I know animations are a very big deal for everyone, however, I don't think animations are such a big deal. For example, FIFA10, good animations, fluid feel, shit game.
The animations need to improve, that's obvious; but, the real problem here is the fact the we never dribble with the ball when we play PES10 or FIFA10, we simply run with the ball... we simply control the direction in which we run with the ball.
However, we never actually control the direction in which we dribble with the ball because dribbling with the ball is impossible in both PES10 and FIFA10.
And because dribbling is non-existent, this means that the physical aspect of the game is also non-existent, because the game skips the part where you actually dribble with the ball and engage in physical battles with the defender.
And again, because dribbling is non-existent, this means that man-marking is also non-existent. So because Leo Messi is fast and very agile, this means that he will be a better defender than Carles Puyol... because it's about running after the ball carrier, it's not about man-marking the ball carrier.
This also means that physical attributes such as acceleration and top speed, will be hugely overrated. You can have the best animations in the world and it will not hide the FACT that dribbling and man-marking are not viable nor realistic options when playing these football sims.
In my opinion, the actual dribbling concept is a lot more important and relevant than the aesthetics or animations of the game. We need to have a difference between running with the ball and dribbling with the ball... To date, the game is all about running, it's not about playing football, it's all about the direction in which the player runs with the ball.
This is why as a matter of fact, PES and FIFA, regardless of their positives and negatives -- are both equally easy and outdated... it's about running, it's not about playing football.
This is the ''one-on-one'' element of real-life football that we have never seen in any football sim: dribbling and man-marking need to be implemented into the game...
Otherwise, it will always be the same old ''pin-ball'' game. The animations and feel of the game will not fix the ''pin-ball'' flaw.