Man Marking
CPU behaviourChecked
In one sentence
When the CPU uses him as a marker, he re-checks where his man is more often — as if he had 5 more Defensive Awareness (never above 99).
Who does this affect?
CPU-controlled only: it changes how often the marking AI updates him. When you steer him yourself, your stick decides where he goes.
How it works
The team's marking AI does not follow a marked opponent every moment. Each marker looks up his man's position again after a pause that depends on his Defensive Awareness: 0.44 s at 60 or less, down to 0.04 s at 106 or more. Man Marking works out that pause as if his Defensive Awareness were 5 higher, but never above 99. Nothing else in the game reads this skill.
When it applies
- The team's marking AI has given him an opponent to mark (CPU positioning).
- At every marking update: the next update comes after the pause shown in the chart.
- Any position, any zone; no individual instruction is needed.
Without it
He follows his man with the pause from his real Defensive Awareness — one step slower whenever +5 would have crossed a step.
Which stats it reads
Defensive Awareness sets how strong
Steps at 61, 71, 81, 91, 96, 101 and 106. The skill only helps when +5 crosses a step: Defensive Awareness 56–60, 66–70, 76–80 and 86–95. From 96 on it does nothing, because the +5 stops at 99 and the next step needs 101.
In numbers
Defensive Awareness (match value, boosters included) → · seconds
Chart values
| 60 | 0.37 | 0.44 |
| 80 | 0.22 | 0.30 |
| 99 | 0.11 | 0.11 |
| 120 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
Common questions
Does Man Marking make the player I control stick to his man?
Short answerNo
It only changes how often the CPU updates where he should go when he marks someone.
Is Man Marking worth it on a 97 Defensive Awareness centre-back?
Short answerNo
From 96 the +5 is capped at 99, which is the same 0.11 s step he already has.
Does it need the man-marking individual instruction?
Short answerNo
Every player the marking AI assigns to an opponent uses it.
Does it give +5 Defensive Awareness everywhere?
Short answerNo
The +5 exists only inside this one pause calculation; his stat does not change.
Not yet confirmed
- Which game setting switches to a slower pause table (2 to 14 ticks instead of 1 to 12).
The maths
StepPause by Defensive Awareness: up to 60 = 0.44 s, 61–70 = 0.37 s, 71–80 = 0.30 s, 81–90 = 0.22 s, 91–95 = 0.15 s, 96–100 = 0.11 s, 101–105 = 0.07 s, 106+ = 0.04 s (12 down to 1 match tick).
LimitThe +5 stops at 99, so the skill is useless from Defensive Awareness 96.
DetailBoosters count toward the steps (101+ and 106+ need boosters), but the skill's +5 can never reach them.
DetailSome team settings change the pause for every marker, with or without the skill: one caps it at 2 ticks (0.07 s), others lengthen it.
DetailDefensive Awareness boosts from other skills (for example Fortress) count here too.
DetailNot used by this skill: Speed, Acceleration, Defensive Engagement — the skill only changes the update pause, which reads Defensive Awareness alone.
Booster points per stat
Defensive AwarenessBooster points count here.