Defenders Showing Poor 'Football Intelligence'

[KingCanary]

This isn't specific to FM16 or this patch but I feel defenders have for a while lacked some basic football intelligence on the pitch that leads to some odd, frustrating sights.

For example, deep crosses which make defenders face their own goal. IRL they will either get a shout to leave it or head it behind for a corner. Pretty simple. In the game however they have a habit of doing all sorts of crazy stuff. I've seen my fullbacks regularly head it back out into play, into the path of onrushing attackers and once or twice head it back across the goal, as if they are trying to put it out for a corner but got the angle all messed up.

Secondly when facing counters from set pieces- I've seen a few set pieces cleared where the opposition is breaking and a defender behind the ball and closest to the breaking attacker will ,instead of closing down or covering off the runner, try and run back to their designated position- so for instance if the player is a right back and the break is coming from the left he'll run 10 yards out of the way of the attacker in order to get back to their position. I've also seen defenders (similar to the earlier point) be in a great position to collect a clearance from a set piect, bring it down and play it back to the keeper instead head it back into the path of onrushing attackers.

Finally (and this has been bugging me for a few versions) why do players not make a wall for freekicks in the channels? IRL there will always be at least one person to prevent the free kick taker just crossing it to the near post with no obstacle. For some reason defenders don't make this wall and it leads to some really odd looking goals/chances.

Now it could well be that I'm doing something to cause this but I'm really struggling to figure it out.

[Mitja]

Agreed. There are more long term defensive issues which would be really nice if it was improved for 17. I like the defensive stability of current ME though. But at the same time I think many of it's issues like crossing thing is connected to defending.