Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

[jayshaw91]

It is to the point of utter an total frustration. I'm using the USA. On Semi-Pro, when I play the qualifying games, I am beating down the lesser teams like Guatemala, Cuba, and the like with scores of at least 3-1. In most cases I can put up 5-7 goals and clean sheet these teams. I did lose in the WC finals twice (didn't leave group stage first time. Second a late, bad Swiss goal cost me dearly), sadly, but I felt that since I was destroying these lesser teams by such a wide margin I could turn on Pro difficulty and still dominate, but more like 3-1 and 2-1 victories instead of the mammoth beat-downs I was administering.

So, now I'm in Pro difficulty and I cannot for the life of me generate *any* sort of real offense. I'm losing games, usually, 1-0 and 2-0. I think in the 10 or so games I've played on Pro I've scored maybe 4 goals total.

The issues as I see them: the defense is always on top of my ball handlers when in their 1/3 of the field and it is taken away. I cannot get a through ball to save my life. If I am on a rare breakaway, I swear the defender hunts down Altidore/Davies like they're wounded deer.

My style on Semi-Pro was very "ping pong" soccer. Pass, pass, pass. Possess the ball, try to feed the wings and run it up field. Then either cross, shoot, or dump to the center of the field and work on a through ball. That does not work on Pro.

My possession in Pro is usually 55%+, so at least that end of my game has carried over, but my scoring chances have dropped from like 10+ a game to 3.

Anything ya'll have would be appreciated.

[Lecrae]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

I wish I could get that challenge nowadays. First off have you trried editing custom tactics? Here is a list of custom tactics that you can randomly assign to different nations in your qualifying groups and they play better but still have a different feel each time you play.

[jayshaw91]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

I'll take a peek. Not doing them at this point. Any other do/don't stuff for Pro?

[jayshaw91]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

Ah crap... that's for FIFA 10. How would I apply this to WC, specifically? Take the English Premier settings and apply it to England, for example? That simple?

[Lecrae]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

go to the one titled Generic Custom Tactics Chart. Make those settings and just assign them by region as listed in Assigning Tactics To Leagues. Choose at random one of the ones in that area and assign it to a nation.

For example, if your the USA you might use Generic North. You might also assign this tactic to Canada. Then assign Long Fast to Central American teams and Counter Long to all carribean teams. Assign Generic South to Mexico and your good for CONCACAF Qualifying.

Just choose at random one of the tactics that sounds like the nation/region or just choose at random to at least make the games different and at times easier/difficult.

There is another website that does have league tactics for the top leagues in Europe though.

[jayshaw91]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

Good stuff, thanks.

Two more questions: once I get to the WC Finals, I assume I should then assign these to each of the remaining teams? Also, do I need to do this EVERY time I start a new qualifying campaign or does this stick?

[Lecrae]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

You can assign it to a team once and as long as you save it and use the same roster it should carry over. Every team you play and at least the ones with leagues in FIFA 10 that have a list of possible generic tactics you might want to go ahead and give it to them.

[jayshaw91]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

Well, I did not make these changes, but I will report back I've made improvements in my game. Unfortunately for anyone looking for a quick fix, all I've got for you is this: keep playing. The game needs to "slow down" for you.

Don't go for tackles when they're on a 1-1 with you being the sole defender. Try and stay back and cut off their angles. Don't give them a clean shot if you can prevent it. Use the clear button to clear your box if you are under pressure. Nothing worse than trying to pass out and giving away a goal.

For offense, this is where I had problems and learned the most. The defense is relentless on Pro. They just swarm and press. I could get to their final 1/3, but I'd stall out. First, work on your crosses. Second, learn to be aware of all of your players around you, i.e. try not to tunnel vision on your player with the ball. There may be a simple pass and shot that leads to an easy goal. Watch your replays to see if you missed a golden opportunity and learn from that.

Doing a knock-on around a defender or a bridge move to get around a defender is not a gimme like it is on Semi-Pro. Use that left trigger/L2 button to keep the ball close in. Use both triggers to skill dribble and buy time/get around guys. Use the LB/L1 button to stop on a dime and clear space.

Corners... get good at them. They're easy goal opportunities. Send the ball in outside of the goalies box, charge up the shot button and let go right when it is about to hit your defender. That gives a very nice, powerful header at the net.

That's all I have right now. Really, it's just simply fighting through the frustration and getting better at the game offensively. I was losing 3-0 on road games and 2-1 on home games when I started. Now I usually win my homes games and have had numerous draws and close road losses with the occasional win sprinkled in there.

[Randiesel75]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

Jay, good post. Always nice to see someone come back and report to the community on their successes.

[jayshaw91]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

And to back it up a bit more, I just played 2 matches on the road on pro. First versus T&T. They scored one, I went down and immediately got a header corner in to equalize in the 70th minute, then got another game winner shortly after.

Game 2 was versus El Salvador. Computer glitched out and they scored their first. Ball was dribbling at the net, I hit X to clear, and Howard jumped at me, hit the ball off me, and in it went. Total keeper AI WTF there Nobody was near me and it was an easy clear. Anyway, battled for an equalizer and got it. A nice pass across the box to Donovan and I knocked it in the top right corner (remember folks, make those extra passes around the box!). Somehow they got one to take the lead like 2 minutes after my goal. I was not happy as the group is very, very tight from top to bottom and a loss would really hurt. In the 90th minute as time was running out I sent a cross in to the top of the box. Now, instead of my usual method of smacking a header and praying I decided to try a pass (again -extra passes!). It went to Donovan who fired a wicked shot off the keeper, collected his own rebound, and fired in the equalizer!

Mexico is next. This may be the last game of the round. The good news is I'm at home. The bad is it is Mexico. I know if they win they take the group. I think I'm 3rd (I forget - turned it off to go to bed... and here I sit typing!!!) and believe a tie will allow me to advance. I'll just win and call it good

The offense is finally making a lot of sense to me. It's sooooo much tougher than pass, pass, through ball and easy 1-1 goal that you get on Semi Pro.

[Randiesel75]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

Are you adjusting your in-game tactics during game play? What formations are you playing with?

[jayshaw91]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

Usually I go with Offensive and stay there for most of the game unless I feel I've got 'em on the ropes (totally controlling the ball) and can press to get one in, or if I'm down and it is late. In those cases I got Ultra Offensive.

I'll use balanced if up and it is getting late in the match. For some reason I am worse using Defensive. I feel like the CPU controls the match too much and my around-net D is too shaky to let that happen, so I stay Balanced. I'll play keep-away late and am pretty much just trying to get the ball as far down field (and hopefully controlled) as I can.

Using 4-2-2-2 right now. I used 4-2-3-1 when in Semi-Pro and loved it. I didn't like it on Pro because I felt it was too difficult when I started to feed my loan striker. Now that my passing and "game vision" is much better than before, I may revert back. I like having 5 guys in the middle, and I like the 3 options at the top of the box, as it allows, I feel more options for long shots and passes down low.

[Randiesel75]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

I'll use balanced if up and it is getting late in the match. For some reason I am worse using Defensive. I feel like the CPU controls the match too much and my around-net D is too shaky to let that happen, so I stay Balanced. I'll play keep-away late and am pretty much just trying to get the ball as far down field (and hopefully controlled) as I can.

I am of the same opinion. If I am up and switch to defensive, I actually play worse. I still have not figured this out. So, for the most part I am always balanced unless I am down and the time is running short on the match.

If you're on XBL, hit me up. Would be good to hit the pitch in a 4-star match.

[Lecrae]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

Defensive is pretty much useless in the game because your AI will play more relaxed and not press like they should so they're basically just standing around.

[jayshaw91]

Re: Another guy begging for help on Pro difficulty (WC2010)

That explains it, Lecrae And yes, I felt that the defense was pretty much useless. That should get fixed. In my mind, this should primarily control the depth of your defenders/mids. It would also make your mids/forwards more offensive/defensive minded as appropriate. If you go offensive, your defenders move up a bit more than normal. If Ultra... they're WAY up there. Defensive and they're dropping back a bit more where Ultra has your mids playing the midfield line. Your strikers would be only looking for easy passing lanes and not really trying to stretch the D.

Just my view...