Can't add urgency whilst losing...or ever.

[Baronvon]

Hello guys, 

Bit of an odd question but I've never seen it addressed anywhere else.

Basically you'll all have noticed that when you've got a slender lead heading into the last 20 minutes or so the AI will often adjust it's tactics to all out attack with their players literally sprinting to take corners and set pieces. 

The thing is...I seem to be completely unable to make my players do the same whilst in a losing position. I've even tried copying the AI tactics (attacking, pressing, committed tackling) but my players will never, ever show the same urgency to get on with play as the AI does whilst losing.

Anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks

[Marc Vaughan]

Changing the mentality to attacking will make your players more (err) attacking in nature - this comes at a risk as it'll mean they push forward more and are likely to try and 'rush' plays a little, passing faster meaning there is an increased risk of turn-over.

You can also try and speed up attacking by going more direct/long and cutting out the fancy midfield stuff somewhat .... how you want to approach things depends on your management style ...

PS - I also tend to combine the above with 'pressing' to try and get the ball back when we lose it

[Baronvon]

Yeah, I've tried that but it doesn't seem to quite achieve what I want though I think I described it badly the first time.

I'm more talking about showing urgency when retrieving the ball after it goes out of play. For instance, when I'm defending a slender lead against the AI late in the 2nd half if they win a corner their player will sprint to retrieve the ball, set it down and cross it back into play without pause. When the situation is reversed and I'm chasing the game, despite using the above settings, my players never seem in that much of a rush to get the ball back into play. They won't sprint to get the ball back to take the corner/free kick/whatever. They won't even taken it particularly quickly. Even tried copying the tactics the AI goes for but I still can't get the same urgency that they do.

Bit tricky to explain but hopefully that makes more sense.

[Marc Vaughan]

Some of that depends on the personalities of the players on the team, not just the tactics you set - if you have people who have strong characters and a will to win they'll rush back to the center circle with the ball ... generally high work rate, determination, leadership and decent morale ... ambition also helps behind the scenes.

(at a guess you've loaded your team with kids?)

[Baronvon]

Aha, you could have solved the mystery! Currently seven seasons into my first game having started unemployed and at most of the teams I've managed I'd had to focus on young players or deal with coming into a club with a lot of pre-existing player unrest and bad attitudes. So yeah...that definitely makes sense.

Thanks! Just taken over the Arsenal job and their squad is mostly seasoned pros (who are starting to feel age catching up with them...) so I'll see if a more experienced side makes a difference.