FIFA 18

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

A few further observations:

- I was wrong about the full backs, getting them on standard attacking mentality is the way to go. Especially if you're like me and can't dribble 1v1 for shit so rely on passing moves. I think the problem was that in a narrower 4-2-3-1 the CAMs didn't offer the same protection as the wide midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 wide or 4-4-1-1.

- In squad battles you don't get penalised for going into extra time. I got as many points in a 6-2 aet win than I would after 90. Additionally, in squad battles the AI is reckless when it goes a goal down and is very quick to go all out attack leaving so many counter chances. A good way to rack up a high scoreline/ most points is to try and control the game when 1-0 up and wait for the AI to kamikaze.

- I won a game on ultimate difficulty but that was v a 76 rated team, That level is actually mental, the buffs the AI have are ridiculous, Danny Drinkwater comfortably outran Alejandro Gomez in a straight on 1v1 foot race and the bronze subs it brought on played like Ronaldo.

- Despite initial scepticism keepers aren't so bad, infact a higher rated keeper (Courtois, P.Schmeichel, Yashin etc.) are absolutely unbearably frustratingly good.

- So many people rely on pace abuse it's mental. I don't think it's really going to be a thing at higher levels, it's way too predictable and unlike Fifa15 etc with the high lobbed balls, defenders don't act like they're on crack, so it's easy enough to stop, although quick 1-2s with a Reus, Auba, Cuadrado in a 4-1-2-1 combination was frustrating.

- A balanced midfield really matters now. Tried to run a Bundesliga team with Goretzka and Keita in the middle and it was too easy for my opponent to run through. Bringing in Hector really shored everything up, same with my Serie A team, Gonalons is an absolute God-send.

- I haven't seen a 4-3-1-2 yet... Bring on the meta change!

- Belotti <3

- Using the trainer for pass and shooting mapping is a great way to get to terms with the mechanics also.

Did my squad battles for today over my lunch break, currently 3,000 points into Elite 1... Or 14,000 off of the Top 100

 

[Dave]

How can you play Fifa and not know the kick off glitch?!

I've played it for years and never heard of the glitch.

 

[HarvSFC]

I wish I had never heard of the glitch. It's absolutely destroyed me today, numerous times.

 

[epic73]

Is it an actual glitch or is it just easy to score from kickoff?

 

[Liam_SWFC]

My Xbox won't install the disc, any suggestions on how to fix it? There's obviously nothing wrong with the disc as it's only just come.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

My Xbox won't install the disc, any suggestions on how to fix it? There's obviously nothing wrong with the disc as it's only just come.

Is there any error message?

HarvSFC look at PaulHaddock half time stats. I think even you could do a better job...

 

[HarvSFC]

Wow, Paul's bad.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Finished 4-2 mate.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Thomas Muller is surprisingly... Thomas Muller like. Gone back to 4-2-3-1 narrow cos it's my bae, have him at right attacking midfield and the two games I've played with him he's scored twice by coming out of nowhere and ghosting past the full back so he's wide open, one touch, boom. It's magical.

Belotti has 40 goals and 21 assists from 32 games. Still not entirely sure how, he doesn't get in behind, he doesn't particularly hold it up well, his passing is 57... but it works.

 

[Relentless]

My two teams, I prefer the Serie A one of the two. Got Marchisio in a 2player untradeable pack and doing a box to box role next to Gonalons staying back is a fantastic duo.

I was surprised that Perisic is as cheap as he is but he's really good too. I definitely enjoy crossing from the right and it either going to Belotti who's a monster or it going to Perisic who at 6foot1 is gonna outjump most fullbacks at the far post.

Balotelli is actually good again. Only player I'm not sure about in that Ligue1 side is Plea as when I'm playing he doesn't seem to actually do anything. But then when I checked the stats he was getting all the assists

 

[Relentless]

Just won the DKT. Got a premium gold pack for it. OTW Tolisso in it. Not sure if I wanna sell him or keep as he'll likely get an IF sometime I hope.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Ha! I did that and got a random non rare...

 

[HarvSFC]

I got one of those ultimate packs from a daily challenge today (Buy a defender). It turned out to be the best pack I've ever had! Got my first ever TOTW player, unfortunately it was that Swedish RWB nobody. However, I also got Idrissa Gueye, Joel Matip, Joe Hart, Nicolas Otamendi and Victor Moses among others.

Sold them all and now spending the coins on drafts.

 

[RavenBish]

what are the go-to formations this year then? My beloved 3-4-1-2 from Fifa 17 doesn't feel right and I've tried 4231 (with the 3 CAMs) and that feels awfully congested and the 2 wide CAMs don't seem to be high enough up the pitch most of the time to run beyond the lone striker if you can get it into his feet.

 

[Relentless]

what are the go-to formations this year then? My beloved 3-4-1-2 from Fifa 17 doesn't feel right and I've tried 4231 (with the 3 CAMs) and that feels awfully congested and the 2 wide CAMs don't seem to be high enough up the pitch most of the time to run beyond the lone striker if you can get it into his feet.

Really enjoying 4411. One of the CMs being a defensive mid set to stay back and the other being a box to box midfielder. ST being a good all rounder and the CF having some decent dribbling

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

I'm back to the 4-2-3-1 with the two CAMs and it works a treat. The 4-2-3-1 with the wide mids was a little too lacking offensively whilst the 4-4-1-1 was great when chasing a game but it was a little bit too open defensively.

Although saying that, I think 4-2-3-1 narrow requires a certain play style to ever be effective. Generally you should be playing a possession orientated game (55%+ per game) with a high passing accuracy (88%+ per game) with lots of 1-2s and manual runs. I don't think a direct counter attacking style / looking to get in behind consistently works particularly well because of the CAM positionings.

Custom tactics and player instructions will also have some impact on how it plays.

Won the draft with a 4-2-2-2 and that's very good offensively.

 

[Relentless]

Only used him for 2 games but Tolisso is so good. Bursts forward from the midfield so well and can definitely finish

 

[RavenBish]

gone with 4-4-1-1 and it's alright so far, pretty clear you need a mobile midfield though to support the striker and not leave yourself open for counters

Marchetti
Karsdorp - Mauricio - Vitor Hugo - Radu
Berardi - Gonalons - Diawara - Calhanoglu
Perotti
Icardi

A bit disappointed as I'm winning games but Icardi and Berardi seem to both play well below their ratings. I've hit a couple of stunners with Calhanoglu cutting in on his right foot - very fun player to use.

Serie A always disappoint me on Ultimate Team - should be a league that suits me as there's an abundance of strong but technical players but you have real trouble finding players who don't handle like cruise liners. Might go to an all French side instead - so many options and hybrid potential.

 

[epic73]

Anyone got good NR player suggestions? Preferably Bundesliga and/or Brazilian. And as cheap as possible. Epic is poor.

 

[CharlieAdamno1Fan]

I had my first game 3-0 down by 20 minutes and s man off .

I love Fifa

 

[Relentless]

gone with 4-4-1-1 and it's alright so far, pretty clear you need a mobile midfield though to support the striker and not leave yourself open for counters

Marchetti
Karsdorp - Mauricio - Vitor Hugo - Radu
Berardi - Gonalons - Diawara - Calhanoglu
Perotti
Icardi

A bit disappointed as I'm winning games but Icardi and Berardi seem to both play well below their ratings. I've hit a couple of stunners with Calhanoglu cutting in on his right foot - very fun player to use.

Serie A always disappoint me on Ultimate Team - should be a league that suits me as there's an abundance of strong but technical players but you have real trouble finding players who don't handle like cruise liners. Might go to an all French side instead - so many options and hybrid potential.

Try setting Icardi to stay central and Perotti to drift wide and run in behind.

I think I've won every game using my serie A team with this tactic and haven't really struggled. My teams

Donnaruma
Karadorp Tonelli J.Jesus Dalbert
B.Peres Marchisio Gonalons Perisic
Perotti
Belotti

Belotti and Perotti are just goal and assist machines. Perisic gets more than his fair share too and Marchisio/Gonalons just dominate every midfield I come up against.

 

[Relentless]

Anyone got good NR player suggestions? Preferably Bundesliga and/or Brazilian. And as cheap as possible. Epic is poor.

Can't remember his name but something like Kaderbock? He's a Bundesliga RWB.

I'd also give Delaney and Burgstaller a go too.

 

[epic73]

Can't remember his name but something like Kaderbock? He's a Bundesliga RWB.

I'd also give Delaney and Burgstaller a go too.

I'll take a look.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Belotti
Gomez Perotti Mertens
Gonalons Matuidi
Lukaku Koulibaly Manolas Florenzi
Donnarumma

Werner
Goretzka Keita Muller
Hector Vidal
Schmelzer Toprak Vogt Piszczek
Fahrmann
​

Currently poor

​

 

[HarvSFC]

Akpom - Afobe

Gray - Davies - Williams - Burke

Schlupp - Tuanzebe - Riedwald - Yedlin

Robles

Currently rich. (£70k in the bank) and on a record of 4-1-1 in Div 6.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Um, what are you all talking about? It’s all about THE JOURNEY.

 

[NorfolkWomble]

Anyone else finding it absolutely shite for career mode? Like the new interface and all but the gameplay? Shooting is stupidly stupidly overpowered, I'm scoring 5/6 goals every game and conceding the same. It feels like all I need to do is just have a sight of goal and it goes in. At the same time goalkeepers are awful unless they're the top top end ones, there's no balance which makes playing career mode in the lower leagues awful.

Passing is stupid, the first touch pass is crazily accurate? It's way easier to get on target than other passes.

Lots of positive stuff but this for now is making the rest of it a bit crap. Hoping it gets patched soon.

 

[Relentless]

Decided to try out the narrow 4231 for my second team seeing as I can't really manage to work a 4411 that plays as well as my Serie A team.

This one is

Begovic
Clyne Keane Smalling Bertrand
N'Zonzi R.Mesa
B.Yedder Viera Rodrigo
IF Zaza

 

[PaulHaddock]

I’m liking the fact that players have a turning circle and it’s not just a straight 180 spin.

 

[RavenBish]

Amadou Diawara is the best discount value player I've ever used - great defensively, good stamina and bizarrely is a goal machine despite having 39 finishing and 56 long shots?

This 4411 lark has seen a noticeable improvement as I've knocked off a few 4/4.5 star teams in Squad Battles on World Class (Squad Battles is a cool addition by the way - already played more single player games on this UT than the past 3 or 4 combined + the rewards look worth the effort)