FIFA 14: Beginner’s Guide

Learn all the movement controls

FIFA 14 includes a bunch of ways in which you can move with the ball. It isn’t simply a case of sprinting mindlessly around the pitch. With greater unpredictability in the first touch system, more consideration must be taken in protecting the ball.

The new physics engine has brought with it new shielding mechanics. Holding down LT/L2 will allow your player to block the defender’s path to the ball with his body. Holding both triggers makes you ‘face up’ to your opponent, a great way to change pace and take on a man in a one-on-one situation. Holding LB/L1 will allow minor changes of direction, which is great in congested midfield situations and can give you that half a yard of space needed to get a shot away.

Tweak the game settings

If FIFA 14 isn’t playing the way you want it to, have a look at the in-game settings. There are a whole host of options that can be changed to your heart’s content.

Changing the level of assistance the game gives you on passes, through balls, shots and more means you can have even greater control over play.

Keep adjusting these until you feel comfortable with the feel of the game.

Crosses – Lots of them

One of the biggest changes this year has been player strength. In particular, a prominence has been given to heading. Therefore corners and crosses are much more vital, so make sure you are putting a lot of balls into the box.

Goals from corners will be a major factor this year, so aim for your centre-halves when taking them. In FIFA 13, headers tended to fly over the bar, but it’s now far easier to get your efforts on target, which, even if the goalkeeper saves, creates the opportunity for follow-up shots.

A big striker always helps

Your crosses will be even more potent if you have a good target man up top. Players like Ricky Lambert and even Robin Van Persie will have the edge over defenders. If you can deliver a cross that arrives somewhere between the six yard line and penalty spot, you give the striker a good chance of producing a strong header at goal.

In career mode, Chelsea are always willing to let Romelu Lukaku go for pretty cheap, and he’s the perfect type of player for this tactic.

Get a goalscoring midfielder

In instances where the defender wins the header, or the goalkeeper punches clear, you need a midfielder following it up who can score from outside the box. Players in the mould of Stephen Gerrard and Santi Cazorla will score plenty of goals from these sorts of chances.

Edit your custom tactics

Pressing the D-pad up or down during a match will bring up a list of four offensive and defensive tactical presets (possession, counter-attack etc.). You can create your own play styles in the ‘Custom Tactics’ menu, encouraging shorter passing, more shooting, greater crossing and more besides.

By assigning your new tactics to the D-pad, you can create your own style of play to suit your formation and line-up.