Defence: am I missing something?

[half-fast]

One thing that's starting to get on my nerves about this game is playing Defence. How do you do it? lol. I try to play the same way I do in FIFA, and it seemed to be working for the most part, but now things are getting worse for me.

If I'm not playing zone, that means I'm playing a man on man, or chasing someone down. I do this by sprinting, but when I get close, I have no idea what to do? It manual says Double Tap X(PS4), and that works, but not really. Tapping X once seems to make my player attempt a tackle and almost always fail. Getting in a players way, sees them dribble right through me ... literally, with no moves, they push past me and the ball is usually within leg reach but I dont know how to make my player do anything - he won't reach it, and it seems as though he runs over top of it. Chasing a player down usually results in my player slowing down and giving up, or changing direction when I turn with no attempt at the ball, as if it is still 5 feet away.

Can anyone offer some tips? Thanks in advance!

[LingeringRegime]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

The double X tap takes timing, but you can also try holding down the square button. That will bring an additional teammate over to pressure. Also, holding down R2 will position your player in front of the player with the ball, which makes the double X tap a bit easier to time.

EDIT: I said hold down x, but that is FIFA. It is R2 that you hold down.

[half-fast]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

Thanks again, Lingering. I've tried those, but will again.

[xicpanad]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

Thanks again, Lingering. I've tried those, but will again.

Yeah it takes some patience, and not always work. And I´m glad it doesn´t.
Now, positioning the player first is important, then timing the sprint or X or double X, is also important. And by the way, having strong players is huge, they make a hell of a diference. If CPU is slow dribling I try not to commit all the time, I just try to keep up and cut passing lanes. If he starts sprinting and I´m in good position, then I tackle. Its like for a split of a second, he doesn´t have full control of the ball, and we can use that. But first of all, judge your move, take your time.

[half-fast]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

Yeah it takes some patience, and not always work. And I´m glad it doesn´t.
Now, positioning the player first is important, then timing the sprint or X or double X, is also important. And by the way, having strong players is huge, they make a hell of a diference. If CPU is slow dribling I try not to commit all the time, I just try to keep up and cut passing lanes. If he starts sprinting and I´m in good position, then I tackle. Its like for a split of a second, he doesn´t have full control of the ball, and we can use that. But first of all, judge your move, take your time.

Thanks, just about to play again. Had something interfering with my controller all of the sudden. Figured it out I think, now getting back.

[schlitz73]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

I'm kind of having a similar issue (I play on normal difficulty on PS4) and I don't know what I am doing wrong. I've been playing with an edited team that is somewhat quick and against more average/bad teams so no superstars to be seen. I can almost never beat the CPU in a race for a long ball even though my team has more speed. In one on ones I can't seem to hold the defender off for more than a few steps even using close control. The CPU can hold me off for nearly half the length of the field though, even with two or three defenders pressing hard (holding both square and X). It's just ridiculous! If I do manage to knock the ball away then the CPU just grabs it again as my players seem to just stop and stare at the loose ball.


I'm really starting to get frustrated with the crappy defense and the way it seems the CPU can do things that I cannot. I just don't understand why the CPU seems to able to use close control without slowing down and can hold off 2 defenders with one arm to dribble halfway down the field while I can't hold off one defender for more than 3 steps no matter what I do. I'm not only using sprint either because I know it's easy to lose the ball if you do that. I've tried using close control, skill moves, quick turns, everything... yet I cannot dribble very far at all like the CPU can.

Any advice or suggestions?

[DatIsraeliGuy]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

Tbh, I realized that the best way for me to defend is to control a defender (obviously), then wait for the attacker to come close, and then tap x ONCE, which does a really nice standing tackle, but is different from double tapping because it's way faster, so even if you don't succeed, you can recover really quick, try that!

[schlitz73]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

Tbh, I realized that the best way for me to defend is to control a defender (obviously), then wait for the attacker to come close, and then tap x ONCE, which does a really nice standing tackle, but is different from double tapping because it's way faster, so even if you don't succeed, you can recover really quick, try that!

I do this quite a lot but sometimes it does absolutely nothing. I mean, it shouldn't work 100% of the time or the game would be too easy, but I find it odd that the CPU can just keep dribbling in a straight line for a good 15 meters with 2 and sometimes 3 defenders right on him without using any skill moves, without losing the ball, and without slowing down.

I hate to think the CPU just gets an advantage here but I really can't figure out what I'm doing wrong when I'm in the same situation. I quite literally can't go more than a few steps with a defender on me in the same position even when using close control. I just don't get it. I also find it annoying that even my fastest players can't outrun CPU players with much lower speed in a sprint for a loose ball.

[KG]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

What works for me is just using the jockey button (R2/RT) and trying to slow the CPU down. The aggressive tackle is high risk/high reward. If you get it wrong the CPU is off running down your defense's throat. I try to contain and block off the angle of the passer so he either has to find his 2nd option or risk his pass being deflected.

I still struggle defending the through ball but a combination of what I mentioned above + adjusting your tactics to playing a deep line + having decent players + not giving the CPU time on the ball in the MF to pick out those passes helps. I know it sounds like a lot but it helps. I still get beat when I give the ball away in the midfield and the CPU attack is on me in a flash but if I can get my defense set we're pretty hard to break down. The more I play the less I mash the tackle button.

As for holding off defenders. That's a ratings + feel issue. You have to know your players and anticipate when they are getting ready to be pushed off the ball. I have an AMF that I bought who is really crafty and creative. He can do a lot of neat flicks and one-touch passes but he's young, small, and physically not strong. When guys lean on him I try to turn away or back as quickly as possible. I also have a DMF who's a tank and can hold off just about anyone. He's not dynamic going forward but I don't need him to be.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

What works for me is just using the jockey button (R2/RT) and trying to slow the CPU down. The aggressive tackle is high risk/high reward. If you get it wrong the CPU is off running down your defense's throat. I try to contain and block off the angle of the passer so he either has to find his 2nd option or risk his pass being deflected.

I still struggle defending the through ball but a combination of what I mentioned above + adjusting your tactics to playing a deep line + having decent players + not giving the CPU time on the ball in the MF to pick out those passes helps. I know it sounds like a lot but it helps. I still get beat when I give the ball away in the midfield and the CPU attack is on me in a flash but if I can get my defense set we're pretty hard to break down. The more I play the less I mash the tackle button.

As for holding off defenders. That's a ratings + feel issue. You have to know your players and anticipate when they are getting ready to be pushed off the ball. I have an AMF that I bought who is really crafty and creative. He can do a lot of neat flicks and one-touch passes but he's young, small, and physically not strong. When guys lean on him I try to turn away or back as quickly as possible. I also have a DMF who's a tank and can hold off just about anyone. He's not dynamic going forward but I don't need him to be.

Well said.

This game respects the ratings very well.

With my BAL player I am strong with speed and technique, but my player is weak physically. Occasionally, I can dribble past defenders, but If I try to blast past them with my raw speed I will easily get knocked down and the ball will be dispossessed. I would rather have a game that respects ratings than one where all the players are pretty much carbon copies with a few differences here and there.

[KG]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

Well said.

This game respects the ratings very well.

With my BAL player I am strong with speed and technique, but my player is weak physically. Occasionally, I can dribble past defenders, but If I try to blast past them with my raw speed I will easily get knocked down and the ball will be dispossessed. I would rather have a game that respects ratings than one where all the players are pretty much carbon copies with a few differences here and there.

Yup. It also helps to use the defender's momentum against him. With agile dribblers I try to turn the defender with a combination of slowing down, a flick, and/or a burst of speed. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

[RonMexico1992]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

It all depends on what game speed you are on. In a quicker normal speed game on 12-15 min, the CPU will turn quicker, so you need to be ready for that.

This game, like real life & unlike fifa, forces you to block more shots and passes. Which means double clicking X or A to lunge in and block a pass or steal the ball, or pressing Square or X to dive in front of a shot.

Also, I find knowing when to be in a containing defensive play or when to press and ask for a teammate to come. I also find myself conceding goals when I should have done the opposite of what I did. The CPU is smart in this game, they will counter you. So you have to keep that in mind.

This game forces you to be smart. I have kept many clean sheets on superstar difficulty and it is very rewarding. I have also played dumb and conceded 3 goals in a match. I feel like its honestly harder to score 3 goals then it is to keep a clean sheet, and in real life, for most clubs, thats how it is. Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do & this game is a good representation of that.

This game just requires a good amount of smarts, and accountability on defense and you can have success....

I would just advice learning all the controls & commands, they help a lot.

[Nepox]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

Hey guys, I'm gonna post my question in here because I can't create a own thread yet.

So after over 10 years of fifa, I wanted to play pes this year, because it got hyped like **** this year. However, I don't understand the hype at all.

Especially the AI is ******* frustrating, and I thought it couldn't be worse than in fifa. The AI just keeps passing in their own half for about 20 ingame minutes. I ended up playing with Barcelona against Cordoba, with 70 % possession for cordoba. I mean come on, you can't be serious. They weren't even dangerous, they just kept passing and stayed in possession, and I couldn't do NOTHING while defending (occurs in co-trainer mode as well btw).

I really try to learn this game and enjoy it, but until now I can't, and like I said before I don't get why this game should be better than fifa this year.

Am I doing something wrong? Or what is going on? because it's not fun to play like this.

[Slider79]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

Hey guys, I'm gonna post my question in here because I can't create a own thread yet.

So after over 10 years of fifa, I wanted to play pes this year, because it got hyped like **** this year. However, I don't understand the hype at all.

Especially the AI is ******* frustrating, and I thought it couldn't be worse than in fifa. The AI just keeps passing in their own half for about 20 ingame minutes. I ended up playing with Barcelona against Cordoba, with 70 % possession for cordoba. I mean come on, you can't be serious. They weren't even dangerous, they just kept passing and stayed in possession, and I couldn't do NOTHING while defending (occurs in co-trainer mode as well btw).

I really try to learn this game and enjoy it, but until now I can't, and like I said before I don't get why this game should be better than fifa this year.

Am I doing something wrong? Or what is going on? because it's not fun to play like this.

On Superstar the CPU play so, play on Top Player. maybe manual passing etc. to make it more difficult.

[Nepox]

Re: Defence: am I missing something?

I'm actually playing on top player and it occurs as well. Why should I go manual passing, when it's difficult enough already like this?