Before I go...
I disagree that linear passing bottlenecks the whole thing. I've mentioned most like exploiting space(which opens up huge options for everything else), nice quick passing when its available, having to be creative to pull defenders out of position for different types of passes and setting up shots, using close control to get close to defenders before outwitting them with a change of direction and burst of speed(dribbling is largely good and well done), nice variety of shots like delicate ones into the corner, hard low shots outside the box, blasts from outside the box or volleys from outside the box, the crossing is really good, long balls up field to a big attacker to nod on to other attackers, knowing when to make a pass or what shot is most effective in a situation. There are more things than that which I can do and am in control of whether you think so or not.
Whatever the problems with the game that we agree to disagree on, it's this I sorely disagree with and can't let lie without discussion.
You paint a very attractive picture; however the reality of the game is a lot different. I'm not sure what difficulty you play on but this stuff simply doesn't happen.
1). "exploiting space....pulling defenders out of position"?
In this game you can only exploit space by waiting for your off-the-ball player to make a run or by doing one-twos (triangle spam) and the players who make those runs will nearly always be in line of sight and this not only limits the style of play invariably but also helps kill off any kind of long-direct-play-style, for example 20 years on (with perhaps the exception of PES 13 and even then that was just linear through-balls dropping in front, I'm talking sweeping/swerving spray-type crosses with either none or plenty of swerve meaning you can be dangerous from anywhere on the pitch given the skill and creativity) and we still can't deliver long-direct-balls into space (in front of the frontmen) from deep within our own defence, in fact you have no influence over frontmen from a defensive viewpoint so that element of the game is utterly non-existent.
2). "using close control to get close to defenders before outwitting them with a change of direction and burst of speed"---
Yes, when it actually works. Burst of pace is so inconsistent that getting away from players with that 'burst of pace' only works when it wants, and the "close control" is also very inconsistent for example:
When facing Right if you were to press Top-Right or Top-right (using the left stick - this also works with pressing straight Up or Down and then Right), then quickly change direction to Right again (in other words change direction twice) and press Run/Sprint button (at the same time) your player will roll the ball with one foot (while changing direction) then quickly switchback direction using his other foot (as you press Right again) while Sprinting away.
The reality is this only works when it wants so is very circumstantial and it's like that for most of the turns, tricks, and shoulder drops, feints etc etc. Furthermore, for the most part the computer will simply standoff, allowing you to attempt what you like then when your player has finished the trick/feint/dupe it simply takes the ball off you.
3). "...nice variety of shots like delicate ones into the corner, hard low shots outside the box, blasts from outside the box or volleys from outside the box..."
Nah, another pretty picture. Like I said earlier the shooting is extremely limited - yes you can delicate shot to the corner using R2 over and over and over ...and over - picture perfect, in fact its probably the only consistent thing in the game. Yes you can hit low shots from outside the box (with Advanced you simply hold back, I'm not sure what it is with Basic because after testing I found holding back or forward using little or a lot of power can all result in low shots - very random) so when using Advanced and hitting those low shots from outside the box there are usually a handful of shot-outcomes that feel like scripted cut-scenes - i.e. the same event again and again - no not linear at all!
As far as volleys go, or anything even more extravagant (I've yet to do an overhead kick (the 'lock-on' timing mechanic of volleys, headers etc means you are extremely limited to whether the player will 'lock on' to the pass dependant on whether you held the button early enough - nah this isn't very expressive, it's limiting/linear. As far as blasts outside the box go, I can score these all day, and this is where the picture becomes perfect for I can hit the top corner nearly every time, but you know what it becomes quite repetitive, alongside the low shot event outcomes the long shot 'cut-scenes' feel samey too!
"Good long ball up the field to my big attacker" -----
Did you take this from a Japanese PES15 instruction booklet? For this sounds like the kind of fantastical guff they use to fill those books that we all know (after experience) in reality doesn't actually work. I mean sure, sending medium range crosses from the wing to your 'big attacker' in the middle to nod on usually work, but this is where the dream ends. For unless you are playing 'piggy in the middle', your long balls are largely useless - oh you can do big sweeping cross field balls around your deep defensive and defensive midfield area though sadly for the most part these are purely aesthetic, they serve no purpose and are again very linear. If you are talking about sending deep crosses/ball up from your own defence to space in front of your 'big attackers' it's a no, how do they say in it in the Bronx?
That shit don't work here.
"Knowing when to make a pass or what shot is most effective in a situation" ---
Oh you mean knowing whether to pick one of the limited crosses, continue with your triangle spam (while waiting for a support player to make a run), or go with one of the 'cut-scene' shot outcomes? The dynamism is simply mind-blowing.
"There are more things than that which I can do and am in control of whether you think so or not" ---
I'm sure there are but I bet it involves one, or a combination, of the above.
As Jeremy Bentham once said ---
"Nonsense on stilts"
Do me a favour, I want to be convinced, I want to believe but I need to see (I feel so like Thomas the Apostle) all these dreams in action so please make a video, first showing what difficulty you put it on, then showing all those lovely pictures you paint. Because in short I bet it boils down to you largely making quick short passes looking either for a through ball deep in their half, sending a runner ahead looking for a through ball, or as you mentioned earlier sending in medium crosses to your 'big attacker' to nod on (yawn) - Also, I am dying to see these changes of direction and bursts of pace that completely "outwit" the defence not to mention the fantastic plethora of shots/volleys that will rain down upon their goal (my money is on those being mainly top-corner shots or low drives either saved or just wide - with the odd randomized outcome, i.e. blazed way over or off the post, thrown in for good measure).
You show me anything other than what I expect/know will happen (
see above) and I will be truly converted. Until then ...baloney
Good Luck!
a bit of philosophical nonsense