I agree completely, I've bitched loud and long about the horrendous "game design" they used in the underdog logic in Fifa08, they should look at how small teams find success against big teams, it's not realistic that underdogs magically can dribble like Ronaldo, Tackle like Terry and pass like Gerrard simply because they're playing a much stronger team. Watch any match where a crap team finds success against a good team, it's down to tactics, work rate, closing down space, utilising set pieces as and when they manage to win any........
Yup, for me, the 10 man defence thing is fine although they really ought to foul more and generally harass you. How many times have you been fouled (and awarded the free-kick) by the cpu? Barely ever...whenever they tackle, it's invariably a perfect, clean tackle, even though they're standing behind you.
I'd like to see these teams play ugly. It should be a frustrating stop-start game through their physicality and them biting at your ankles, rather than frustrating as they play possession football with immaculate skill in the middle of the pitch.
I'd also like to see these teams have goalkeepers that weren't clones of Peter Cech pulling off world-class save after save. They're from the Faroes, they play for Faroese clubs, that's because they're not very good.
When they clear the ball, it should be hopeful balls up the park, not scripted to land right at the feet of their sole striker. They should be aimed more into space for their players to try to run on to.
They should also slice the ball more and hoof it into the stands. Notice how nearly all their clearances are perfect kicks, even though they sometimes have to spin 180 degrees to clear it, all at astounding speed.
Their players should be far less composed on the ball, prone to mis-controlling it when they receive passes, and often resort to playing it back to their defence. They should be easier to harass and win the ball off than the better teams.
Their passing should be less accurate. They should rely more on speculative long balls towards into the box rather than patient silky football.
EA have made a step in the right direction, but I'd really like to see them work on different abiltities of players and different styles of play.