Closing down

[Bigshow1]

In all previous FM's I've always played with a pressing tactic which I selected through the team instructions. This effected all 10 outfield players but now the options have been removed how does it work in FM14?

I've gone through individual instructions and the odd player can be told to close down more. Do all teams just press at the same basic level now or am I missing something?

[rune_star]

You can tick "Hassle opponents" in team instructions. This sets all outfield players to max close down as well as tight marking. Be careful though, as this can pull your players out of position and break your formation, leaving gaps behind that a skilled opponent can use against you

Being a fan of a pressing strategy myself, I've moved away from the "Hassle" instruction for the reason above. Opting instead for setting personal instructions (close down more, tight marking) on selected players, ensuring that my formation stays more or less compact where I deem it most necessary

You can also use Opposition instructions which may even work better if used correct. I wouldn't use OI's on individual players, but positional OI's instead. This way you can put pressure on selected areas of the pitch only...

[nala]

Interesting thoughts here. I would be interested in your opinions on when to close down or not, when to tight mark and when to tackle hard.

As a general rule I have tended to close down attackers and wingers, put wingers and wing backs on weaker foot and tight mark slower but capable midfield and strikers.

[rune_star]

Well, I always find it difficult to do these things systematically. Meaning I don't believe you can make a general rule like that as it should always depend on the opposition, just like real life.

Lets say you we're facing Swansea in the PL. They have great wingers (if not in game, then IRL ) and play with lots of width and general wingplay towards that big Bony fella up top (at least when Michu isn't playing). It'd be a good idea to do something about those wingers (Nathan Dyer & Routledge), so close down, possibly tight mark them. I wouldn't 'just' showe them to weaker foot, as I would be more interested in forcing them inwards, thus making sure they don't get to deliver those pinpoint crosses. And Bony up top is a fairly strong, good header so I'd probably tight mark him.

Playing against Liverpool is another matter altogether (besides the obvious difference in overall player quality). Liverpool doesn't have any 'genuine' wingers and they use a completely different approach, and so should you/we. I'd NEVER tight mark or close down a player like Suarez, and the main threat must be perceived to come from the central mids (Gerrard, Coutinho, etc) so THEY should be on the end of your tight mark and/or close down instructions.

May be a poor example, but it's supposed to be just that, an example of different opponents which require different settings/instructions. Don't make a rule about always putting opp. wingers on weaker foot if their weaker foot happens to be the 'wrong' one in terms of direct threats. Also, are we talking Ronaldo-like wingers with super-human strength and abilities, or for instance the aforementioned Nathan Dyer, who's got skills but is no man-mountain! Close down Dyer? I'd say yes, but Ronaldo... never!

I always look at the opposition and I try to remember to look at the opp. managers preferred style of play: Do they like attacking 4-4-2 wingplay, or more conservative approaches? Direct/short/long balls? Playing against the almighty Stoke(!) requires a completely different setup altogether because of those persistent long balls and an apparent FM flaw which seems to like the Stoke approach A LOT!