Steps to Improve?

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I'm getting higher in age, so I'm sure my reflexes aren't what they once were; however, I'd say I've got pretty good "stick skills", and about average "soccer knowledge"; however, I am having a tough time scoring goals, keeping the ball, getting good crosses, and just feeling like I have any bearing of going off script - I pretty much relegated to trying to get the ball on the side and crossing it. I don't know if I'm just missing how to play this game or if I'm witnessing what others witness and just have no patience...

Playing Professional with manual lobs and through ball. Semi assisted on shooting, cross, pass. Believe it's broadcast or tele cam (the 3/4 view) zoomed and all the way low. Also I'm stating this on comparable teams playing against each other -- More mediocre games than games with really good teams. Most of my games are with Capitol City (career mode) against the same caliber of teams - also note I believe the formation is a 4-4-2 (2) ? It may be the default for that squad.


I guess all manual is just going for it? I played one half of a game all manual and I couldn't do anything but dribble and pass.

Shooting : Even with Semi - I just fail to put the ball on target. I don't know if it's the camera angle or what, but if I'm running and take a shot, the ball just flies probably 40 feet from any post. I'm not quite sure what the feel should be on shots. If I'm running "up and to the left" and want to shoot towards the goalies left, when I start to power up should I be pressing "up and to the right" ? Also, is there a way to keep the shot down and drive it? My shots are either really week or go flying 20 feet above the post. Which means any drive outside of the box, I pretty much don't even try because I can't aim and I can't control the power.

Headers : Are these about timing? When crossing the ball, I usually hit "Shoot" pretty early as that's the only way I can beat a defender and even get my head on it, however like my shot, they either go straight down or way over.

Dribbling: I know the camera angle has a good bit to do with me not having a feel on how to really move graciously, but the bottom line is I can't pull off any moves or get past any defender. On passes, it seems if I turn, the ball is taken away from me. What Am I missing? I know soccer is not a game where you dribble through everyone, however right now my game is pass pass pass because I know if I try to attack or dribble I'm getting knocked off the ball by a defender that shoots at you like a cannon which brings me to

The Computer (offense and defense) : It seems if there's a cross that the computer traps, it goes right down to their leg. If I trap the ball, I can't turn and usually the computer warps through me, bumping me in some stupid animation and takes the ball without me have a chance to do anything. Is there a trap button that keeps possession and allows me to at least turn and take a shot?

Also, the computer seems like they can dribble through everyone. The ball just sticks to them and they can cut on a dime. Meanwhile, if i try to change direction I really have no chance.

And the last thing, does the CPU seem like they're twice as fast and always in the right position on fifty fifty balls? The computer seems to get a ton of through balls with my defender just standing an watching. A lot of my through balls get gobbled up quickly or defenders easily pick up my streaking player out of nowhere and actually beats him to the ball.

When going down the sideline, it doesn't matter if I have a 86 spd vs. 72 spd, I can't separate, in fact the defender outruns me to still the ball. meanwhile, my backs just simply can't keep up with dribbler unless the dribbler decides to cut back. They're also just always in the right place all the time. My cpu guys just don't react the same way as the cpu team?

Last thing is the aggressiveness which goes back to my dribbling. I hit a man in space and I still have NO time to turn or even start an attack because it seems like there's a cpu defender shooting from nowhere and literally KNOCKING me off the ball (my guys don't possess the strength of cpu players). Is this something everyone is experiencing? My teams seems to give room to everyone unless I control a player and put pressure on them, meanwhile the cpu defenders sick me like a school of sharks. I can't imagine how anyone has enough time to pull off any highlight move with complexity, much less a highlight move period. How early should I start the right stick flick fest?


I'm enjoying the game even though I've scored 2 goals in about 20 games despite these things; however these are the things that really frustrate me to no end. And I'm thinking if I point out my frustrations and what I'm seeing, then maybe someone can enlighten me on something I'm missing whether it be a button or it may just be formation/tactics that puts me in tough positions? Or, if others are witnessing similar things that will make me feel a little better. What it comes down too, from other posts is that it seems a lot of you are taking full advantage of the controls and the game, whereas I think I'm missing small things that could really improve the fun factor of this game even more for me.

[Jas8099]

Cosign almost everything.