Totally agree now
I've learnt more stuff about shooting tonight too. Probably seem obvious to others but never mind.....
Anyways, the only shots I've been hitting have been the normal shot and the placed shot using R2 while the shot is charging, just after you first press the shoot button. I've also noticed though, that holding R2 before and throughout the shot makes them hit a kind of softer version of the normal powerful type of shot where the player puts his foot through the ball. I've also seen my players putting curve on the shots far more effectively too. I don't think this is a shot modifier as such, but perhaps just a result of slowing the player down because pressing and holding R2 before and during the shot technically means you're momentarily going into the slow dribble. Whatever the reason, it works brilliantly. The power bar seems far less sensitive, meaning you can hit low skimming shots easier, and charge up the bar more for high shots.
The accuracy of the normal shot but while holding R2 seems to go far higher too. I noticed tonight, when deliberately using it, that a vastly larger number of my shots were on target. Earlier I was dominating but missing probably 90% of my chances, later on after noticing this method I started hammering teams. Shots I was trying before were suddenly going where I'd intended. I stopped holding R2 before the shot, and they seemed to go wide far more often again. Using this method I scored a couple of really cool curling, dipping volleys that would have just gone straight, like a rocket, and probably wide by just tapping shoot without holding R2 first.
So I think there's five types of shots then; the uber powerful one, the same type of shot but using R2 BEFORE and during the shot (that I've just described - basically R2 dribbling just before you shoot and holding R2 through the duration of the shot), producing a more accurate, but softer version. Then there's the R2 after pressing shoot to place it with the side of the foot, the lob shot, and the R1 after pressing shoot to softly flip the shot a few feet in the air.
Has anyone else noticed this with holding R2 before hand? Try it with corners. I normally float them in by using R2 after I've pressed the button, but holding R2 before you kick the ball also makes them float it in. Likewise, if you charge up a regular shot really high, it will balloon at crazy speeds. Do the same holding R2 before and during the shot, and it can still fly over, but is far more accurate and softer - much more manageable.
Konami really should do some kind of beginner's guide for all this stuff, it's totally changed from previous versions. It's probably obvious to most of you who've played for ages, but otherwise this kind of thing seemingly needs to be randomly discovered. Some people however are giving up on the game before they ever discover this stuff. I mean five types of shots is amazing, but most people just initially see the insane power drives you get by merely tapping shoot without doing anything else and presume that's all you can do, which is a shame. Konami, I think, have lost a few customers because they simply haven't told people just what you can do with this game.