Introduction

Seanflannery posted a wonderfull tutorial about understanding the custom tactics. Read them here!

The impact of Custom Tactics should not be underestimated.  By affecting the movement of your AI teammates around you and dictating the style of your AI opposition, it has a huge influence on your overall gameplay experience against the CPU.  Tempo can be altered drastically.

In FIFA 10 the default setup of Custom Tactics is often far from desirable.  For example: In several leagues such as England, Australia, Poland and more besides, the combination of 'High' Pressure and 'Double' Aggression for nearly every team causes an unpleasantly frantic and downright unrealistic game.  No team presses that hard and that recklessly for 90 minutes in real life, nor is it much fun to play against.

To fix imbalances such as these, we need to create and save sets of Custom Tactics that will bring about more realistic, more enjoyable and more varied styles of play for us to compete against, particularly where the much-maligned Manager Mode is concerned.  To do this we first need a solid understanding of how Custom Tactics work.

Aims of this document

2. 1. To lay out clear definitions for each slider, so that we can all gain a clear understanding.
   2. To provide recommendations on how to implement realistic values in order to coax realism and fun from the AI.

Please Note that this is not a document intended to teach you hw your own human-controlled team can use Custom Tactics more successfully.  If a more clear understanding helps you to do so, then that’s good too – but this is primarily about how the AI interprets the tactics.

The Custom Tactics Framework

Team instructions are split into three sections: Build-Up Play, Chance Creation and Defence.

Build-Up Play influences the decision-making of the attacking team in the first two-thirds of the pitch only.

Chance Creation influences the decision-making of the attacking team in the attacking third only.

Defence dictates the approach of the team when they don't have the ball.

Build-Up Play

Build Up Play - Speed

Definition

• SLOW
  • The team is patient building plays, often passing the ball around in defence with players regularly passing backwards.
  • Players are more selective in their runs going forward, and put the emphasis on finding good space over finding forward space.
• BALANCED
  • The team does not build play particularly fast or slow.
• FAST
  • The team looks to get the ball from back to front as quickly as possible.
  • Players choose to position themselves in more advanced positions on the pitch.
  • Players make more forward runs.

Understanding this slider in simple terms:

• How much the ball possessor favours a forward pass.
• How aggressively his teammates get forward off the ball.

It is important to differentiate Speed from 'tempo'.  It is about the direction of the pass (how much they want to pass forwards) and the direction of movement off the ball (how much they want to seek forward space rather than supporting laterally or behind).  It is about how aggressive the build up is, rather than actual speed of play.  Teams with a Slow setting can still move the ball at a slick tempo, but if necessary they will do so in a lateral or backwards direction, retaining possession.

Implementation

The best advice is to take it easy on the Speed.  It's so common when people set-up Custom Tactics to see them favour the higher end of the slider by default.  Don't fall into this trap!  The AI already tends toward aggressive intent and requires little further encouragement.  Being too heavy with the Speed slider leads to frantic arcade football.

The middle and lower bands of the Speed slider simulate a more intelligent, tactical and satisfying game from the AI.  On Slow/Balanced settings (0-66) they are able to keep possession more effectively and will not always rush the ball towards your goal, reducing that arcadey feeling.  Fast setting (67+) should be the preserve of heavily counter-attacking teams only (combined only with Deep defence).

An impression of speed often comes from the physical pace of the players themselves, not by how aggressively they charge forward.  You might think of teams like Arsenal and Manchester United as playing at fast speed, but they also dominate possession intelligently, vary tempo and support each other off the ball.  You don't see Carrick or Fabregas immediately sprinting up the pitch the moment their team wins possession.  This places them in the Balanced bracket. For a team like Barcelona, no matter how slick and smooth they are, dominating possession is paramount - this places them in the Slow bracket.  Remember this is about aggression, not tempo.

Interpreting style

Is secure possession of the football the team’s priority, with patient build up?  If so, try something in the Slow bracket (10-30).

Is the team keen on possession and organisation, but with a little less patience?  Try low Balanced (35-45)

Is the team quite aggressive about advancing the ball up the pitch smoothly, taking the play to the opposition?  Try middle to high Balanced (50-60).

Is the team’s primary gameplan to counter-attack at every opportunity from deep positions?  If so, try low Fast (70-80).

Build Up Play - Passing (distance)

Definition

• SHORT
  • The team will try to build using short passes.
  • Players closest to the ball will come to support.
• MIXED
  • The team does not build using a particularly short or long passing game.
• LONG
  • The team will look to play the longer ball, perhaps targeting a tall striker or looking for a ball over the top.
  • Players farther from the ball possessor will attempt to find space.
  • Close players will anticipate the long ball and push up to look for the knock down or flick on.

Understanding this slider in simple terms:

• The length of pass favoured by the ball possessor.
• The distance from him that his teammates will look to find space.

Implementation

This slider is easier to judge than the Speed slider, and there's not so much 'right or wrong' as long as it reflects the team's style.  The important thing to remember is the combination of this with Speed.  For example, Fast speed and Long passing both encourage players to get high up the pitch, so will have a cumulative effect on each other.

Interpreting style

Does the team primarily play very short passes to feet?  Go with Short (10-30).

Do they use a good mix of medium and varied passes? Try lower Mixed (35-50).

Do they use a target man and fire the ball into his chest/feet to be held up?  Try upper Mixed (55-65).

Do they regularly hoof the ball long, looking over the top or up high for an aerial challenge?  Go Long (70-100).

Build Up Play - Positioning

Definition

• ORGANISED
  • Players tend not to stray too far from their assigned positions during the course of the match.  The team maintains structure when building play.
• FREE-FORM
  • Players have the freedom to make runs out of position. For example, forwards can make more runs wide to collect the ball, fullbacks can make more overlapping runs, wide players can cut in more, and central midfielders can make runs to the corner or overlap the strikers.

Implementation

Not much to add to this one.  Quite a subtle setting that should be self-explanatory from the given definition.

Interpreting style

Is organisation and well-drilled shape a priority of this particular coach?  Try Organised.

Do the fullbacks regularly provide width to the midfield during Build Up?  Try Free-Form.

Do the strikers often pull wide to make themselves available for an early ball out of defence?  Try Free-Form.

Not sure?  Stick with Organised as a generic default.

Chance Creation

Chance Creation – Passing (risk)

Definition

• SAFE
  • To maintain possession, the team will rarely try a pass that may risk losing the ball, choosing to wait for the ideal opportunity.
  • Players will ensure that the ball possessor has safe options when positioning themselves, and will wait for a good opportunity to make a penetrating run.
• NORMAL
  • The team does not look to play particularly safely or riskily.
• RISKY
  • The team will always try for the killer pass.
  • Players look for every opportunity to make runs into space and behind the defence. Teammates won’t be as concerned about ensuring safe options for the ball possessor.

Understanding this slider in simple terms:

• How eager the ball possessor is to attempt an incisive pass in the attacking third.
• How often his teammates will look to gamble on runs through/behind the defence when in the attacking third.

The key to remember is that this slider comes into play when the ball crosses that imaginary line that denotes the attacking third of the pitch.  It does not impact on the build up in the first two-thirds of the pitch.

Implementation

Think of how patient or impatient the real team are when they have the ball in the attacking third.  There's also an element here of how incisive and dangerous the AI team will try to be, their 'cutting edge'.  Teams like Barcelona might have a patient and possession-oriented build up, but then their creativity and inventiveness shines in the attacking third, creating chances aplenty.

Interpreting style

Do they keep it safe and wait for a good opportunity, perhaps working it wide for a cross instead?  Try upper Safe or low Normal (25-40).

Do they look to split the defence with slide-rule passes to create a chance in the penalty area?  Try upper Normal or low Risky (55-70).

Are they impatient and/or aggressive with the ball in the attacking third, trying to force the issue? Try Risky (75-85).

Chance Creation – Crossing

Definition

• LITTLE
  • The team tries to avoid crossing the ball. Instead, they will try to play out of the crossing zone by passing back, or getting to the end line looking to cut the ball back to a teammate for a shot.
• NORMAL
  • The team will put crosses into the box when there is a good opportunity.
• LOTS
  • The team tries to get the ball into the box at every opportunity. The ball possessor will try to cross the ball early.
  • Teammates will make earlier runs into the box.

Understanding this slider in simple terms:

• How early the ball possessor will cross the ball into the penalty area.
• How many of his teammates will be trying to get on the end of it.

Implementation

In a similar way to Speed, the AI is already quite pre-disposed to crossing the ball when there's an opportunity, and as such doesn't need a great deal of encouragement.  Therefore the 'Lots' setting should be reserved for the sorts of teams who really do launch the ball into the danger area (from deep) as often as possible.

The 'early' part is often the overriding issue here.  If you think that the real team encourages wingers to get out wide and to the byline as a favoured method of attack, that doesn't necessarily translate as 'Lots' because they will end up crossing from far too deep.  You might want to try the lower end of the 'Normal' bracket in that case.

Interpreting style

Is the team hesitant to cross, usually choosing to turn back and pass the ball inside looking for an opportunity to shoot or create?  Go Safe (20-30).

Does the team try to cross to their strikers from positions a little closer to the byline?  Try lower Normal (35-45).

Is the team eager to get crosses in as often as possible, with midfielders arriving in the box?  Try upper Normal (50-60).

Do they lump the ball into the box early from deep positions?  Go with Lots (70-85).

Chance Creation – Shooting

Definition

• LITTLE
  • The team will be patient, and only shoot if the opportunity is extremely good, opting to keep possession.
  • Long shots will be rare.
• NORMAL
  • The team will perform a variety of long shots and short shots depending on the situation.
• LOTS
  • The team will shoot at every opportunity.
  • Teammates will make the extra effort to position themselves looking for shooting opportunities, for example staying just outside the box looking for a layoff, or positioning themselves for the cutback.

Understanding this slider in simple terms:

• How eager the ball possessor is to shoot from further out.
• How often his teammates look to position themselves for lay-offs or cut-backs.

Implementation

In contrast to Speed/Crossing, Shooting is a setting where the AI generally needs to be encouraged.  Stay well away from 'Little', for fear of seeing them try to walk the ball into the goal unrealistically.  As a rough guide, go with 'Lots' if the team is keen to fire in shots from range (e.g. Chelsea with Lampard, Essien, Drogba etc).  If shooting from outside the box is not very common, still go with the higher end of the 'Normal' bracket.

As a general comment on Chance Creation, don't forget that the Passing, Crossing and Shooting values all need to be balanced against each other.  All influence the positioning of teammates off the ball - are they running in behind the defence, are they getting in the box for a cross, are they setting up to strike from range?  Each impacts on the other, which you should bear in mind if the real team has a tendency towards one type of attack more than the others.

Interpreting style

Is the team quite reluctant to shoot from long distances, preferring to work the ball into the area or wide for a cross?  Try upper Normal (50-65).

Do they like to test their aim from outside the area when the opportunity arises?  Go with Lots (70-80).

Do they have a real shoot on sight policy, and prefer to set up for the strike above other forms of attack?  Try higher Lots (85-90).

Chance Creation - Positioning

Definition

• ORGANISED
  • Players tend not to stray too far from their assigned positions during the course of the match. The team maintains structure when creating chances.
• FREE-FORM
  • Players have the freedom to make runs out of position. For example, forwards can make runs wide to collect the ball, fullbacks can make more overlapping runs, wide players can cut in more, central midfielders can make runs to the corner or overlap the strikers or wide midfielders.

Implementation

Again this is self-explanatory, but note that this setting tends to have a bigger impact on Chance Creation than it did in Build Up.

Setting this to Free-Form helps to make the AI less predictable and therefore more dangerous, which I'd say is a good thing.  If you’re going to allow players to move out of position then the attacking third is the place to do it, far from your own goal.  As a general rule lean towards Free-Form (essential for the very top level teams), saving Organised for teams who are comparatively rigid and uninventive.

Interpreting style

Is the team quite predictable in attack, unwilling to commit too many players around the penalty area?  Try Organised.

Does the team favour patiently working the ball out to their side midfielders, who always stay wide to get crosses in?  Try Organised.

Is the team more aggressive in attack, allowing midfielders to make runs into the box and fullbacks to overlap wide?  Try Free-Form.

Not sure?  Go with Free-Form as a default.

Defence

Defence – Pressure

Definition

• DEEP
  • The team drops back and allows the opposition time in their own half in exchange for getting numbers behind the ball.
• MEDIUM
  • The team will start to defend in their opponent’s half, but not the full length of the pitch.
• HIGH
  • The team will apply full pressure in their opponent’s half.
  • Wide midfielders and fullbacks will push high on the ball side to make it difficult for the opposition to play out.
  • This tactic can be effective but leaves lots of space open for the ball over the top behind the defence.

Understanding this slider in simple terms:

• How high up the pitch the defending team will pressure the ball.
• How high the defensive line will try to play.

Note that Medium and High can BOTH deal with pressing in the opponent's half to some extent.  This is easy to overlook, particularly if you're used to Football Manager definitions (Own Area, Own Half, Whole Pitch).  Not here!

Implementation

Along with Speed and Aggression, this is one of the most important settings to get right.  It is also another area where it’s better to lean towards the lower half of the slider (rather than the proliferation of 70/High that for some reason EA spread through most leagues).  As mentioned earlier, playing against High pressure teams with High aggression every match is not that fun.  To create a more enjoyable and realistic experience we need to tone this down.

There are certain teams whose philosophy is to press 'High', Guardiola's Barcelona being the most obvious example, but really these teams are rare (it requires top level fitness, intelligently co-ordinated pressing, and the ability to dominate possession at length once you've won it back).  Particularly against weaker opposition, Barca will attempt to play the entire game in the opponent’s half of the pitch.  This is an unusually aggressive strategy that few can pull off.

The majority play a mixture of 'Deep' and 'Medium', defending mostly in their own half to stay organised and compact.  There’s also an element here of how we want the AI to play against us.  If they are set to get men behind the ball and defend their own half, you face the challenge of breaking them down and it encourages more strategic gameplay.  If they are always set to ‘High’ then it contributes to frantic, open and reactionary gameplay, as well as more opportunities for the easy through ball for 1v1 chances.

You can generally accept 50 as a rough guide for pressing to about the halfway line, as you’d probably expect.  Look towards the lower half of the 'Medium' bracket (33-50) as a starting point, only going higher if you genuinely see the real team pressing regularly in the opposition half.  Similarly, be wary of dropping below 20.  Plenty of teams, particularly Italian defenders, defend their penalty area, but there’s a point where it becomes unrealistically deep.

Interpreting style

Are they a counter-attacking side, planning to draw the opponent in before hitting on the break?  Try upper Deep (20-30).

Is the team’s aim to get plenty of men behind the ball, preferring to stay compact in their own half?  Try upper Deep or lower Medium (25-35).

Does the team engage throughout their own half of the pitch?  Try lower Medium (40-50).

Do they regularly press into the opposing half, looking to assert themselves and operate quite a high defensive line? Try upper Medium (50-65).

Do they genuinely press like Barcelona, harrying even in the attacking third to dominate completely?  Try Lots (70-80).

Defence – Aggression

Definition

• CONTAIN
  • The team tries to contain the ball possessor, with players rarely diving into tackles or trying to outnumber the ball carrier.
• PRESS
  • The team dives into tackles hard, and will slide whenever possible.
• DOUBLE
  • The team will look to tackle fiercely and in numbers, sending an extra player to the ball possessor as often as possible.

Understanding this slider in simple terms:

• How aggressively the defender(s) nearest the ball engage(s) the ball possessor.
• How likely the defender is to throw himself into a lunging tackle.

Implementation

This is another very important setting and another slider where ‘less is more’.  Ever been frustrated by an overly aggressive AI kicking lumps out of you and reducing everything to a frantic scrap?  Then you'll know this needs to be tuned down a little.

'Double' is actually unrealistic, especially when combined with High/Medium Pressure.  Constantly sending two defenders to the ball will pull a defence out of shape and be ripped apart at any remotely competent standard of football, not to mention the number of daft yellow/red cards it will encourage the CPU to collect.  Reserve 'Double' only for combination with Deep pressure, and only then if they are a notoriously physical and bruising side.

For 95% of teams it's more appropriate to use a mixture of 'Contain' and 'Press'.  Again, as a starting point look at the lower half of the 'Press' bracket (33-50).  Also be wary of a combination of Deep/Contain.  We still want the AI to be a challenge, not just keep standing off while you walk up to their penalty area.

As a general, rough rule: the lower the Pressure, the higher the Aggression, and vice versa.

Interpreting style

Does the team defend tactically, preaching organisation and shape, preferably well away from their own goal?  Try upper Contain (25-30).

Do they close down adequately, without over-committing or being too reckless in the tackle?  Try lower Press (35-50).

Do they put more bite in the tackle, hoping to impose themselves physically at the risk of being drawn out of position?  Try upper Press (50-60).

In combination with a Deep defence, do they draw the opponent in and then hit him hard?  Only then try lower Double (70-75).

Defence – Team Width

Definition

• NARROW
  • The team will defend compactly.
  • Players will pinch in on the far side to cover teammates and allow for ball side pressure.
  • When the ball is central, the team will pack the middle of the pitch and allow more room on the wings
• NORMAL
  • The team will not try to defend particularly narrowly or widely.
• WIDE
  • The team will not pinch as much.
  • Players on the far side will mark opponent tightly, sacrificing cover in favour of making it difficult for the opposition to pull them out of shape.

Understanding this slider in simple terms:

• How spread out across the width of the field the team will defend.
• It does NOT set the width of the team when in possession of the football.

Implementation

As a general rule: the closer to your goal you defend, the more narrow you want to be.  If the real team is set up with 'Deep' Pressure, there's a good chance it will probably be combined with 'Narrow' Width, or at least low 'Normal'.  'Wide' should only be used for teams who press high and expect to be defending a long way from their goal.

It might be worth bearing in mind that your AI opponent will probably be more difficult to break down if they are set up as 'Narrow' or 'Normal' rather than 'Wide'.

Interpreting style

Is the team compact and difficult to break down, minimising gaps between defenders?  Try upper Narrow (15-30).

Do they like to like to retain shape, without allowing too much freedom out wide?  Try lower Normal (35-50).

Do they press high and rely more on winning individual battles, trying to keep the game expansive? Try upper Normal to lower Wide (60-75).

Defence – Defender Line

Definition

• COVER
  • The players in the back pinch, drop, and cover each other providing depth in defence.
  • This makes through balls more difficult to play, but allows the opposition the freedom to pinch higher.
• OFFSIDE TRAP
  • The team plays with a flat backline, and looks for the opportunity to step up and catch the opposition offside.
  • The opposition won’t have the freedom of pushing high, but this is a dangerous tactic.
  • When the trap is broken it usually results in an easy scoring opportunity.

Implementation

Cover is a generally a more common tactic than the risky Offside Trap, and your average AI team will probably be harder to break down if they're playing Cover.

On the other hand, an AI team set up with High Pressure and Wide defence might benefit from using the offside trap as a means of keeping the play in their opponent's half of the pitch

Interpreting style

Does the team defend deep?  Use Cover.

Does the team press high with a high defensive line?  Try Offside Trap.

Not sure?  Cover is generally a safer default.

Simplified Slider Definitions Checklist

Build Up Play - Speed

•     How much the ball possessor favours a forward pass.

•     How aggressively his teammates get forward off the ball.

Build Up Play - Passing (distance)

•     The length of pass favoured by the ball possessor.

•     The distance from him that his teammates will look to find space.

Chance Creation – Passing (risk)

•     How eager the ball possessor is to attempt an incisive pass in the attacking third.

•     How often his teammates will look to gamble on runs through/behind the defence when in the attacking third.

Chance Creation – Crossing

•     How early the ball possessor will cross the ball into the penalty area.

•     How many of his teammates will be trying to get on the end of it.

Chance Creation – Shooting

•     How eager the ball possessor is to shoot from further out.

•     How often his teammates look to position themselves for lay-offs or cut-backs.

Defence - Pressure

•     How high up the pitch the defending team will pressure the ball.

•     How high the defensive line will try to play.

Defence - Aggression

•     How aggressively the defender(s) nearest the ball engage(s) the ball possessor.

•     How likely the defender is to throw himself into a lunging tackle.

Defence – Team Width

•     How spread out across the width of the field the team will defend.

•     It does NOT set the width of the team when in possession of the football.

Reproducing Real-life Teams

Hopefully we’ve now gained a good understanding of what the sliders mean, and you can use the ‘Interpreting Style’ boxes above to get a good starting point on how to set up specific Custom Tactics that reproduce the real-life style of a certain team.

Ideally you’ll run two types of test in order to tweak this.  One is to run CPU vs CPU matches.  By spectating you’ll start to get a good grasp on how the AI is interpreting your instructions and what you need to tune to reproduce the style you want.  Secondly, take control of the opponent and play against the team whose Custom Tactics you are tweaking.  This way you’ll know what it is like face them and whether they’ll test you in the style they should.

In the end, don’t sweat this too much.  It’s tempting to tweak and tweak until the end of time but virtual perfection is unlikely.  As long as they’re playing roughly the right sort of style and you haven’t inadvertently made them too easy to beat, let’s move on and actually play the game for fun!

You’ll also realise that there are only 28 Custom Tactic slots… and at least one or two of those you’ll want to keep for yourself for future use.  This limits us on the number of teams we can reproduce and save.  We’re going to need some generic sets that we can share throughout the many teams.

Creating Generic Custom Tactic Sets

The general idea is that we need a number of Custom Tactic sets that represent as many distinct styles of play as we can, without taking up too many save slots.

These sets can then be assigned liberally throughout the teams in all the leagues, conforming to the realistic style of each league but also allowing us plenty of variation for when we come up against those teams in the Manager Mode.

There are many ways to approach this.  I’m going to lay out a set of ten that I have created, which will hopefully result in a nice varied spread of balanced and fun CPU opponent styles.

1-3: Generic North, Generic Central and Generic South

These three are fairly balanced, generic sets, without a heavy bias to a particular style.  The names North, Central and South refer to generalised European styles of play.  In the North (Britain, Scandinavia, colder climates) the game tends to be more physical with a slightly longer passing style.  In the South/Mediterranean (Spain, Italy, warmer climates), the game is generally slower and more considered.  Central gives you a mixture between the two.

Suitable for?

Generic North – British leagues, Scandinavian leagues, Polish league, Austrian league, etc.

Generic Central – Belgian league, French league, Dutch league, etc.

Generic South – Spanish league, Portuguese league, Italian league, etc.

4-5: Counter Long, Counter Short

The counter-attack is an easily distinguishable gameplan.  Defend deep, hit the opponent quickly on the breakaway.  These two sets provide a couple of variations on the theme, one with slightly longer passing and more crossing, one with slightly shorter passing and fewer crosses.

Suitable for?

Counter Long – British leagues, Scandinavian leagues, Polish league, Austrian league, etc.

Counter Short - Spanish league, Portuguese league, Italian league, etc.

6-7: Press Mixed, Press Short

These two sets are very similar to Generic North and Generic South, but with Pressure raised to make the defences play a lot higher up the pitch.  With higher defensive lines and the offside trap, this gives us a second distinguishable style of play to encounter.

Suitable for?

Press Mixed – Scandinavian leagues, German league, Dutch league etc.

Press Short – Spanish league, Swiss league etc.

8-9: Long Slow, Long Fast

The ‘hoof’ might be unattractive but remains a valid and distinctive style, a very direct one looking to launch the ball high up the pitch in agricultural fashion, usually combined with physical play.  One set is slightly more aggressive than the other.

Suitable for?

British Leagues, Scandinavian leagues, Australian league etc.

10: Possession

At the other end of the spectrum is the slow, patient, possession-oriented style, demanding ball-retention at all costs via a much more aesthetic short passing style.

Suitable for?

Italian league, Mexican league etc.

Generic Custom Tactics Chart

Last update: 30/10/09

Assigning Tactics To Leagues

Here’s an attempt at a list of what styles of play might best suit the various leagues… if I have any of the leagues incorrect, feel free to change.

Each league has been assigned, for the most part, about four different sets.  Assuming you don’t know how every single team is supposed to play, simply go through each league and assign those sets liberally and evenly amongst the clubs there to give you a nice spread of playing styles to compete against.

If there are certain leagues that you are sure you have no intention of ever playing in, you could always skip that league!  Just remember that these changes need to be done before starting your Manager Mode in order for the teams to adopt the tactics.

To assign them: go to the edit menu, Team Management, select a league, select a team, go to Custom Tactics, and then select the name of their assigned custom tactic at the very top of the list.  That will bring up the list of saved slots – just assign the slot that you had created and saved the relevant generic set in.

Useful Links

FIFA 10

EA Forums: The Big Fifa10 Custom Tactics Project

http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-10-sony-playstation-3-microsoft-xbox-360/828476-big-fifa10-custom-tactics-project.html

EA Forums: The Big Fifa10 Custom Tactics Project Version 2

http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-10-sony-playstation-3-microsoft-xbox-360/844417-big-fifa10-custom-tactics-project-version-2-a.html

The FIFA 10 Realistic Tactics Project

http://www.schroederriedel.de/fifa10rtp/index.php

FIFA 10 – The Realism Patch

http://www.fifa10realismpatch.moonfruit.com/

FIFA Custom Tactics Forum

http://s1.zetaboards.com/FIFA_Custom_Tactics/index/

Evo Web Forums: FIFA 10 Custom Tactics / Formations

http://forums.evo-web.co.uk/showthread.php?t=54910

From

http://www.halln.co.uk/fifa/understandingcustomtactics.htm

NJH - 2009

The guys from soccerblog.com published a very interesting tip about optimalise the settings of your HD tv to play FIFA 10 much sharper.

We’ve read on various forums for a long time now – as well as people on the FSB team itself wondering what’s going on – that FIFA 10’s PS3 graphics don’t seem anywhere near as sharp as they do on the Xbox 360. This has sparked some debate but this morning, I was given a tip that I’ve been told works wonders.

(We could use some feedback here, so please read on…)

I’ve been told that if you boot up your PS3 without a disc in the drive and go to the SYSTEM column (the second icon from the left), then scroll down through the options until you reach the DISPLAY SETTINGS icon, press X and press X again on the first option in the menu – VIDEO OUTPUT SETTINGS. Here you will be asked what connection you have – e.g. HDMI. You will then be met with a screen asking you to select Automatic or Custom settings, select Custom.

On the screen that follows you should be presented with a list of four tick-boxes. The first one may be “greyed out” – i.e. you can’t untick it – but the rest of the list should be able to be modified. Now so far we’ve only had this confirmed on 1080p-compatible TVs, but if you untick all the boxes that can be unticked, leaving just the 1080p option, people are reporting that this makes the graphics considerably sharper on PS3.

We’d love to know if this makes a difference on other TVs too, so if you try the above on a 1080i-only TV and you leave just the 1080i box ticked, and that makes your FIFA 10 graphics sharper, please let us know on the forums!

Earlier this year the FIWC North American Champion, Joe Guastella, had a chance to visit the EA SPORTS studios in Vancouver where FIFA 10 was developed.  During his visit he got a chance to provide feedback on the game as well as get his hands on an early build of FIFA 10 to play.

With the game now on the shelves world wide, we got Joe to provide some hints and tips to help fellow footballers excel in this year’s footy title.

Don’t commit until you get help from 2nd Defender

When you are 1-on-1 defending against your competitor don’t press (close down on him) right away, this tactic will leave you vulnerable for an easy goal, as you will be unnecessarily putting your player out of position. What you need to do is contain the attacker until your second defender comes in to challenge. To call your help defender you will have to press ‘circle’ (on PS3).

Getting into Defensive position

It is very difficult to control your defender when holding turbo all the time, it is a common mistake that I see online all the time. If you press the ‘L2′ button on (PS3) which is the walk button your player will get into the best position to steal the ball away from the other player as he will be facing the attacking player, able to square up to the ball and make a higher percentage challenge.

Playing the Toughest Competition

Playing competition that is weaker than yourself will not help you improve your game. In order to succeed, especially in a tough tournament like the FIWC you have to play against the toughest competition (online) to get better. You need to learn from your mistakes, as losing against a top player will provide you with valuable experience that you can build on to become a better, more complete player.

1v1 Against the Keeper

This year, FIFA 10 has made 1v1 situations against the keeper harder than last in year’s game. When you are 1v1 against the keeper you will have to patient, don’t rush the shot. During the game there is an option to have the 2D map of the whole field. You should always play with this option on because sometimes the other player will try and rush his keeper out and unless you’re aware and prepared for this tactic you won’t see it coming and most likely waste a golden opportunity to score. If they pull out the keeper past the 18 yard box, the best way to score is to chip it over the keeper by holding ‘L1′ and pressing ‘circle’ (PS3). If the keeper stays in the box aim for one of the corners by using the ‘left stick’ and pressing ‘circle’.

Control you dribble

The biggest mistake people make is holding the ‘turbo’ button (R2) while dribbling. If you’re holding the ‘turbo’ button all the time you will never have the control and responsiveness needed of your player and the ball to create space. When you need to make a cut with the ball or maneuver your way around a defender, the best way to do this is to let go of the ‘turbo’ button. You should only be pressing ‘R2′ if you have a breakaway (just you and the goalie), are trying to catch the attacker, and if you are going straight. If you are trying to make cuts, let go of the ‘turbo’ button and you will have more control of your player on offense and defense.

Jostle

When you are fighting for a position whilst the ball is in the air, jostling is a big factor to winning the battle for the ball. To make the most of this particular 50/50 situation think about how your player is positioned, and worry less about the jostle against your opposition. When fighting for the ball, you need to be physical with the other player and attack the ball. By aggressively challenging the other player (moving towards them) you can cause them to make a mistake, giving you an advantage to gain possession in the midfield - which is crucial to control in this year’s game if you want to realize any type of success.

Passing

The best way to score a goal is by moving the ball around. If you just rely on one player you will never be a good FIFA player. Always look for the next player to pass to. If you keep the passing quick it will move defenders out of position for your chance to score. Something that works really well is if you make a pass and the player makes a run right, doing this will cause the opposition to attack the receiver and forget about the player that made the run, which will cause a breakaway.

Goalkeeper Charging

Timing is the key when charging, timed wrongly and you will concede an easy goal. To time the charge correctly you must read the attacker’s runs or steps. If you see him using the turbo when he gets the breakaway that’s the moment you should charge with the keeper - he won’t have time to adjust because of the limited control he will have as a result of the turbo.

Using Angles

A big part of FIFA 09 was the speed of players like Ronaldo and Messi. People complained about how fast they were and that they were too difficult to stop. To counteract those type of players this year you have to cut the angles. If you get beat by Ronaldo on the sideline, switch players so you’re controlling your CB and cut the angle as you’ll be able to track down quick players from an angle as opposed to trying to chase them down the field. Whatever you do, don’t run behind him because you will be left in the dust. Run towards your goal to cut the angle and neutralize the blinding speed some of these top players possess.

Anticipation

To be a good FIFA player you need to be able to see what your opponent is going to do, two, three steps ahead. FIFA is like a chess game, you need to read your opposition’s every move and it’s important to evaluate early on how he plays. If you are defending you have to read the opponents next pass and movement - by doing this you will know where to go and counter everything he does.

In the first article we looked at the different skill moves. In this article we will look at the combination of them and exit moves.

Ball roll to chop

How to execute? Hold Right, then flick to Back / Left 2x or Hold Left, then flick to Back / Right 2x

Ball roll to hocus pocus

How to execute? Back to Left (Hold for half a second) to Back to Right

Ball roll to reverse stepover

How to execute? Hold Right to Forward

Ball roll to reverse stepover to turn and spin

How to execute? Hold Right, to Forward, Flick Right

Ball roll to triple elastico

How to execute? Back to Right (hold for half a second) to Back to Left

Ball roll fake to hocus pocus

How to execute? Hold Right, hold Left thumbstick Left, then Back to Left to Back to Right

Body feint full across

How to execute? Flick Right thumbstick Right, Flick Left thumbstick Forward / Right

Double stepover

How to execute? Forward to Right to Forward to Left (Repeat for multiple stepovers)

Drag behind the standing leg

How to execute? Flick Left thumbstick Back, then Left (if Right foot drag) or Right (if Left foot drag)

Fake Shot to drag and go

How to execute? Press pass while Shot / Lob power is ramping up. Flick Left thumbstick Back then Forward

Fake Shot to elastico

How to execute? Press pass while Shot / Lob power is ramping up. Right thumbstick Right to Back to Left

Fake Shot to heel to heel

How to execute? Press pass while Shot / Lob power is ramping up. Right thumbstick Forward then Back

Fake Shot to turn and spin

How to execute? Press pass while Shot / Lob power is ramping up. Flick Right thumbstick Forward then Left

Flick up to bicycle

How to execute? Juggle with your Back to goal. Hold the Left thumbstick away from goal and then hit the Shot button as the ball is coming Back down.

Reverse stepover flick ahead

How to execute? Right to Forward, Exit Forward on Left thumbstick or exit Forward / Left

Reverse stepover spin exit

How to execute? Right to Forward, Exit by holding Left on Left thumbstick

Reverse stepover to turn and spin

How to execute? Right to Forward, Flick Right

Stepover to feint Left exit Right

How to execute? Forward to Left to Back to Right

Stepover to hocus pocus

How to execute? Very quickly spin the Right thumbstick anti clockwise 2x starting at Forward

The Hjerpseth

How to execute? Press pass button while Shot / Lob power bar is ramping up + hold Back on Left thumbstick - While sprinting slight press Left thumbstick towards goal and lightly tap the pass button

Here you can find all the skill moves from the FIFA 10 skill move system. This overview is published in the FIFA 10 Official Gaming guide from Prima. Practice these in the Arena and use them to beat your friends or other oppenents.

1 Star skills.

Juggling

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It's not very usefull but it's fun to juggle.

How to execute?
PS3: Tap R1 repeatedly
Xbox360: Tap RB repeatedly

2 Star skills.

Ball roll

Very simple move to create room to get your cross in for example.

How to execute?
Hold Left (7) or Hold Right (3)

Body feint Left or Right

Trick the defender with this body move

How to execute?
Flick Left (7) or flick Right (3)

Drag Back

Very good trick to pull the ball out of the path of a lunging defender or quickly changing directions

How to execute?
Flick Left thumbstick Back (5) Only works when standing

Reverse stepover

The reverse stepover fakes as if you are going to cut the ball across your body with the inside of your boot. Instead step over and around the front of the ball. The objective is to fool the defender so you can go in the opposite direction.

How to execute?
Right to Forward (3,2,1) or Left to Backward (7,8,1)

Stepover

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Make sure you have plenty of seperation between you and the defender, or it will be tackled away.

How to execute?
Forward to Right (1,2,3) or Forward to Left (1,8,7)

3 Stars skills.

360º roulette

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Made most famous by Maradona and Zidane. Its a spin move that effectively shields the ball from your oppenent. It's very hard to defend this skill.

How to execute?
Back to Left to Forward to Right (5,6,7,8,1,2,3) or Back to Right to Forward to Left (5,4,3,2,1,8,7)

Fake Left go Right

Variaton of the Elastice move. You will perform a body fake to the Right and then take the ball with the Left

How to execute?
Right to Back (3,4,5,6,7)

Flick Up

You can use this to avoid tackles or you can flick the ball to crack a volley on goal.

How to execute?
Flick Forward 3 times (1,1,1)

Heel flick

This move is for players with only 3 star skill move rating to perform the heel to heel flick

How to execute?
Flick Forward,Back (1,5)

4 Star skills.

Ball hop

Mexican player Cuauhtémoc Blanco is given credit for being the first player on the World Cup 1994.

How to execute?
PS3: R3
Xbox360: RB

Feint Left exit Right

Sir Stanley Matthews perfected this moves to beat defenders

How to execute?
Left to Back to Right (7,6,5,4,3)

Heel to heel flick

Effective when used along the sidelines. You see the best results when the defender attacks you straight on.

How to execute?
Flick Forward, Back (1,5)

Standard Rainbow

This move flicks the ball from behind your player up and over his head.

How to execute?
Flick Back, Forward, Then Forward again with timing (5,1,0) .... (0,1)

Advanced Rainbow

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As above but the timing is a bit different and rewards you with a unique animation.

How to execute?
Flick Back, Forward, Then Forward again with timing (5,1) ... (0,1)

5 Star skills.

Ball roll flick

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Only be performed when jogging.

How to execute?
Hold Right, Flick diagonal Forward / Left (3,8) or Hold Left, Flick diagonal Forward / Right (7,2)

Ball roll fake

This new trick is all about flair

How to execute?
Hold Right, Hold Left thumbstick Left or Hold Left, Hold Right thumbstick Right

Chop

Performed by Christiano Ronaldo, it is a 90 degree change of direction.Only performed when jogging

How to execute?
Flick diagonal Back / Left 2x (6,0,6,0) or flick diagonal Back / Right 2x (4,0,4,0)

Drag Back fake and exit

Lots of flair, lots of flash, lots of fun

How to execute?
Back to Left to Back to Right on the Left thumbstick (5,6,7,6,5,4,3)

Elastico

Lots of people associate this with Ronaldinho.

How to execute?
Right to Back to Left (3,4,5,6,7)

First time flick

This trick came from a Thierry Henry moment

How to execute?
PS3: Hold or tap R1
Xbox360: Hold or tap RB

Hocus Pocus

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In combination with a stepover or Ball roll it's deadly for defenders.

How to execute?
Back to Left to Back to Right (5,6,7,6,5,4,3)

Rabona Fake

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Extremely effective when it comes to shaking the defence but will put your stick skills to the test.

How to execute?
Pass button while Shot / lob power is ramping ip + hold Back on Left thumstick. While sprinting

Scoop turn

Use it to curl the ball around a defender. Hard to avoid the tacky though.

How to execute?
Flick diagonal Back / Left 2x (6,0,6,0) or flick Diagonal Back / Right 2x (4,0,4,0)

Sombrero flick

Use this move when your Back is to goal and you have a defender rushing you.

How to execute?
Flick Forward, Forward, Back (1,0,1,5) Standing only

Triple Elastico

A derivative of the Elastico, the triple Flip Flap fakes a move to the oustide before cutting the ball Back across from Right to Left.

How to execute?
Back to Right to Back to Left (5,4,3,4,5,6,7)

Turn and spin

This moves was made most famous by Celtic player Aiden McGeady. You can use this when the defender is at your Back or even while facing a defender.

How to execute?
Flick Forward, Flick Left (1,0,7) or Flick Forward, Flick Right (1,0,3)

Understanding set pieces is one of the main priority's to score many goals in FIFA 10. Below we want to explain set pieces. The first one in this serie is Corner kicks.

Corner kicks

There are two terms that you need to understand: Inswinging kick, the ball bends or curves towards the goal. Outswinging kick, the ball bends or curves away from the goal.

Lob Cross

PS3: Square button / Xbox 360:  x-button

50% of the powermeter
front post area,

70% of the powermeter
back post area

Tips: Aim as close to the goal line as possible, then it an outswinging corner with tonnes of spin on it. The keeper will freeze at his line as the ball drops into the danger area.

Low cross

PS3: Double tap Square button / Xbox 360:  Double tap x-button

For a change of pace,try firing off a low cross. This type off cross wil be driven low with pace and can be whipped in across the face of the goal. If you don't have a good angle for a shot, use the pass button to click the ball to another teammate.

Tips: Very usefull when played to the front post area as they will not clear too many players due to their lower trajectory.

Ground cross

PS3: Triple tap Square button / Xbox 360:  Triple tap x-button

The ground cross does pretty much the same as a ground pass. You just have to be the first at the ball afterwards you can shoot or pass.

Short corner / call player

PS3: L2 button to call, x button to pass / Xbox 360:  LT button to call,  A button to pass

This is an effective way to kill time. Work a one-two pass with your kick taker and the receiver of the initial pass. You can get your cross in from a different angle by just making a pass a few yards further away from the goalline and then crossing it right away.

Stay tuned for tips 'n  tricks about free kicks!

After publishing the list with the players which have the highest potential, this time a list with the highest potential difference. Thnx @ Prime Games again!

Larsen Jens Stryger, Brondby IF, Overall 42, Potential 82
Yeni N'Gbakoto, FC Metz (France Ligue 2), Overall 42, Potential 82
Alassane També, Paris Saint Germain (France Ligue 1), Overall 45, Potential 84
Kristian Lindberg, FC Nordsjaelland (Denmark SAS Ligaen), Overall 45, Potential 83
David Jensen, FC Nordsjaelland (Denmark SAS Ligaen), Overall 39, Potential 76
Izet Hajrovic, Grasshopper Club (Switzerland Super League), Overall 34, Potential 71
Kevin Fickentscher, FC Sion (Switzerland Super League), Overall 31, Potential 68
Trimi Makolli, Djurgardens IF (Sweden Allsvenskan), Overall 35, Potential 70
Yassine Jebbour, Stande Rennais (France Ligue 2), Overall 44, Potential 78
Gueida Fofana, Le Havre (France Ligue 2), Overall 50, Potential 83
Jasmin Pllana, SV Ried (Austria Tipp3 Bundesliga), Overall 38, Potential 71
Osama Akharraz, Brondby IF (Denmark SAS Ligaen), Overall 45, Potential 77
Luke Daley, Norwich City (England League One), Overall 43, Potential 75
Sam Jenkins, New Zealand (International), Overall 39, Potential 71
Ezequiel Munoz, Boca Juniors (Rest of World), Overall 56, Potential 87
Marvin Esor, AC Arles-Avignon (France Ligue 2), Overall 47, Potential 78
Driss Fettouhi, FC Istres (France Ligue 2), Overall 44, Potential 75
Mark Leth Pedersen, Brondby IF (Denmark SAS Ligaen), Overall 42, Potential 73
Oguzhan Aynaoglu, FC Nordsjaelland (Denmark SAS Ligaen), Overall 37, Potential 68
Gary McCabe, Bray Wanderes (Rep Ireland Eircom League), Overall 50, Potential 80

The following table shows the players with the highest potential in the game. Thnx to Prima Official Gaming Guide

Ronaldo (Corinthians) Potential 97
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) Potential 95
Christiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Potential 94
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona) Potential 94
Gianluci Buffon (Juventus) Potential 93
David Villa (Valencia) Potential 93
Ronaldinho (AC Milan) Potential 93
Michel Bastos (Olympique Lyon) Potential 93
Hernanes (Sao Paulo) Potential 93
Arda Turan (Galatasaray) Potential 93
Adriano (Flamengo) Potential 93
Casillas (Real Madrid) Potential 92
Franck Ribery (Bayern Munchen) Potential 92
Kaka (Real Madrid) Potential 92
Fransesco Totti (AS Roma) Potential 92
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Potential 92
Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux) Potential 92
Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyon) Potential 92
Alexandre Pato (AC Milan) Potential 92
Jesus Navas (Sevilla) Potential 92

Darren Cross writes on http://fifa.easports.com/ about how to reach a higher level. This article handles the defending part!

How many times have you been on the verge of taking a well-earned win, either against the ai, a mate or online, only to throw it all away in the last minute due to either poor defending or a bad mistake?

That kind of thing used to happen to me all the time. I’d be a goal up in a game I deserved to win, only to make a mess of a simple clearance or play a stupid ball across my defence and be punished by an opponent who couldn’t believe his luck. To make it worse I’d be so annoyed with myself that I’d usually go on to take a thrashing in extra-time. Sound familiar to anyone else?

But after taking some great advice from the guys behind the game, like FIFA 09 and 10 Producer David Rutter, Creative Director Gary Paterson and Pro player Chris Bullard, combined with playing a lot more games to get as much experience as possible, I’ve massively improved the defensive side of my game. So much so that I now win far more games than I lose, and I don’t have to score as many goals as before to get the victory.

There are at least eight things I’m doing now that I either wasn’t before, or that I’m just doing better. Some are simple, and some take a little more effort, but all of them are effective. Have a read of the first four, fire up FIFA 09 and see if they work for you, then come back here next week for part two. 

If you can nail these now, you’ll already have a big advantage over those that haven’t when you pick up 10 for the first time on October 2.

1 LEAVE THE PASS BUTTON ALONE!
Without a doubt, the single biggest thing that’s made a difference for me is the way I defend in my own box, especially against crosses and long passes. As a player who likes to play attractive football, I’d always defend balls into my box with the pass button and look to head it down to a team-mate, in the hope of starting my own counter. But I soon lost count of the amount of times I headed the ball to an opposition player and gifted the other team a goal. 

Then I moved my thumb away from the pass button. 

My thumb naturally hovers over the pass button because this is the one I use the most, so it took a surprising amount of effort at first to consciously move it over to the shoot button when defending balls into the box, and what a difference it made! Instead of attempting to find a team-mate with a risky header in the most dangerous area of all, I now simply head or clear it as far away from my box as possible which, if it doesn’t go to one of my players, at least gives me a few valuable seconds to get some shape back. It might not be pretty but it’s very, very effective.

2 ALWAYS FACE THE PLAY!
I don’t know why, but hardly anyone uses the jockey function in FIFA 09. It’s bizarre, because it’s actually one of your most potent weapons when you’re defending. Jockeying simply means keeping your body positioned toward the attacker, so you’re always facing the play. This prevents you from having to turn your back while sprinting and trying to guess which way the attacker is going to go. It also gives you the best chance of making a standing tackle, so not only do you win the ball back, but you also immediately have possession. 

Jockeying is really easy to do, which makes it even more strange that it’s so rarely used! Just hold down the left trigger or L2 and your defender will remain facing the ball until you release the button. If the attacker is running at speed, then hold down the right trigger or R2 as well and your defender will perform a running jockey. Now all you need to do is wait for the right moment to go for the standing tackle. 

3 LOOK AROUND!
Just won a goal kick? Then take a second to chill out and have a look around. So many players fail to do this and start tapping the pass button as soon as they know they’ve won a goal kick, only to knock the ball straight to the opposition’s striker who gratefully accepts the gift and taps the ball home.

This is so easy to avoid, yet so many impatient players still do it. I know this because that used to be me, and because I see it ALL THE TIME online.

The next time that ball goes out for a goal kick, resist the urge to play a quick pass then have a look at the radar to see where your players and, more importantly, the opposition are. If you want to play a short pass then choose the player in the best position. Want to go long quickly? No problem, but aim the kick out wide instead of straight down the middle – most of the time you’ll have a player out there in plenty of space.

4 IF IN DOUBT, KICK IT OUT!
So many principles of real-life football apply just as much as when you have the virtual ball at your feet in FIFA as the real one in a game. 

As I said earlier, I’ll try to play as much Samba soccer as possible, but only in the right areas now. Across your own box and, to an extent, even in your own half are definitely not the right areas. I found that out the hard way. ‘If in doubt, kick it doubt’ is a classic football cliché that you’ll hear from any coach at any level, but there’s a very good reason for that… it’s true. 

So when you find yourself facing your own goal and you’re not sure whether to pass it to a team-mate or just clear it, don’t be afraid to send the ball high and up field or, if space is really tight, hit the infamous Row Z. That’s exactly what a professional footballer would do in that situation. 

You might get a bit of stick from your opponent for playing ugly, but you’ll be the one laughing at the end of the game when you’ve kept a clean sheet and taken the win.

One more tip if you do have enough time to play the ball long ¬- use the left bumper or L1 and charge up the clearance with the long pass button. Using the shoot button to clear can sometimes result in your player lumping the ball straight out, which is fine in your own box or when you have no other option in your own half, but should be avoided if you do have a second or two to get the ball out of your feet and play it up field. Remember, the further you can get the ball away from your goal, the more time you’ll have to regroup.

5 DROP DEEPER!
At the end of last week’s column we looked at how a large number of real-life football principles also apply when playing FIFA, and that is especially true when it comes to defending against pace.

Speed is one of the hardest attributes to defend against in a real game of football. If someone is faster than you and has the space to open up then they’re going to get past you unless you rugby tackle them, so it’s at least realistic that the fastest players are also the hardest to stop in FIFA 09. I’ve honestly lost count of the amount of times I’ve been done by a high ball over the top of my back four for an ultra-fast player like Ronaldo or Torres to run on to and finish. It used to happen to me all the time.

As difficult as defending against pace can be, it is not impossible and there are a number of tactics real coaches use to reduce the impact of faster players. The most risky of those tactics is to play the offside trap, and that is an option to you in FIFA 09 (and 10, of course). Double tap up on your control pad just before the ball carrier plays his pass to the striker and your defence will surge forward with their arms in the air before you can say George Graham, but it’s not a tactic I recommend. You could time your trap perfectly for 89 minutes, then mess it all up with seconds to go and be punished. It is just too risky.

A much safer bet, favoured by managers who have particularly slow defenders, is to have one player drop a little deeper than the rest of the back line. This will take you seconds to set up, but could save you from conceding countless goals. All you have to do is open up Custom Tactics, then edit a defender’s base position so that he sits further behind the rest of the defence. How far back you move the defender depends on your style of play and ability, so the next bit is a bit trial and error. If you find that moving the defender back only slightly doesn’t make much difference, then go back into Custom Tactics and shift him a bit closer to your own goal. The target is to have him sitting deep enough to intercept balls over the top, but not so far away that he gives the striker time to pick the ball up in acres of space – you don’t want a striker running with the ball at your last man!

Once you get the position of your deepest defender just right, your next job is to use your other defender to give the striker as little space as possible. That’s exactly what a real manager would do, which brings me on to the next tip… 

6 USE SECONDARY PRESS!
Pressing is a common tactic used by FIFA players. In fact, it’s probably overused. I’ve seen tons of games where the opposing team defends by pressing all over the pitch, which is fine against weaker opposition but will bring you nothing but trouble against the top players, who’ll simply pass the ball around your constantly knackered players and play in the huge spaces you’re creating for them by running out of position.

Secondary Press is far less common yet can be so much more effective when used properly, especially if you use it in conjunction with the defensive tactics we’re looking at here. Initiating a Secondary Press (hold the shoot button while the other team has the ball) will get one of your AI-controlled team-mates to press the ball while leaving you in control of a separate defender, ideally the deepest one. This allows you to put pressure on the ball carrier with one player and take up a solid defensive position with the player you’re controlling so that, should the striker get past the AI defender, the player you’re in control of will be ready to mop up.

7 MANUALLY SELECT DEFENDERS!
Another tactic that should make an instantly noticeable difference to your defending is to manually select your defenders, instead of having the AI auto switch them for you. 

Some players like having the cursor automatically change to the nearest defender and it can be useful, particularly when you’re defending high balls. But, once you get used to it, you should find manual select much more effective, in attack as well as defence.

Once you’ve changed your cursor settings to manual, just press LB or L1 to select the defender you want to control. I find it most effective to combine this tactic with Secondary Press and have one AI player – either a striker, midfielder or defender, depending on the area of the pitch I’m in – press the ball while I move a nearby player into the position where I think the play is heading.

8 THINK LIKE A STRIKER!
My final tip is a simple one; ask yourself what you would do if you had the ball in the position your opponent is occupying. Nine times out of ten you’ll be able to second-guess the play and do something about it. If it doesn’t work for you because the other team have done something unpredictable or special, then it’s time to hold your hands up, take your medicine and go straight back in for another game. At least you’ll have learned another move to look out for in future!

It's quite a stumble to create a match against someone on your friendlist. Here is quick howto. Stay tuned for a more visual version!

First you go at the online lobby's. After that you create a own game room with the triangle button. Choose at the settings for private gameroom. After you created the room you can invite players from your list with R2