For as much real football as I watch, I find the animations successful, for the animation size and flow or pace of the replay.
There are plenty of times when teammates on the real field aren't in position when you just have to get rid of the ball or try the center. Crossing is particularly well analyzed, and maybe accuracy and goal conversion rates are lower than you expected. For example: An ineffective tool? | Spielverlagerung.com

I just look at the animation, the commentary, the AM reports, as Nordeus's effort to provide hints as to how the game mechanics work. For example, I lost a goal when 2 players were totally unmarked in front of goal during a corner. I found adding a defensive arrow to one central defender positioned him to defend the post next time. There are other visual clues given that help guess your opponent's tactics in real time.