The logic of the game saying (as many other member have written) that if oppo playing without DMs (so there is a distance between the two lines, M&D) and you 're playing defense or normal, long pass and counter attacks can help. If oppo has DM, then go mix.
Personally, I like to use defense or normal with counter attacks and I can see somehow that helped me many times.
About the pass, I couldn't see any differens to be honest. The same with offside.
Maybe it's one of those things of the game that give a +1% or +2%.
Sometimes it's critical and many times it's devoured by the roll dice of the game