I would say there are two schools of thought in terms of how to "improve" at Fifa.
The question you need to answer, in my opinion, is. What is your priority? Is it to win games online, vs other people either in seasons or FUT? Or is it to play realistic football and enjoy improving your understanding of the game through interactive virtual recreation of the sport? For me the two are largely exclusive of one another. Although, not definitely so.
You will here lots of things about how pace matters, and how Fifa's attacking is "arcade" like etc, I disagree with that entirely in the sense that the game is not forcing you to play in that manner. In practice the
majority of people play that way - by choice.
However, the reality is that if your goal is to win games online, the "arcade" style is what presents the most straight forward means of getting wins. You can have a much lower understanding of how football works and win games online by following some fairly simple principles. Those can be found all over the internet, so I won't go into too much depth but they essentially involve having pacey forwards, ideally a tall and fast striker, hitting people on the counter-attack using a combination of lob-through passes and simply exploiting the pace of your players.
You do not have to play that way though. You can play realistic football AND win. I've won Division 1 online in both seasons and FUT so it is perfectly attainable. Just be prepared for plenty of losses too.
This is going to come off as bragging (and I suppose it is if you're impressed by football things) but I have played every iteration of Fifa (Good Old FIFA International Soccer on the Mega Drive) pretty much to death, save for a few years of Pro Evo, and played football at a professional level (youth team anyhow). The reason I mention this is not to massage my own ego but to illustrate that we're starting from a different perspective in that football has always been part of my life and so I have the advantage of experience. That makes playing realistic football easier, since it becomes less of a conscious act and more of a habit formed over time. This is important because I have found that players have to make a conscious decision to play "sim style" if you want to call it that. Eventually, it becomes second nature. But it takes a long time. What I would expect is that the natural instinct is to attack all the time and be aggressive without the ball. Even if you decide to try and play realistic football there will be times some dude has three goals from through balls you just cannot stop and you just lose it and begin charging forward. I think everyone tries to fight that instinct because the game does lend itself to that.
In the end it's about having some values or principles that guide how you play. It sounds rather serious for a video game. I can see that myself and that is why the initial question is what matters. I have absolutely no issue with guys playing arcade football online, because I accept most people just want to compete at a video game and have fun. There's nothing wrong with that. They are using the games design to maximize their results. I hate people moaning about "sweaty" teams. It's the game itself that allows it, the players just win however they can.
Nevertheless, I'm the guy who cares about having players rated correctly, and playing the game just like the sport. Ultimately I am a football fan first and not really a gamer outside of sports games. That dictates my style to a large extent. Since I don't play anymore, Fifa, and going to matches is my way of interacting with the sport I love.
On that basis here are a few thoughts I would offer to anyone wanting to play a more realistic game:
- Lay off the sprint button - unless there is an obvious reason. Use it in smaller bursts without the ball to maintain position
- BE PATIENT - with and without the ball. Realistic football is usually played (with two evenly matched teams) with longer periods of possession for each team. Not constant back and forth. When you don't have the ball, take away passing options. Don't go haring towards the ball carrier. With the ball play safer passes and don't be afraid to go backwards
- IN SEASONS MODE: Play in the style of the team you choose. I love playing as Barcelona and having 70% possession and trying to open teams up that way. But what is just as fun is picking Stoke or West Ham and using the wings, getting crosses into the box (traditionally anyway).
- IN FUT: Think about how you want to play, and build a team in that style. Don't buy into the notion that you have to have Luiz, or Sturridge or Ibarbo. You don't you just need to have players that work for what you do.
- Overall, there is lots of mis-information. People find Walcott to be a beast not because he is a beast but because most players play with pace and thus use his best skill. People love Real in seasons because they have great players on the counter-attack. Which is how many people play. People love Dortmund, not because they are inherently better but because people press on deference a lot and Dortmund's tactics are set to do that.
- Adjust your team mentality based on your opponents. In FUT, so many players want to hurt you on the break. As a result I play almost all games with a defensive mentality so I don't over-commit full-backs. I play with the initiative by having the ball and trying to dominate the mid-field with patient build-up play. But your mentality can help you overcome the guys who will aim to hit it over the top immediately (you still have to get your CB moving back quickly when the opponent has the chance to go over the top). There is nothing more satisfying than having your opponent give you the ball back all the time.
- Accept you will lose more games playing this way. My record is not amazing by any stretch. But I win far more than I lose. It is frustrating at times, but I would rather lose playing in a way I enjoy that feels realistic than win playing in some prescribed manner exploiting the most effective tactics.
- Full back play is key (as in real life). Defensive skills matter in full backs. They are the protection for the heart of the defence. Be mindful that everyone wants to get into the middle of the pitch. You can identify guys early in games who will play to cross or constantly look to cut inside and shoot (Real guys in particular). Don't be afraid to let them have the ball, don't let people have an easy way in the middle around the box. That's where practically all goals come from.
- use the opponents momentum in your favour. You see this a lot in real life. I find many guys will use the first touch to go with the direction the ball is already travelling or towards goal. I like to move toward my own goal or back where the ball came from. It often catches out the guys who press a lot. There are a few other ways you can do that. On the edge of the box with your back to goal. Don't run just hold the sprint button and guys can be turned, many are over aggressive. Also running in the channels sometimes hit L1 and take your finger of the direction to stop suddenly. These are things you see in football that get under utilised in FIFA.
Anyhow, that got waaaaay longer than I planned haha.
Bottom line, there are many ways to win. People tend to play one way, because it's how people instictively play football themselves. It translates online too.
11-26-2014, 07:36 PM
Re: I need to learn how to play FIFA properly.
