I read in some preview , that you can score long range shot more often ( in 99 you couldn`t at all , unless a goalie is off) ,but do they call a shot from a box line 'long range'? I tried to shoot from '25-35 meters' (as it seems in proportion) and it always goes to goalie , wide or ... IN THE CROSSBAR!!! And it strikes crossbar even more, than the goalie!
So are the free kicks - It all goes in the 'wall' or wide, and you need to curl it in the other direction , if you want it to go where you want - I have to orient by the middle of the arrow , not by it`s end.
Has anyone scored long range?

I have scored long range from about 25 yards straight on outside the box. It was with Suker who has a high shot rating. I've also scored sucessfully from about 30 yards by running a diagonal toward the corner of the box and ripping one into the upper right. But, these are rare... and most of the time it does go straight to the keeper at the same exact pre-determined ball height that seems to plague this game. Why don't EA understand the concept of << independent ball movement >>? Not some player to player magnet crap where the ball seems to take the same path every single time. Also, you might notice that the keeper always seems to be right in the middle of the goal and if you watch on a replay the ball will curve toward the keeper's hands on most shots. Plus, i've seen the keeper with his back turned away before a shot is taken, and then he magically turns toward the ball when the shot is about 2 meters from goal. You just don't see any realistic pushes over the bar. They have that arm swing thing where the ball loops back... but what about the diving one arm push type of thing that you see all the time.

Also, i've noticed on free kicks that the idiot AI makes your player actually block your own shot when you want to put a curler into the top corner. The whole free kick system is totally wacked out -- just watch how the players approach the ball on a free kick... they are straight on to the ball with the ball right between their legs --- no angled approach. Plus, the keeper seems to be able to move from one end of the goal to the other with superhuman speed.

Yes,I agree.
And an addition - from the replay I found out, that the AI knows, where the shot is going , cause the keeper seems never to try save the shots, that go wide, and especially at the post, or crossbar.

Question:
Most of you seems to be English here, but I live in Ukraine , and don`t know , what`s 'yard' ( I mean ,I know, that it`s english measure of length, like 'foot'), but I don`t know ,what`s it in meters.

1 yard is just slightly less than a meter. Its like 91.44 cm
3 feet / 36 inches
1 meter = ~39 inches

I agree totally beavis huh huh huh huh huh huh huh huh huh huh.
Seriously though, that problem with free kicks can be sorted by changing the type of free kick - the strategy button.
The blocking player should then move - but he will come back - so use this time window to take your free kick.
It worked for me and after a while it's very easy to score free kicks from just outside the box.

i have scored once from about half way between the edge of the penalty box and half way. the player was beckham. i just shot and it went in the top left hand corner.