If you have higher possession than your opponent, it may be a good idea to use man-on-man marking to prevent counterattacks.

General rule of thumb:
Low possession - defensive, longpass and counterattack. This is generally good against opponents of higher quality than you.
High possession - normal, shortpass and man-on-man marking. This is generally effective against weaker opponents.
50/50 - the best response depend on the orders of the opponent. If you have control but opponent trend to counterattack use man-on-man. If you keep getting attacked, be defensive and counter.