I'm still on FM18 and having similar problems. I cannot stop my defenders from following the ball all over the place.
Below is a typical example for me.
As we lose the ball we're not looking in too bad shape as Chelsea break forward.
But as the cross comes into Tammy Abraham, suddenly I've got 7 players just chasing after the ball leaving Eden Hazard (10) an easy chance to score when the ball is put across. I don't know why my right back particularly has gone right across to close the ball down. It's almost like watching kids football where they all just follow the ball around.
I know that I have an attacking formation with the 4-3-3 narrow, but I am playing with defensive mentality with a very fluid shape to try and get the whole team to have a more defensive mentality. I was getting absolutely annihilated down the flanks but have got the two of my forwards to specifically mark the fullbacks or wing backs and that has really helped.
However, I still struggle for my defenders to keep their shape when we're defending and in so many situations they are either step out of line or just chase after the ball. I've gone for a slightly higher defensive line so as not to be too deep, and on defensive mentality I was hoping that would achieve a more conventional defensive line overall. I'm using the team instruction to close down less and this has put both my centre backs on close down much less and full backs on close down sometimes. I'm also using the Team Instruction to be more disciplined. In this game particularly I had my full backs on Full Back defend though switched to support in the 2nd half. These screenshots show whilst the full backs were on defend duty.
My midfield 3 are a CM(D) a CM(S) and Box to Box midfielder.
I know it's on an older version of the game but does anyone have any advice on how I might instruct my players to keep their shape when defending taking into account that I've already set closing down to less and much less for my centre backs.
How to achieve a solid defence?
in Tactics, Training & Strategies Discussion
Posted · Edited by mr_tea82
I'm still on FM18 and having similar problems. I cannot stop my defenders from following the ball all over the place.
Below is a typical example for me.
As we lose the ball we're not looking in too bad shape as Chelsea break forward.
But as the cross comes into Tammy Abraham, suddenly I've got 7 players just chasing after the ball leaving Eden Hazard (10) an easy chance to score when the ball is put across. I don't know why my right back particularly has gone right across to close the ball down. It's almost like watching kids football where they all just follow the ball around.
I know that I have an attacking formation with the 4-3-3 narrow, but I am playing with defensive mentality with a very fluid shape to try and get the whole team to have a more defensive mentality. I was getting absolutely annihilated down the flanks but have got the two of my forwards to specifically mark the fullbacks or wing backs and that has really helped.
However, I still struggle for my defenders to keep their shape when we're defending and in so many situations they are either step out of line or just chase after the ball. I've gone for a slightly higher defensive line so as not to be too deep, and on defensive mentality I was hoping that would achieve a more conventional defensive line overall. I'm using the team instruction to close down less and this has put both my centre backs on close down much less and full backs on close down sometimes. I'm also using the Team Instruction to be more disciplined. In this game particularly I had my full backs on Full Back defend though switched to support in the 2nd half. These screenshots show whilst the full backs were on defend duty.
My midfield 3 are a CM(D) a CM(S) and Box to Box midfielder.
I know it's on an older version of the game but does anyone have any advice on how I might instruct my players to keep their shape when defending taking into account that I've already set closing down to less and much less for my centre backs.