1. A method for the closed loop control of fiber orientation of a web in a papermaking process comprising the steps of: a) performing on-line measurements of said fiber orientation; b) transforming said on-line measurements to a plurality of indices; c) comparing each of said plurality of indices arising from said transformed on-line measurements with an associated target and deriving therefrom a deviation for each of said plurality of indices from said associated target; d) computing actions for controlling said fiber orientation based on said derived deviations and a response characteristic of said process; and e) executing said control actions to minimize said derived deviations.