Okay guys, I'm having some problems against the computer.

I've recently had some more time to play WE6:FE and have finally felt comfortable enough to start a ML on Normal. I've been doing fairly well, having been promoted to D2 within the first season, winning the tiny cup and so on. I've also aquired a number of decent players.

Currently I'm tops in the D2 league after about 10 matches. I went out of the Cup in the quarters to Barca (who I then bought Keane from right quick).

Anyway, I seem to have hit a bit of a playing slump and have been having some old defensive problems and also trouble scoring goals. I've started to get kinda fed up as it really seems like the CPU is superior in so many ways no matter who they are.

Yes, sometimes their players react to the ball and recover much faster than my guys, but that's not really what gets me. What's really bugging me is how their players move off the ball both on offense and defense. I've tried various strats, the use of through balls, various formations, and I still can get my guys to make super runs and really move into space and spread out. The computer is ridiculous with this, always having someone open on offense and always completely marking my guys on defense. It's very hard for me to find any space offensively. The CPU defense is back instantly and always marking everyone. Even if there is a bit of space around a player, usually they'll wait for the pass and the CPU will just run through, on a perfect line, and take the ball no problem. Is there something I can do about this, either gameplay or formation wise?

It also doesn't help that I'm completely afraid to be anywhere near a defender when I have the ball. The reason for this is that the CPU seems nearly impossible to "struggle" against. If a defender comes at me as I'm running the side line and our players begin to struggle I will always lose almost no matter who I am. The CPU will just be faster and stronger and get me off the ball instantly, even if I'm super fast Babangida or strong Roy Keane. And when I'm on defense, it's the opposite. I've had strikers take a perfect shot and score on me with the likes of Ferdinand AND Diatta hanging off them. It's like they don't even notice. There have been instances with Roy Keane tugging on an opposing midfielder the entire length of the field hardly even slowing the guy down. He just keeps bowling forward and eventually takes and shot or makes a nice pass. What's worse, when I'm tugging in a situation like this and the guy with the ball is closing in on my defense I'll sometimes use square and call up a defender to tackle while i'm struggling with him. What does the CPU do here? They dribble AROUND my onrushing defender. A nice perfect little touch around his clumsy tackle WHILE I'm still hanging off him with Keano. This just kills me when I get scored on like this. I had thought I was really getting the hang of struggling, using a mix of sprinting and holding X to hold the player back and win the ball. No longer. Tips? Am I just imaginging things or does the computer do this?

Something else that might have to do with formation is my ability to cut out passes. The CPU always intercepts my passes and has special animations where they stick a foot out and take the ball away. I can't do this, and often enough when I switch to a player who is in position to take a pass I'll end up missing the pass completely cause I can't quite be accurate enough with the direction I run. Can't they be a little forgiving with this and have a nearby defender just sort of automatically intercept a pass if you've moved near it? I've gotten better at anticipating the CPU's attack, but I'm having trouble doing anything about it and closing off passing lanes. I've had passes go right by my feet, and last game a through ball that ended up in the back of the net thanks to a nearby striker went literally inches in front of TWO of my defenders, one of which I was controlling. They did nothing.

Perhaps the biggest thing that is bugging me right now is this tendency, which has come out of nowhere, for one of my center backs to just vacate the box and seemingly run away from the ball. If a player is breaking into the top of the box, sometimes (often Ferdinand since he's in that position) will run away from the ball and give the guy all kinds of space. This can also happen with marking, leaving someone completely open right on one of my posts for an easy put in. What is up with this? I've heard of the "Moses Bug" but I thought this was NOT present in Final Evolution. Any ideas?

And finally, one offensive question, though I really have many. And no, this isn't about shot placement, though I do seem to suck at that since I hit it straight at the keeper all the time, but about crossing. I do a lot of wing play since I've got some good wing players in Kilbane, Becks, and Babangida. I use cross option 5, and I do score sometimes, but often my crosses don't go where I want them or aren't perfect enough. I witness the CPU do absolutely perfect cross from ALL over the place all the time. How do I do this? For the most part I use L1+O because the double tap circle is always intercepted. the triple tap is the one I love, but it always gets intercepted too. I'm not even sure quite how I'm directing the crosses, if at all, and even with option 5 which is supposed to be manual it still seems pretty automated, though not quite automated enough... I'd like to do it manually, have complete control, but manual passes I basically never use. Too hard to control.

And finally, perhaps a second offensive question. Recently I've really gotten the hang of the through ball, which can be deadly (of course, the CPU puts perfect balls through my defensive from the half field line, but I'll work up to that...). I screw up a lot of through passes, but often they will lead to the goals I do score. But what about the high through passes? I can see the skill in Keane and Beckham's through passes when compared to others, but I still can't do much with them. The computer just cuts everything out, any tips for the high through balls?

Sorry for the length of this, but I only post when I'm at my wits end and am not sure what I'm doing wrong so there are lots of issues to cover. Any help, on any of them, would be HUGELY appreciated. I know there are some really top level players here, so you guys must've addressed these issues at some point. I often wish there were more gamplay videos I could observe and maybe learn some things from. If these are indeed inherent problems with FE, I really hope they are addressed in WE7.

Thanks

dude , i just read your entire post and i have one comment, get to the point already. you could hav shorten that junk up just a bit. but anyways seems liek your going thru a very nasty slump. im just curious about your starting line. wats your squad. As to your crossing issue i suggest you use the 1st crossing method. its easier to control and setup your crosses. but you hav to remember that if your crossing to a playa wit no vert or heading ability your gonna be stuck. your inability to score is all up to you. the shooting system is just perfect in my opinion. practice and learn how to setup your shots in space, if your on the move when shootin they tend to go wide. make sure ur towards a side and pick a post to aim at. If you balloon alot of shots, pay close attention to your L1 pressing, ive hit a bunch of shots too high by mistakenly pressing that button. also if your playa balloons alot by him self use the r2 button to keep it down. As to your defense thats all you there, you should know wat your doing by now. thats bout it, my only other suggestion would be to sell off any remaining scrubs in your team and get some better playas, the defualt team just cant hack it at the d2 level. luck. your going to need it.

Here is my squad:

4-4-2 Diamond Middle

Strikers-- Robbie Keane, Ricardo Morales (Todorov, just got Di Vaio on lend).
OH-- Zahovic, sometimes Becks
Wingers-- Kilbane, Babangida, Beckham
DH-- Keane (Serna, Tudesco)
Backs-- Silvestre, Ferdinand, Diatta, O'Shea (Carr, Coloccini)
Keeper- Rustu

You didn't have to read the post, you know. Sorry for the length, but I was just trying to be clear.

Well thought out post Donegal. I think it's concise and to the point. Nothing wrong with trying to be clear. Sorry I don't have any answers to your questions - cause basically I suck at this game. I only recently purchased it. I'm hoping you get some questions answered as I'm experiencing some of the same problems. Cheers!

what's up donegal. I'll try to give u some hints. First of all, learning to dribble like a pro is a must. Obviously if a defender is anywhere in the vicinity u're gonna have to walk. However, if they start running at u to try to steal the ball, u gotta know how to turn at the last second right when they reach for the ball. (also, if your back is turned on a defender they can't get the ball, so learning to driblle includes having to dribble a few yards back and up and down (away from defender)!, u can't always go forward or u'll get the ball stolen)

also, u have to learn how to pass off the dribble, for example, allow only 1 second of facing your teammate before you pass. If u face any teammate for more than that, the defender will have enough time to block off the passing lane.

So i guess key is to master your dribble. When the defender comes toward me i am able to dribble around a little and then burn passed him when he's too close to me by turning all of a sudden and run.

ALSO, u gotta learn how to bring up your second defender with the square button. Like in and defensive position, u have to learn how to tap the x or square button, don't hold it. After tapping, let it go and try to run backwards with the defender if u didn't steal, and then tap again. (approaching the defender makes him change his course, but u don't have to hold x or square long enough to actually try to steal the ball, get it? Predict where he'll change direction, and then go for steal.) Remember all this applies to controlling your second defender too.

Well i guess this all comes to you when u get enough practice.