Defending - PES 2012

Alright guys been playing PES series for quite a while now (and pretty good at it, including beating beating the s*** out of my friends for years) and I have to say since I got my PES 2012 (us version) 2 days ago, Ive had a pretty hard time defending, which I have to say is the first time it happens in a very long time. Which is awesome, playing the ML will definitely be a challenge now. Im currently just playing cups trying to get GP so that I can get all the classic and extra players get the superstar difficulty to start off my ML...

I have been able to win some games and I do score goals but my defense is just bad, I mean yesterday I was beating Portugal 4 -1 and then I lost the game 5-4 and I have to say im having a hard time defending, any tips? I love the fact that I feel that Konami did change a lot of things this year... thanks!

Same problem here
What I figured out from all of videos, reviews and gameplay, this year the defence is changed from just rushing out to attackers to more tactical defending. So what I'm trying to practise from now on, is to not always pressure the attacking player, but hold him off a bit with R2+pressure, and then in the right time steal the ball with some other player. It's pretty tough, cause the tempo of the game is very fast, but try it and you'll see that if you just hold on the attacker a bit, he stops, unsure what to do, and gives you time to reorganise defence.
So more of a zonal defence aproach this year maybe..

Cracks said:

Same problem here
What I figured out from all of videos, reviews and gameplay, this year the defence is changed from just rushing out to attackers to more tactical defending. So what I'm trying to practise from now on, is to not always pressure the attacking player, but hold him off a bit with R2+pressure, and then in the right time steal the ball with some other player. It's pretty tough, cause the tempo of the game is very fast, but try it and you'll see that if you just hold on the attacker a bit, he stops, unsure what to do, and gives you time to reorganise defence.
So more of a zonal defence aproach this year maybe..

Click to expand...

Agree, started to try this off yesterday and thats how I beat some of the teams, but I think the biggest issue is once theyre closer to ur box when u cant just back off and u gotta tackle them, but u come up empty hehehehee

Cracks said:

Same problem here
What I figured out from all of videos, reviews and gameplay, this year the defence is changed from just rushing out to attackers to more tactical defending. So what I'm trying to practise from now on, is to not always pressure the attacking player, but hold him off a bit with R2+pressure, and then in the right time steal the ball with some other player. It's pretty tough, cause the tempo of the game is very fast, but try it and you'll see that if you just hold on the attacker a bit, he stops, unsure what to do, and gives you time to reorganise defence.
So more of a zonal defence aproach this year maybe..

Click to expand...

Using R2+pressure and knowing when to release R2 while holding pressure is vital in this game. Also it can be very helpful to add a second defender by holding R2,pressure,pass but be careful with it. You don´t have to use this method every time though, just using the left stick to close space, cutting pass lines and using strength to defend against weaker players is important as well.

riquelme10 said:

Agree, started to try this off yesterday and thats how I beat some of the teams, but I think the biggest issue is once theyre closer to ur box when u cant just back off and u gotta tackle them, but u come up empty hehehehee

Click to expand...

Yeah, when they come close to the box it all comes down to quick reflexes, and eventually lots of luck in the end
Also, holding the Pressure 2 button to bring the second defender and covering space with the controlled player works pretty good.

i disagree with the luck thing...defending takes practice...i jockey and sprint and use comp pressure... than at right moment i either slide tackle or pressure

after some heavy losses to the AI and online I think I kinda figured it out, I haven't allowed any goals in the last few games online. I find that defending with the X button is similar to past games, R2 comes into play when you're facing up with the offensive player and you need to tackle..In that case if you press X you are more than likely just run passed the offensive player and get burned. When you're running side by side with the offensive player and use X you will still tackle the ball away from him if you have good position and or a good defender, R2 in that case will cause you to probably commit a foul. So from what I gather so far

SIDE BY SIDE tackling = use the traditional X and the secondary defender if need by just like PES2011, 2010, 2009 and the older PS2 games.

FACE to FACE/ Hold up situations = use X to close the space and when you're close enough R2 to perform the tackle.

Why don't you guys try this, its working well for me, last 7 games online I allowed 1 open field goal, the other I allowed was a PK. Oh and thats mostly against people using Real Madrid or Barca....

Good luck!

DIECI, when 1vs1 face to face, it seems the attacking AI always knows which side you're gonna choose, because most of the times, they do their feint, after I choose which side I'll tackle.
But that can be overcome with multiple defenders.

The real issue for me, is defending when the attacking AI is on a diagonal run... if I use the face-to-face defending, it's a foul, if I just do X, it does nothing... I find it impossible to press them or take the ball away, without fouling.

I started playing SUPERSTAR yesterday and I have to say it is harder and probably the best defense is keep posession of the ball and knowing when to attack.... also not going for a tackle on your own, if theres no one to watch your back, wait... I´ll start my ML soon, lets see how that goes.....

this lunchtime I took some major batterings in my MLO 8-1 and 5-1 i was gutted, my defence would part like the red sea...and he would just get to the byline and cut it back and bang in it goes. i'm thinking my using assists off is handycapping me as if Im not right with the pass the opposition gets it in dangerous areas...my record in MLO is appalling can you start again?

Back to topic I play the R2 all the time, but with some of those speedy players a quick cut and you are staring at shadows.

orlandoSPUR said:

this lunchtime I took some major batterings in my MLO 8-1 and 5-1 i was gutted, my defence would part like the red sea...and he would just get to the byline and cut it back and bang in it goes. i'm thinking my using assists off is handycapping me as if Im not right with the pass the opposition gets it in dangerous areas...my record in MLO is appalling can you start again?

Back to topic I play the R2 all the time, but with some of those speedy players a quick cut and you are staring at shadows.

Click to expand...

I felt the same, passing with unassited especially online where you have other factors like lag and luggishness is really a handicap so I switched to fully assisted passing and it feels a lot like the passing in 2011.

its because you go in for the challenge straight away which means the cpu can pass but i like to organise my defence and go back holding up the play. this year its all about timing

i might give it ago and see if my form improves

Thanks for the advice DIECI. We did indeed get improved AI as we wanted this year

abu97 said:

its because you go in for the challenge straight away which means the cpu can pass but i like to organise my defence and go back holding up the play. this year its all about timing

Click to expand...

BINGO!!! This is exactly right! you need patience timing and coordination.

Guys , if u feel the game is going too fast , I suggest slowing down the game speed to -1 . Cheers

orlandoSPUR said:

this lunchtime I took some major batterings in my MLO 8-1 and 5-1 i was gutted, my defence would part like the red sea...and he would just get to the byline and cut it back and bang in it goes. i'm thinking my using assists off is handycapping me as if Im not right with the pass the opposition gets it in dangerous areas...my record in MLO is appalling can you start again?

Back to topic I play the R2 all the time, but with some of those speedy players a quick cut and you are staring at shadows.

Click to expand...

As MLO is pretty new, expect a few thrashings in the first few weeks, once the divisions sort themselves out you will find more even matches.

take some time to look at the sliders in tactics, these can be manipulated to nullify your opponent. If they play use alot of wing play, try raising the value of your teams compactness, also lowering the defensive line might help. experiment.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePesTutorials#p/u/1/k3OFpCh3Q-I

Help in that ^^

With that said. defending in demo 2 is very difficult, for a few reasons
- controlling player is a bit too lose
- CPU a.i dribbling a bit too powerful wit lesser skilled players on demo1
- Your CPU teammate A.i does poor job at times helping in defense

But i'm happy to confirm, I own full version, and these issues are totally gone.

- controlling defender movement is now more tight in control, as he does a better job staying with the dribbling using left analog stick alone.
- your CPU defensive teammates, play A million times better, allowing you to focus on controlling one man, and paying attention to zones instead.

- The CPU opponent cannot dribble by you at ease because of this. yet the dribbling is not fein. its really a beautiful balance.

PES 12 full version review detailing all of this and more in that link below.. sub for more shit, coming in HD.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePesTutorials#p/u/0/H_fZZnfCi10

Cracks said:

Yeah, when they come close to the box it all comes down to quick reflexes, and eventually lots of luck in the end
Also, holding the Pressure 2 button to bring the second defender and covering space with the controlled player works pretty good.

Click to expand...

This seems to be the trick to defending in PES 2012, although by no means the remedy.

My advice with regards to defending in PES 2012 is to largely forget about the RT 'hold up' function as it has clearly not been properly implemented and attempts to use it against attacking play that moves far too quickly will most likely just leave your defense exposed. A better way to think of the RT/R2 function is as the 'leave gaps function'.

It is a bit sad to say that in PES 2012, you want to let the AI do as much of your defending for you as possible. Use the :square: to call for a team mate to pressure and manouvre the player you are controlling to block any gaps that are opening up wihich your AI controlled defenders aren't dealing with. Worthy to note, is that constantly holding down the RB/R1 button to run when defending is a cardinal sin, only sprint if there is a clear need to sprint.

If your teammate is pressuring well, then it way be worthwhile to snappily hit the LB/L1 in order to change to the teammate in order to make a quick snap tackle, but most of the time you will either give away a freekick or your player will happlessly attack an area of space behind the opposition player.

The bottom line is that defending is fucking awful in PES 2012 because Konami are in the middle of changing the system and have not got enough of it finished in time for the release of this game.

ThePesTuts said:

But i'm happy to confirm, I own full version, and these issues are totally gone.

- controlling defender movement is now more tight in control, as he does a better job staying with the dribbling using left analog stick alone.
- your CPU defensive teammates, play A million times better, allowing you to focus on controlling one man, and paying attention to zones instead.

- The CPU opponent cannot dribble by you at ease because of this. yet the dribbling is not fein. its really a beautiful balance.

PES 12 full version review detailing all of this and more in that link below.. sub for more shit, coming in HD.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePesTutorials#p/u/0/H_fZZnfCi10

Click to expand...

What version of the 'full game' do you have and what region did you get from? i.e. is the game 1.00, 1.01, etc?

I have pre-ordered the UK release for the PC and in the meantime, am enjoying my 'unofficial trial full version', which has been patched to 1.01. Whilst their are slight improvements, it isn't like night and day and the defending aspect in the game is still very poorly calibrated.

I can see quite a few online rage quits with this crap as Messi et al glide through about 8 defenders with as many yards as they slip and slide around all over the pace, none of them dare showing the audacity to actually put a foot into the ball (without fouling....defenders in PES are great at giving away fouls)

In a nutshell, the only advice I can give is that under no circumstance should you automatically pressure the player with the ball. You could do it in years past simply because defensive recovery speed was too great, but no more. Doing it now will simply leave your defense with a gigantic hole.

And I will agree with MatDerKater in that luck is too often the determining factor, and that the best defense is best left controlled by your teammate AI (which seems a flawed system to me).