[Suggestion] Remove the following locks on player roles

[pauly15]

1. Add an ability for central defenders and BDPs to make forward runs. Example, Conte's use of Azpilucueta at CB last year:

This instruction would also allow you to play more Dutch / Latin style of football.

 

2. Remove the cap on advanced playmaker's pressing. 

A very typical idea in the 4-3-3 (as in, I've coached 13 year olds to do it as part of our National Curriculum) is for the 3 attackers and one midfielder to play an advanced role in a press. Here is a 49 second video I made for a national youth team last year. Take note at 0:32 of the positioning/pressing of the #10. It's not just something that happens in a 4-2-3-1. 4-3-3's don't just press with 3 attackers and the midfield sitting deep.

With the 4-3-3 AP in CM capped at standard, this very simple football idea is unworkable:

This is the probably the best you can achieve, and it makes it easy for them to play out:

The only way you can get a CM to play a part in a more advanced press, is to use him in a BWM(s) role, which is ridiculous.

Don't get me wrong, there are probably some global TIs that can get you slightly better than that, but you shouldn't be stopped from playing a slightly lower line of engagement and having the AP in CM join in. As the video I posted above shows, the first thing the striker does is WAIT - note the head-check- for the correct support from the #11 and #10 for when he choses to start their press by arching his run, blocking the central passing lanes and attacking the ball carrier.

 

3. I've noted several locks on striker that prevent idiosyncratic play and prevent you from setting things up the way you want. Here and Here.

4. Wing backs should not have "dribble more" (attacking role) and "dribble wide with ball" (all roles) locked. There are limitless examples of attacking wing-backs who play simple football. There are different styles: a Latin American wing back may dribble often, but an Italian or English wing back? I wouldn't say Kyle Walker or Trippier dribble often or dribble wide with the ball, they play simple but aggressive/attacking. I wouldn't say Marcos Alonso dribbles often... Victor Moses played as an attacking wing back last year for Conte, often arriving on the far post to score goals, he certainly wasn't instructed to dribble often though. 

 

The problem with roles at the moment is that it's always a compromise. If you want X player to position themselves like an attacking wing-back, or target man, or whatever, you're forced into a particular style and set of instructions which completely goes against two things:

- Culturally, football is be played in many different styles. The definition of "attacking" varies. An attacking Dutch player and an attacking Argentine player shouldn't be expected (forced) to do the same things, even if they occupy the same areas on the pitch.

- What has always been the core joy of FM, is being able to define your own style. Excessive locks like the above make that more difficult to achieve. They make you feel like you're locked into someone else's interpretation, because you are.

 

What I'd suggest as a solution for the above is a blank role for every position. You have already removed sliders and wibble-wobble, so utterly ridiculous settings that break the engine aren't going to be possible. Blank, or more blank roles will shift the needle a bit further back to being able to define things for yourself, because I think the locks have gone too far and detract from what was great about the game.

[Johnny Ace]

I like the idea of more role flexibility but regarding point 1) that does happen in FM with PPMs. I have Boateng at Bayern who I play as a BPD & with his "brings balls out of defence" PPM & he regularly does  

Blank template roles would be awesome. Just a generic role with the ability to set everything in their instructions 

[pauly15]

Just now, Johnny Ace said:

I like the idea of more role flexibility but regarding point 1) that does happen in FM with PPMs. I have Boateng at Bayern who I play as a BPD & with his "brings balls out of defence" PPM & he regularly does  

You can't train it as far as I'm aware. It has to already exist / be passed on by mentoring.

[Johnny Ace]

5 minutes ago, pauly15 said:

You can't train it as far as I'm aware. It has to already exist / be passed on by mentoring.

Interesting, I never knew that 

Yeah, you can @pauly15, it's under Technique training 

[pauly15]

14 minutes ago, Johnny Ace said:

Interesting, I never knew that 

Yeah, you can @pauly15, it's under Technique training 

Ah ok, good to know. Other suggestion RE CBs stands, I'll remove that one. Thanks:)

[Neil Brock]

Reviewed so locked.