielder/strikers up fields then he will make back pass to nearest open defenders.

c) If there are no open midfielders/strikers/defenders then he will make back pass to the GK.

And he will never do long pass to nowhere or clearance only if there is no a), b), c) options persist.

90% of the times I am able to get such behavior from my defenders by setting their attributes: Composure above 14, Creativity above 11, Decisions above 13 and using this Individual and Team Instructions:

Individual Instructions:

Passing Style – Range from Mixed to Direct works fine.

Run from Deep – Range from Rarely to Often works fine. I haven’t noticed any impact.

Run with Ball – Range from Rarely to Sometimes works fine. If set at Often then sometimes open players is ignored and not necessary over runs start to appear.

Through Ball – Rarely.

Cross Ball – Rarely.

Mentality – All Normal range works fine. If set at Defensive then sometimes open midfielders/strikers is ignored and too much back passes to GK. If set at Attacking then near open defenders and GK is ignored and too much long passes at attackers direction.

Creative Freedom – Range from Little to Much works fine. I haven’t noticed any significant impact. Maybe at much there is a little more through balls and crosses.

Team Instructions:

Defensive Line – Normal.

Wide – Normal.

Tempo – Normal.

Time Wasting – Rarely.

Focus Passing – Mixed.

Counter Attack – No.

Play Offside – Yes.

Also It is very import that your GK must have his Composure , Creativity, Decisions not lower then 10 or else he will be responsible for all clearance and long passes to nowhere and his Mentality and Creative Freedom is set not lower then Normal and his Individual Instructions set similar to defender Individual Instructions I described above.

[Cleon]

All I wanted to achieve is one simple thing – when one of my defenders has the ball and he is under opposition pressing then he’ll do follow things at any cost:

When been closed down composure is probably the most important attribute so he can stay calm and not feel rushed and make the correct decision. The lower the composure, the less chance of him making an intelligent decision.

[Clearcut]

When been closed down composure is probably the most important attribute so he can stay calm and not feel rushed and make the correct decision. The lower the composure, the less chance of him making an intelligent decision.

Yes, Composure has strong impact and my tests show that 14 is optimal number. It’s acceptable for me because 90% of times the defenders do what I want from them. But Composure only one of factors required to achieve my target.

For example, the defender can have Composure 20 but if I set his Mentality at maximum(Attacking) then he often starts to ignore nearest open defenders/midfielders and GK and tries long trough balls to striker direction even his Passing Style – Mixed,Through Balls - Rarely and Creative Freedom - Little. This is not behavior I wanted from him. So It’s also important to set his Mentality not more then Normal to achieve my target.

[Cleon]

Yes, Composure has strong impact and my tests show that 14 is optimal number. It’s acceptable for me because 90% of times the defenders do what I want from them. But Composure only one of factors required to achieve my target.

For example, the defender can have Composure 20 but if I set his Mentality at maximum(Attacking) then he often starts to ignore nearest open defenders/midfielders and GK and tries long trough balls to striker direction even his Passing Style – Mixed. This is not behavior I wanted from him.

Because a higher mentality allows the player to be ambitious with his forward passing.

[Clearcut]

Yes, It ‘s now clearly seen for me how it works but before I always thought that Passing Style settings is responsible for it. Short – more safe, Direct – more forward/ambitions/risky.

[Cleon]

Yes, It ‘s now clearly seen for me how it works but before I always thought that Passing Style settings is responsible for it. Short – more safe, Direct – more forward/ambitions/risky.

No direct means if a defender has the ball in a defensive position for example he'll look to pass to the midfield if possible rather than to someone placed in a simliar position to himself.

[Clearcut]

No direct means if a defender has the ball in a defensive position for example he'll look to pass to the midfield if possible rather than to someone placed in a simliar position to himself.

Yes, I always thought it works like that but now I see that Mentality has more stronger impact on decision whom to pass then Passing Style.

For example, even If you set Passing Style – Direct but Mentality – Defensive most of time midfielders up filed are ignored and pass follow to nearest open defender or GK and If you set Passing Style – Short but Mentality – Attacking then nearest defenders and GK are ignored and defender tries long pass to strikers.