Mastering PES 2008 – an Ultimate and Power-packed Soccer Game - Crossing Tips

2008-11-17

Page content

Introduction

PES 2008 is a world-wide known computer soccer simulator with many fans around the world. Tactics are very important part of Pro Evolution Soccer and I have different formations covered in previous articles (including 4-3-3, 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 and formation changes). But you can’t win with tactics alone! This piece is the first in a Practical Tips series and is supposed to improve your scoring with an overview of crossing.

The Importance of Crosses

What would you do as a team when most of your attacks originate from the left flank and you have the best attackers in the right flank or in the center? What would you do if you are playing a 4-3-2-1 combination with only one striker upfront and unmarked? In all such situations, good crosses from either wing help the team being in an attacking position to score. In addition, crossing allows you to change flanks thus causing an element of surprise amongst the opposition.

Delivering a Cross

To deliver a good cross, you need three aspects to work well.

The winger who is crossing the ball needs to be a good curler. If he cannot curl the ball, then you would not be able to get the ball at the right place; either your head or the foot.
The player who will meet the ball should also be a good passer. Normally, crosses do not yield goals in one touch, and would require the guy who meets the ball to pass it to the nearest unmarked player. Note this situation can have exceptions especially in the case when the cross has been delivered to the penalty area and can be scored off.
The cross should have a good curl.

The power of the cross becomes all the more important here. Control the power through keys on your keyboard to achieve the best curling cross, which is something that would be good enough to fool the defenders. Choose the players with red Attributes who could meet the ball, because in doing so you would ensure justice to the cross.

Beat the Defenders

Use the left and right arrow keys effectively to dodge your opposition players who would by now start marking you as they anticipate a cross coming in. At all times face the goal, because if a cross comes through to you, you should be in a position to score. If the cross is not delivered to you when you are in a goal-scoring position, look for the nearest player to whom you could pass the ball.

Summary

The benefits of a good cross are well documented in any game of soccer, and this is well incorporated into the PES 2008 playing experience. It is always meant to be used as an attacking move, something that would take the ball forward to the opposition penalty. In other cases, it can be used for ‘changing flanks’, which is quickly shifting form a right-sided attack to a left-sided one and vice-versa.

This post is part of the series: PES 2008 - Practical tips and hints

If you are a fan of Pro Evolution Soccer - or just a beginner in the PES 2008 version - in this series you will find interesting and useful tips to improve your scoring record in the PES08 game. Read and enjoy!