Marking A Position

[FMunderachiever]

Hello Everyone

 

Im a bit unsure on this.

 

On the PI screen for a player, there are two options available if you want to choose them. You can mark a specific player, OR you can mark a position from a drop down menu.

 

Im unsure how this fits with the overall team instructions.

 

For example, recently ive been experimenting with a pressing strategy where I am telling my two central midfielders to mark the opposition central midfield POSITION. And then, I have my full backs marking the opposition AML and AMR positions, with the intention they will block crosses.

 

I intend to press in such a way that we retain a compact shape and people don't get dragged out of position in the way they might if I told my players to "man mark" an opponent, but then when the opponent has the ball in that area to go in forcefully and win it to create a fast transition.

 

But the intention is to let the opposition HAVE the ball in certain areas of the field, but create a more intense mentality to WIN IT BACK in certain areas of the field.

 

But I don't know how this fits with team instructions and our opponents. What I cant really detect from the match engine is:

 

1) If I tell a player to mark a position, lets say central midfield, how big is the "area" that they mark? Is this instruction telling them to only engage the opponent if the ball/opponent is in that area of the field?

 

2) If I play for example a deep defensive line and deep line of engagement, then this will sit my central midfielders deeper. So if I want them to mark the opposition POSITION of central midfield, they'll end up too high up the field relative to the low block shape which I don't want? what im aiming to do is not mark a specific man, but I do want these players to go and win the ball in tandem with each other.

The same thing applies to high pressing. if I have 2 CM's and a high LOE and defensive line, then my players are too high to be marking the central midfield area.

In these two scenarios, should I be telling my players to mark the position of DM (for low block) or AM (for high press) instead?

 

3) Im thinking logically for this to work, you would need your players to "regroup" as a transition instruction? because there would be no sense in telling my central midfielder to mark the opposition central midfield position if we were counter pressing? because my central midfielder might have moved out of position and will go and press the ball in a different area of the field. I don't want my own shape to be exposed that way.

 

4) If the opposition changes its formation during the game, I guess all the instructions are rendered irrelevant? like if the opposition moves its central midfielders back into the DM positions then they will only be closed down IF they enter the CM part of the field?

 

In which case, can you see in a view in the match engine when a team has changed its formation? I find it hard to pick up this on highlights unless its really obvious like totally changing formation.

 

Hope this question makes sense

 

Thanks Everyone