crosses just not working - suggestion for a solution

[drevil1969]

As the title says, I was just playing a match and have an ok target man in the side in carlton cole but again my assistant mentioned crosses are not working.

Now I noticed that the opponents were at 25% and mine at 0%. So even though I have looked on here for a solution, the only one I could find was use shout, exploit the middle.

Well for me it didnt seem to make much difference. So then it occurred to me mid match, what if I put every player onto cross rarely, would that work? Just wanted to throw that out there and see what people thought.

P.S. if anyone does have a solution to crosses not working then im all ears

[dribbler]

there was another post about this recently but I forget which it was...have a hunt or else maybe somebody else will remember

[HTC]

Try Direct Passing and Cross Often...

Then experiment with Deep or Byline, and then with Mentality and Creative Freedom...

[lam]

Well..... firstly, do you want crosses to work or do you want a tactic to work (with or without crossing)? I only ask as your soloution to play through the middle would mean that you are reducing the potential for crossing opportunities.

I discovered a few things about crossing the other day which have made a vast difference to my game. Some are factual and a few will be speculation(S).

Your wide play for a player disctates a lot about crossing. If you have him cutting in, he wont really cross until he is half way between the penalty box and the 6yrd box... by which point he is normaly bouncing it off the opposition for a corner.

If you have normal wide play, then he will be between the penalty box and the touchline. Based on this (S) I would assume, channels would result in him being on the white line of the penalty box and hug the touchline would result in him being on the touchline.

Add to this 'where' he will cross from and you'll get something like (S) Deep - mainly before the pen box, byline - on the byline and mixed - wherever he pleases. For me, this instruction is as much about a players ability to get where I want him and his ability to get back after as it is about where I want him to cross from.

A classic example that I used to use..... as Spurs, I'd have Lennon crossing from teh byline, simple because he could get there. Bentley on the other hand, who was actualy better at crossing, was crossing from mixed or deep. Simple because he lacked the skill set to get to the byline effectively.

Now, the reason I go through all of this is because, your players ability to cross the ball, where he crosses it from and the likely number of opposition marking him and your target will directly affect the outcome.

I don't have all the soloutions, but I hope some of this helps.

In order for crossing to work well, I beleive you actualy need someone with good crossing - ie 16/17+. Now I've had great crosses from a DL (Bassong) who's crossing is 6 or something, BUT him crossing the ball is NOT part of my game plan, so if he wants to try it now and again.... fine. If, however, I wanted him doing it all the time (think Bale as DL) then I would require a good crossing stat.

I'd suggested (S), if you have someone crossing from the byline to a specific target that is marked heavily, you are going to need a good crosser. However if your plan is to simple dump the ball in the box, then I guess its about just getting to the line and getting it in..... ie a different skills set (ability to get to the line).

Also bear in mind, where you are putting the cross. Near post, far post????? the general idea is that a near post cross is driven in, whereas a far post cross is floated in. In my view this changes slightly when crossing from deep. If you have a good crosser who, on the break, crosses from deep to the far post you should note (you are watching the game right?) that they are a low driven cross.... which are lovely to watch (works well with an AML/R).

If you watch the game in full, you will generaly see where your players are when the ball arrives in the box. if the same thing happens over and over, then change your crossing to meet this. If you have quality players (great decisions and creativity) then just leave it up to them.

If you really want to get technical, then start looking at the opposition goal keepers stats. If he is poor in the air then a lofted pass might be good.... same applies for the DC's............

So, as I promised.... no answers there at all but some thigns to think about.

LAM

[drevil1969]

@dribbler thanks for reply. I had a look and couldnt find it and im sure I saw it on another fm fansite but couldn't find it since!

@htc I guess I was looking for a quick fix. Will have a look around at play around with things a little, see if I can find a solution.

@LAM Well your first question, I want to be effective. I play with Carlton Cole up front either in a 4-1-2-2-1 or a 4-4-2 with Cole and Saviola/or a regen. So I dont think Cole is bad in the air but he isnt outstanding and nor is the other one. So im guessing I talked myself into saying guess dont need it to work. Long winded answer there. lol.

About Lennon and Bentley, there is so much sense to what you said. I usually play Matty Taylor on left midfield but cant remember his ability. I do know he hasent bundles of pace though. I generally dont like interfering too much with individual instructions. Wont they change the balance of the tactic too much?

I watch full matches. And I didnt realise you could individually set whether someone floated or drilled crosses.

Lots to think about LAM looks like, thanks everyone for talk and help/advice

[jim morrow]

You need to send crosses in the goal zone :

If you have tall forward, so try to play very wide with your wingers near the front line.

Some advices given in 2010 :

Crosses and headers

These two are good for tweaking tactics. Some teams don’t like the crossing game and

will get few crosses. If you are getting too many, consider reducing wing play by playing

narrower or playing with fewer wide players: or change individual crossing settings to

“rarely”. If you aren’t completing enough, ask whether this may be due to poor crossing

or poor positioning on the part of the central forwards.

This is where heading can come in. A lot of missed attacking headers may suggest that

the team needs to play more crosses and passes on the ground, or that the team needs

taller and stronger players. A lot of missed defensive headers suggests an aerial

weakness which will need to be addressed, either in the transfer market or by cutting off

the aerial supply to the opposition target men. Tactically, you can lower the defensive

line, to provide cover behind the opposition target men, or using OIs to mark less tightly

the taller players. If you cannot win a direct aerial confrontation, it makes sense to make

any potential flick-ons or headers less effective.

[lam]

Thats the thing with instructions. if you have good players with great mental attributes..... set them all to mixed and let them get on with it. BUt if you have weaker players then you might just need to demonistrate your tactical awareness to them and TELL them what to do.

For me this game is become a far more tweak fest that its ever been.... which is great because that is how i love it. Each game is different and should be treated so.

Also... you cant really tell someoen to drill or float it..... all you can do is say near or far. It its crossed early then a cross to the far post could be drilled, but if you are crossing from teh byline a drilled far post cross is unlikely to make it through the masses.

Regards

*EDIT*

Just checked it out in game. On the TEAM instructions, you can see cross - drill or float. If you select either and then look at player instructions, you will see that drill is near post for wingers and centre for F/WB's.

[dribbler]

"I usually play Matty Taylor on left midfield but cant remember his ability. I do know he hasent bundles of pace though. I generally dont like interfering too much with individual instructions"

once you get used to changing individual instructions and discipline yourself to change them when you make substitutions or rotate your squad you'll find your players should play better and results should improve...as you realise Iam implied that a slowish player like Taylor should be set to cross ball from deep...if you try this you should find that he'll get more crosses in because he's not trying to run past the full-back where he'll often get tackled

maybe the results of one sensible change like this won't be easy to spot but if you add a few more sensible changes to other players your team should play more effectively

it's just a question of how you want to play the game because this stuff takes a little time and effort...it should work though

[dribbler]

"Just checked it out in game. On the TEAM instructions, you can see cross - drill or float. If you select either and then look at player instructions, you will see that drill is near post for wingers and centre for F/WB's"...I never really understood this before Iam so thanks for the advice

[Smac]

With pacey forwards / wingers, drilled crosses from deep can be pretty lethal. I keep the aim central and this often ends up with a far post tap in for the opposite winger. I've also found that unless I have some Ibrahimobeasts up top that I just don't like floated crosses.

Crossing works against some teams and against others you'll have a very difficult time with it. Its one of those things that is really worth tweaking after watching the first 15 minutes of a match. If your crosses are consistently failing then it behooves you to stop them raining in. Teams sitting deep, tall strong defenders, packed organized defenses, etc.. These are not the place for crosses... usually.

But if they press you or push up, play fluidly or are too wide, then game on!

This is also a good time to perfect your "Plan B". Having an alternative to bombing the box is crucial.

[Guest sciegu]

I would rather say that whole game is not working after last patch

[Cleon]

I would rather say that whole game is not working after last patch

Then you'd be massivley wrong.

[David Beckham_7]

I would rather say that whole game is not working after last patch

Wow, that is such a constructive statement.

[Marinho]

I found that the recipient is just as much the issue, it is simply so that you need players to actually be in the box to make crosses work. Yeah, i know that sounds dumb

But say you play a singler striker and 2 wingers with "hug touchline" and don´t have an attacking AMC, who is going to to actually get to the crosses ?

I have found quite a bit of success playing a pure winger on the right and the left winger on "normal" and otherwise the settings of an inside forward (i don´t like "cut inside" much), also have a player playing in the hole as an AMC. Often then i will have 3 guys actually in a position to get to a cross and have options short, centre and on the far post.

It´s not that i play over the right flank excessively, it´s just that this is the side i´ll score on crosses from while on the left it is more passing orientated (of my 2 MCs, the right one is defensive minded to guard for the winger, while the left one is a playmaker)

I also think that it is imperative to have your winger cross from the byline, like in real life the most dangerous crosses are those when you got past the defense, one reason is that often a DC comes out of the centre towards the wing. Again, it´s a numbers game, 1 defender a bit out of position goes a long way.

[drevil1969]

crosses still not working for despite buying two much better wingers. So therefore it must be my front line, but window has shut now so I will have to wait to sort it out. So for now im going to use the play narrower nd exploit the middle.

But rather than keep using that shout can anyone tell me how much the shouts effect width. For example, play narrower reduces width by x amount of notches

[Fabian Jonsson]

Why don't you just use the shout and check the tactics? That way you know exactly what it does to YOUR tactics.

[lam]

On a side note, I would just play narrow and exploit the middle automatically.

you can exploit the middle without playing narrow. This will stretch the defence a little more, providing you have the passing capacity to pull it off.

Of course, if playing narrow suits you then go for it, but just wanted to point out that they dont neccessarily go hand in hand.

LAM

[axehan1]

crosses still not working for despite buying two much better wingers. So therefore it must be my front line, but window has shut now so I will have to wait to sort it out. So for now im going to use the play narrower nd exploit the middle.

But rather than keep using that shout can anyone tell me how much the shouts effect width. For example, play narrower reduces width by x amount of notches

have youtried getting your fullbacks to cross?i often find my fullbacks in acres of space with time to put a cross into the area and often with good results.

[Jad123]

On a side note, I would just play narrow and exploit the middle automatically.

you can exploit the middle without playing narrow. This will stretch the defence a little more, providing you have the passing capacity to pull it off.

Of course, if playing narrow suits you then go for it, but just wanted to point out that they dont neccessarily go hand in hand.

LAM

Very good point - playing wide but exploiting the middle can work well, surprisingly. I've found the width makes more space for the central players to receive the ball and play through balls.

[higgins]

Very good point - playing wide but exploiting the middle can work well, surprisingly. I've found the width makes more space for the central players to receive the ball and play through balls.

Not so surprisingly, if you stretch your opponent lines it will be obliged to leave exploitable holes in the middle.

[DirtyJoe]

Well..... firstly, do you want crosses to work or do you want a tactic to work (with or without crossing)? I only ask as your soloution to play through the middle would mean that you are reducing the potential for crossing opportunities.

I discovered a few things about crossing the other day which have made a vast difference to my game. Some are factual and a few will be speculation(S).

Your wide play for a player disctates a lot about crossing. If you have him cutting in, he wont really cross until he is half way between the penalty box and the 6yrd box... by which point he is normaly bouncing it off the opposition for a corner.

If you have normal wide play, then he will be between the penalty box and the touchline. Based on this (S) I would assume, channels would result in him being on the white line of the penalty box and hug the touchline would result in him being on the touchline.

Add to this 'where' he will cross from and you'll get something like (S) Deep - mainly before the pen box, byline - on the byline and mixed - wherever he pleases. For me, this instruction is as much about a players ability to get where I want him and his ability to get back after as it is about where I want him to cross from.

A classic example that I used to use..... as Spurs, I'd have Lennon crossing from teh byline, simple because he could get there. Bentley on the other hand, who was actualy better at crossing, was crossing from mixed or deep. Simple because he lacked the skill set to get to the byline effectively.

Now, the reason I go through all of this is because, your players ability to cross the ball, where he crosses it from and the likely number of opposition marking him and your target will directly affect the outcome.

I don't have all the soloutions, but I hope some of this helps.

In order for crossing to work well, I beleive you actualy need someone with good crossing - ie 16/17+. Now I've had great crosses from a DL (Bassong) who's crossing is 6 or something, BUT him crossing the ball is NOT part of my game plan, so if he wants to try it now and again.... fine. If, however, I wanted him doing it all the time (think Bale as DL) then I would require a good crossing stat.

I'd suggested (S), if you have someone crossing from the byline to a specific target that is marked heavily, you are going to need a good crosser. However if your plan is to simple dump the ball in the box, then I guess its about just getting to the line and getting it in..... ie a different skills set (ability to get to the line).

Also bear in mind, where you are putting the cross. Near post, far post????? the general idea is that a near post cross is driven in, whereas a far post cross is floated in. In my view this changes slightly when crossing from deep. If you have a good crosser who, on the break, crosses from deep to the far post you should note (you are watching the game right?) that they are a low driven cross.... which are lovely to watch (works well with an AML/R).

If you watch the game in full, you will generaly see where your players are when the ball arrives in the box. if the same thing happens over and over, then change your crossing to meet this. If you have quality players (great decisions and creativity) then just leave it up to them.

If you really want to get technical, then start looking at the opposition goal keepers stats. If he is poor in the air then a lofted pass might be good.... same applies for the DC's............

So, as I promised.... no answers there at all but some thigns to think about.

LAM

Great Answer. A lot to consider as above.

I would like to add, Successful crossing invokes two parts, Players who can deliver the cross/pass and players who can be in a position to receive them. The player receiving the cross, needs a couple of attributes, (in nor order) Positioning - needs to be in the right spot more often than not, Off the Ball - making the right run to meet the pass, Anticipation - self explained.

[Jad123]

Not so surprisingly, if you stretch your opponent lines it will be obliged to leave exploitable holes in the middle.

Certainly, the principle is unsurprising. It might not be obvious to many that you can have seemingly contradictory shouts work so well.