Best type Defensive Central Midfielder

[Flip]

Hi all,

Using an overall good 4-2-4 tactic that has served me well but there is one major issue

I have 2 central midielders. The MRC is set to Advanced Playmaker and generally plays well, passes well, gets good rating etc.

The MCL is set to Ball Winning Defender and tbh if the player (doesn't matter which player) gets above a 6.6 rating that is considered a good game.

This is rather irriating because no matter who plays they get crappy ratings. Also my team leaks goals, and usually either from counter attack or passing it from the middle at theh end of my penalty box to their wide men to cross. In both of these scenarios the BWM should be trying to win the ball or close down but almost always the game seems to pass him by.

As such, are there any other defensive types of instructions people could advise that they have had success with (Central Midfield Def or Deep Lying Playmaker Def are two I was thinking about).

The aim of this position is to move the ball towards my more advanced and creative players in offence and most importantly to screen the defence (which so far it doesn't do well at all).

Any suggestions would be welcome.

[Flip]

To answer my own question I have done some testing and using the same tactics etc but changing Ball Winning Midfielder (Defend) to Deep Lying Playmaker (Defend) results in improved performance (both ratings and actual gameplay) after 5 games.

The player(s) actually do defensive duties, tracking back into the box, getting interceptions as well as pressing higher up the pitch, winning the ball back and starting attacking moves, basically what the BWM was supposed to do.

Is the BWM position broken or perhaps is it best used in an actual DM position, perhaps as part of a 3 man central midfield?

[cklambo]

Sven Bender is my best DM. He does nothing but win the ball & destroy the opposition. Don't expect him to make thru balls or score goals.

[oktaysu]

lucas romero is the best dmc

[RawKnee]

Originally posted by oktaysu:

lucas romero is the best dmc

yep,romero does the job perfectly,and playing besie him is tieleman

[Liu Kang]

considering most teams play 4 in midfield and you play 2, it's no wonder why your team leaks goals and the 2 midfielders don't perform well - they are very much outnumbered.

[Flip]

Originally posted by Happy_Toaster11:

considering most teams play 4 in midfield and you play 2, it's no wonder why your team leaks goals and the 2 midfielders don't perform well - they are very much outnumbered.

Technically I play 4 in midfield but the two wide men occupy the AMR and AML roles as Inside Forwards but yeah, see your point, most do like to pack their midfield tight.

It is true this is not designed to be an Iron Curtain tactic, it is a goalscoring and controlling tactic and I do accept goals will happen.

What bothers me though is how broken the BWM position seems to be. Average of 6.0 - 6.6 a game irritates the hell out of me but what irritates me more is how the game seems to pass them by. I knew in 2014 this position was broken and the CM - Defence was better (kept shape better), seems this year this has not been fixed (Note: From my experience, could be it does great in another formation).

DLP - Defend seems to fair better. They actually track back, get into the box, get interceptions as well as press and tackle up the field, overall get more involved. Ratings are not that far improved. Seen from 5.8 - 8.9 but average around 6.8 - 7.2.

I have testing on Premiership teams and players such as Romero and the results are actually not that different, the defensive Mid tends to get lower ratings.

I do wonder if this is just how the rating systems work, defensive types will always get low ratings because the game doesn't take into account what they do (i.e a tackle that leads to a pass to a winger who crosses to a striker that leads to a goal is an example of a player doing a great job but the game seems to think "meh")? Since I now changed to DLP - D I have been much more solid defensivly, even keeping a couple of cleansheets or conceding the odd goal in the 80+ min.

[Liu Kang]

Originally posted by Nevan:

Originally posted by Happy_Toaster11:

considering most teams play 4 in midfield and you play 2, it's no wonder why your team leaks goals and the 2 midfielders don't perform well - they are very much outnumbered.

Technically I play 4 in midfield but the two wide men occupy the AMR and AML roles as Inside Forwards but yeah, see your point, most do like to pack their midfield tight.

It is true this is not designed to be an Iron Curtain tactic, it is a goalscoring and controlling tactic and I do accept goals will happen.

What bothers me though is how broken the BWM position seems to be. Average of 6.0 - 6.6 a game irritates the hell out of me but what irritates me more is how the game seems to pass them by. I knew in 2014 this position was broken and the CM - Defence was better (kept shape better), seems this year this has not been fixed (Note: From my experience, could be it does great in another formation).

DLP - Defend seems to fair better. They actually track back, get into the box, get interceptions as well as press and tackle up the field, overall get more involved. Ratings are not that far improved. Seen from 5.8 - 8.9 but average around 6.8 - 7.2.

I have testing on Premiership teams and players such as Romero and the results are actually not that different, the defensive Mid tends to get lower ratings.

I do wonder if this is just how the rating systems work, defensive types will always get low ratings because the game doesn't take into account what they do (i.e a tackle that leads to a pass to a winger who crosses to a striker that leads to a goal is an example of a player doing a great job but the game seems to think "meh")? Since I now changed to DLP - D I have been much more solid defensivly, even keeping a couple of cleansheets or conceding the odd goal in the 80+ min.

Yeah thats spot on aswell, im sure the ratings are, lets say less effective for central midfield players as it doesn't take into account things like pass competion rate and tackles, but it does for defenders i know as a defender can get a rating of 8.1 and motm by obtaining a 66% tackle completion rate and of course a decent pass completion percentage.

[Flip]

Yeah I think the ratings could be tightened up to reflect. Last game my DPL made 12/18 tackles, 5 interceptions, 3/5 headers and 47/53 passes. He made a great tackle in my half, passed to the forward who then slide the ball to my other forward to score as well. Rating: 6.8

Now I know he does a great job but it gets irritating when fans start calling for player to be dropped.

One way to "game" the system in a sense I have found is having the DM to take corners. I play with short corners (basically he passes to a guy just inside the box) so corner stat is irrelevant. I did this in the lower leagues and could bump up ratings into 7's due to what I believe is goal scoring opportunity passes and a few assists. However, now I am in the championship (and Uefa cup yay) I have stopped since I want more defence against a counter-attack so no longer a realistic option.

[Nate]

Lucas Romero is one of the best DM prospect in this game I think. He'll develop quickly during first few seasons and steadily after that. If you are starting a new save, buy him quickly for 11-14M pound.

Best position: DM - Deep lying playmaker
Consistent 85-90% passing completion.
9-11 Tackling rate

Originally posted by Nevan:

Is the BWM position broken or perhaps is it best used in an actual DM position, perhaps as part of a 3 man central midfield?

I think its just how the game works. It rewards more "offensive" or "positive" play that usually leads to goals. Like Lucas Romero in my save:

Consistent 85-90% passing completion.
9-11 Tackling rate
His ratings rarely goes above 7.3 or 7.2 unless he scores or assist.

The BWM role is to disrupt plays and cycle possession and usually not involve in offensive plays. Thats how this kind of player will get low ratings eventough he racks up some good stats. Imagine players like Gattuso, Keane or Gilberto Silva or Sami Khedira.