One thing that always works for me defensively, is making sure that the "closing down" instruction is set to AT MOST, half, of my entire back four.
This includes the full backs, unless I'm playing a team that plays the 4-1-2-2-1 variation of the 4-5-1 (the wingers in that system get plenty of space in the wide areas against my narrow 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 setup, so I like to be nice and tight but still not ridiculously high closing down).
I think what you will find is that once you find a "closing down" instruction for your entire back four, or maybe individual instructions for each, you will keep your defensive shape better. The most successful back lines in FM are the ones that stay as a single unit of 4 across the pitch the best of times. So if you see one of your center backs pushing too far out, or maybe a full back caught up the pitch with his marking, consider scaling it down a bit and try and make sure that they are in a solid line.
I use this defensive tactic all the time, and it seems to help me out pretty well everywhere I go.
This includes the full backs, unless I'm playing a team that plays the 4-1-2-2-1 variation of the 4-5-1 (the wingers in that system get plenty of space in the wide areas against my narrow 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 setup, so I like to be nice and tight but still not ridiculously high closing down).
I think what you will find is that once you find a "closing down" instruction for your entire back four, or maybe individual instructions for each, you will keep your defensive shape better. The most successful back lines in FM are the ones that stay as a single unit of 4 across the pitch the best of times. So if you see one of your center backs pushing too far out, or maybe a full back caught up the pitch with his marking, consider scaling it down a bit and try and make sure that they are in a solid line.
I use this defensive tactic all the time, and it seems to help me out pretty well everywhere I go.
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