Looking for help improving success of crosses

[anagain]

So I started my FM19 save with Eastleigh and cross success rate was usually pretty poor. I put this down to the level of football in the NL.

Recently I got offered the Charlton Athletic job in the Championship and expected a much better cross success rate. Whilst I do more often play with IFs I do see crosses coming in and still find that the success rate is poor.

I don't see what else I can do but train crossing.

I'm wondering if this is down to the match engine. When I watch the games I do find that wingers and wing backs tend to take far too long to get their corsses in. I can have a winger clear on the wing and able to get an uncontested cross in to the box where forwards are waiting. They don't do this though. More often than not they wait to send the cross in and give opposition fullbacks time to block the cross. 

At half time in my current match I'm at 0% cross success rate for 5 of the 6 players that have attempted crosses. The other player is at 25%. Every cross that is shown in highlights shows the same extra touches that allow the defender to block.

Is there any way to improve this or am I really just limited by the match engine? I like to think that SI wouldn't let things be this bad in game after testing, therefor I assume it must be me.

[Dr.Y]

  There are two different situations: 1, crossing is blocked by defender; 2, can crossing into the box but can not be touched by the striker. Your situation seemed more like the first. So my suggestion is that, try to change the whole passing system, that means, using more direct passing TI, this will change the whole tempo and how your players behave when they have the ball. Fullbacks on support or defend role, to make more 45° crossing. Also, try to use more crossing TI.

  On the other hand, if you use shorter passing as team instruction, for example Tiki-Taka style, there is little you can do to improve crossing success rate. If you search for the real match average crossing success rate for some Tiki-Taka team such as Man City, you may find it is also very low.

[2calvin]

8 hours ago, anagain said:

 

Yep there's an issue with blocked crosses. Ever since the release tbh and despite a couple of patches trying to fix it. You'll find threads in the bug section

[anagain]

56 minutes ago, Dr.Y said:

  There are two different situations: 1, crossing is blocked by defender; 2, can crossing into the box but can not be touched by the striker. Your situation seemed more like the first. So my suggestion is that, try to change the whole passing system, that means, using more direct passing TI, this will change the whole tempo and how your players behave when they have the ball. Fullbacks on support or defend role, to make more 45° crossing. Also, try to use more crossing TI.

  On the other hand, if you use shorter passing as team instruction, for example Tiki-Taka style, there is little you can do to improve crossing success rate. If you search for the real match average crossing success rate for some Tiki-Taka team such as Man City, you may find it is also very low.

I play a shorter passing game with instructions to counter fast when we win the ball back. We get the ball forward quick, but the end result is often as you suggested. The ball is blocked by the first defender. I had a very frustrating issue in my last game. I watched as the ball went out left to a wide player and saw three or four players flood in to the box. A quick ball in would have found one, but my wide player waited and the defender got back in position.

I do have a little more success with a 442 than I was 433 with IFs, but it's marginal.

I tend to play an assymetrical 442 with a more advanced IF on the left. My MR is set to cross more often. I've tried the 'hit early crosses' TI with little improvement.

Thanks for the ideas though. I don't really want to forego some of the nice passing my team is showing in midfield for a very direct game. I really am inclined to believe there are issues with FM19 regarding crosses. I've seen it said by a few people. I always like to think my tactics aren't perfect and that with experimentation I can get around whatever issues there. Quite often issue like this that are commonly reported are more people not trying to get around poor tactics, but maybe it just is so in FM19.

 

[anagain]

34 minutes ago, 2calvin said:

Yep there's an issue with blocked crosses. Ever since the release tbh and despite a couple of patches trying to fix it. You'll find threads in the bug section

As it been officially stated by SI? I've heard it said by a few people, but often it can be bad tactics and people just assume it's some reported issue.

Not doubting you, just curious if it's official.

[Dr.Y]

  https://www.football365.com/news/what-we-learn-from-passingcrossing-statistics  I just found an article wroten in 2017, that Sterling in Man City, who has the completion ratio of crossing of 7.5%, on the other side, Mahrez (Leicester) has the crossing completion ratio of 28.1% that season. So as I see, this is mainly the tactical issue, not the game engine. Even for the top players, your can not expect a rate more than 30%. Some people complain about the low crossing success rate, maybe they just don't want to give up shorter passing style. For shorter passing tactic, crossing is never a main attacking mode.

[anagain]

Yeah, I was googling earlier for PL cross success rates. I was a little surprised at what I found. Maybe I do need to rethink how I'm scoring the goals and be a little less critical of crossing.

It's not like my team is struggling to score, by the way. I do see a fair few attampts to get the ball in the box though, and so many hit the first defender. I'd be happy with a cross success rate of 28%. It's when I'm seeing 5% that I'm bemused.

I'll plug on and see if I can't improve things anyway. 

It's actually true to say I have bigger problems at Charlton anyway. Took over a team £50k a week over thir wage budget. It's been put on my head to ease the financial problems. Made some money but still could get to the wage budget they wanted so couldn't sign anyone. Got to stay mid table on a weakened squad now.

All makes the game more fun.

[anagain]

Might be that I'm being a little harsh on my team, or a little misunderstanding of FM. Just witnees a nice cross in to the box that the striker just failed to get on to. In my book that's a successful cross, but FM has it down as failed.

I know people will ask "what is successful about a ball cleared", and I'd say "at least he didn't hit the first man this time".

Just need more pressure in the box now.

[CARRERA]

On 01/06/2019 at 12:37, anagain said:

As it been officially stated by SI? I've heard it said by a few people, but often it can be bad tactics and people just assume it's some reported issue.

Not doubting you, just curious if it's official.

Yes it’s official, just Look at ME bugs Forum. Players just randomly Cross the ball straight into defenders instead of cut back Passes or 1v1 the defender. 

You cant do much about it other than trying to be more direct. and hopefully get into the Box with Passes 

[Vali184]

This was deliberately done by SI to lower the cross rate success to mimic the reality because they couldn't think of a better solution. This is linked with the static strikers and the midfielders not being able to turn and try a risky pass aka through ball. The result is an exaggerated amount of crosses (or attempts) each match because the ball ends up on the wings more often than it should.

I wonder why the ball always goes into a corner when the fullback deflects the cross. I've never seen it going back into play. I still try to play this edition of FM every few days, but unfortunately I can't, maybe I have OCD. And no, I don't lose games, it's not my tactic, I qualify to the CL every year with an average team that is on a tight budget and can't attract better players (Real Madrid is filthy rich and are overpowered in LaLiga ). I just don't like this year's match engine.

[afailed10]

I kind of agree with you @Vali184. Don't wan't to start a rant but this ME is not much pleasurable to watch for me. AMC's have poor movement and struggle to impact games against defensive teams which then force you to play wide and what you see 80% of the time in game highlight's is a blocked cross and then a corner or a throw in. Frustrating. (I have no problems winning but it's just so frustrating to watch).

[Dfs]

2 hours ago, Vali184 said:

I wonder why the ball always goes into a corner when the fullback deflects the cross. I've never seen it going back into play.

I didnt check that but it might be because you play on comprehensive and that tends to show you situations where cornes are won. I definitely seen some crosses deflected to the touchline.

[Vali184]

Yes, I watch the matches on comprehensive highlights. It's not a rant what I said, it's just my opinion, I imagine how hard it is to balance a game like Football Manager and I know that the developers are doing their best, but this year the end result wasn't what I expected. The match engine should be their top priority, and not improving other modules like scouting and training. Yes, the new training menu is awesome and feels closer to reality, but most of us are playing (or not) this game for its match engine. I would love to help you with your crossing problems, but it's beyond me.

[pheelf]

It would help others to help you if you posted a screenshot of the tactic you are using alongside the attributes of the players you expect to deliver the crosses and the players you expect to be on the end of them. Otherwise, all that can be done is to speculate as to what the problem could be which isn't all that useful for you.

Best Regards

[WFaithorn98]

On players individual instructions, you can tell them where to aim crosses, Near post, front post, centre, target man. Which of those would be best to get the highest crossing percentage?

I play with one advanced forward (Formation 4-4-1-1), my first choice striker is 6ft, my second choice is 6ft6, both have good off the ball attributes, I'm guessing similar for anticipation.

[Vali184]

Again, someone that mistakes SI's inability to code a better behavior for the central defenders with a 'tactical issue'... (the crossing issue stems from the inability of strikers to move and lose their marker in the final third or drag a defender with them to create space, and of attacking midfielders to turn around with the ball and pass it forward. They pass it to wide players more often.)

The result? Insane amounts of long shots and crosses. 

[herne79]

9 hours ago, Vali184 said:

Again, someone that mistakes SI's inability to code a better behavior for the central defenders with a 'tactical issue'... (the crossing issue stems from the inability of strikers to move and lose their marker in the final third or drag a defender with them to create space, and of attacking midfielders to turn around with the ball and pass it forward. They pass it to wide players more often.)

The result? Insane amounts of long shots and crosses. 

I'd really leave SI's coding ability out of the equation.  It implies they are incompetent and that strays towards abuse of SI staff which is not tolerated on these forums.

If you want to have a moan about the ME or provide feedback about it (preferably constructive) please use the relevant threads in the General Discussion forum.  Or raise / contribute to a Bug report.  If you want to discuss tactical options on a variety of subjects or ask for help then you're welcome to.

I'm trying to help you here - help you to understand there is a line between having a moan and being rude, and crossing that line is not a good idea.  So please help yourself by being more considerate in your posts.