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Fifa 21

Vantastico

Active Member
So, I played some FIFA 20 with my 16 year-old nephew today. He's a Manchester United fan who regularly manages to beat me with 4 star teams, even when I'm using superteams like Bayern, or Barça, or whichever team else.

Today however, I came out victorious against him in a two-legged Champions League semifinal's fixture, featuring somewhat plausible Arsenal and Man United squads in the upcoming season.

My incoming transfers prior to kick-off were as follows: 73 rated William Saliba, 83 rated Thomas Lemar, 80 rated Doucouré and similarly 80-rated Nathan Aké. Just some guys who were recently mentioned in the rumor mill. His only incoming transfer was Gareth Bale.

Anyways, with that out of the way, let's talk formation and tactics. I started the first leg using the formation 4-3-3-offensive and the starting lineup of: Leno, Bellerin, Saliba, Aké, Tierney, Doucouré, Torreira, Özil, Auba, Laca, Pepe.

My fullbacks were instructed to join the attack, Doucouré was instructed to stay back during attack and all our midfielders were given instructions to press passing lanes. Laca was to get in behind, Pepe to come in the ball, and Auba to make balanced runs.

Fast forward to the end of that first match, I lost 3-2 at Old Trafford. Nothing out of the ordinary. In the second leg however I decided to make a couple of changes to the starting line-up.

First and foremost, I started playing a lot more comfortably in the first game after subbing Ceballos on for Özil (because the combination of pace + dribbling is extremely meta in this FIFA). Anyhow I started with Ceballos as the LCM this time around, Doucouré playing in the middle at CM and Torreira at RCM, using the 4-3-3 flat-formation. I also tried testing David Luiz at LCB instead of Aké, but quickly reversed that decision at half-time because Aké partnered up with Saliba much better for my liking (again, likely a pace thing).

That second game ended in a 2-1 victory for me, meaning on aggregate I went through to the UCL Final, which we also played out. I lost 1-0 to his unaltered Real Madrid side, to an Ernesto Valverde screamer similar to James Maddison's this past weekend.

Some remarks about the gameplay experience of using this team, besides the pace-meta in FIFA (well, also that):

#1 Saliba was simply a monster in defense, even at just his 73 overall rating. Just the level of calmness he brought, Arsenal hasn't had that in defense since... the day my nephew was born basically.

#2 Doucoure was legitimately bossing in midfield. Played like a mix between prime Patrick Viera and N'Golo Kanté out there against the likes of Paul Pogba nonetheless. Maybe I'm exaggarating just a bit but I absolutely mean it. Might be because I've used Xhaka such countless many times, that it's made me aware what difference some pace in midfield can make in this game.

#3 Some players who are already in the Arsenal squad who played remarkably for me in some ways:

Controlling Pepe proper felt like using Pepe, including all the sky-high ups and downs that come with Pepe being, well, Pepe.

Leno performed incredibly, he has always been a top-notch keeper to use from way back in FIFA 15 I believe.

Torreira was awesome to play with as well, especially his short-passing ability in build-up play was something to behold. Maybe its his low centre of gravity, but that along with his L1-close dribbling felt amazing.

Tierney played very good in general except for a stretch in the final game where he felt extremely out of his depth, perhaps due to issues with stamina? I'm not sure what happened or why it did but it was weird, like I had a gaping hole at the left hand side.

One final thing, something I figured during Tierney's nightmare stretch, was that wingers in this game don't actually make runs to cover holes in defense, even despite me setting Auba's instructions to come back on defense. Which was an incredibly frustrating thing to deal with, because unless you happen to have mastered the optimal timings to press switch you're always killed by forward runs. I mean, I know that attackers can sometimes be lazy to track back in real life, but I've even seen Auba defend in our own box this very season and this was supposed to be a UCL Final's game for crying out loud.

Anyways, long post. For those reading it all the way through: thanks and I hope you enjoyed.

(PS. We're planning to do a Neymar at Real and Mbappé at Barca rivalry game next time)
 
Last edited:

Flying Okapis

Most Well-Known Member
So, I played some FIFA 20 with my 16 year-old nephew today. He's a Manchester United fan who regularly manages to beat me with 4 star teams, even when I'm using superteams like Bayern, or Barça, or whichever team else.

Today however, I came out victorious against him in a two-legged Champions League semifinal's fixture, featuring somewhat plausible Arsenal and Man United squads in the upcoming season.

My incoming transfers prior to kick-off were as follows: 73 rated William Saliba, 83 rated Thomas Lemar, 80 rated Doucouré and similarly 80-rated Nathan Aké. Just some guys who were recently mentioned in the rumor mill. His only incoming transfer was Gareth Bale.

Anyways, with that out of the way, let's talk formation and tactics. I started the first leg using the formation 4-3-3-offensive and the starting lineup of: Leno, Bellerin, Saliba, Aké, Tierney, Doucouré, Torreira, Özil, Auba, Laca, Pepe.

My fullbacks were instructed to join the attack, Doucouré was instructed to stay back during attack and all our midfielders were given instructions to press passing lanes. Laca was to get in behind, Pepe to come in the ball, and Auba to make balanced runs.

Fast forward to the end of that first match, I lost 3-2 at Old Trafford. Nothing out of the ordinary. In the second leg however I decided to make a couple of changes to the starting line-up.

First and foremost, I started playing a lot more comfortably in the first game after subbing Ceballos on for Özil (because the combination of pace + dribbling is extremely meta in this FIFA). Anyhow I started with Ceballos as the LCM this time around, Doucouré playing in the middle at CM and Torreira at RCM, using the 4-3-3 flat-formation. I also tried testing David Luiz at LCB instead of Aké, but quickly reversed that decision at half-time because Aké partnered up with Saliba much better for my liking (again, likely a pace thing).

That second game ended in a 2-1 victory for me, meaning on aggregate I went through to the UCL Final, which we also played out. I lost 1-0 to his unaltered Real Madrid side, to an Ernesto Valverde screamer similar to James Maddison's this past weekend.

Some remarks about the gameplay experience of using this team, besides the pace-meta in FIFA (well, also that):

#1 Saliba was simply a monster in defense, even at just his 73 overall rating. Just the level of calmness he brought, Arsenal hasn't had that in defense since... the day my nephew was born basically.

#2 Doucoure was legitimately bossing in midfield. Played like a mix between prime Patrick Viera and N'Golo Kanté out there against the likes of Paul Pogba nonetheless. Maybe I'm exaggarating just a bit but I absolutely mean it. Might be because I've used Xhaka such countless many times, that it's made me aware what difference some pace in midfield can make in this game.

#3 Some players who are already in the Arsenal squad who played remarkably for me in some ways:

Controlling Pepe proper felt like using Pepe, including all the sky-high ups and downs that come with Pepe being, well, Pepe.

Leno performed incredibly, he has always been a top-notch keeper to use from way back in FIFA 15 I believe.

Torreira was awesome to play with as well, especially his short-passing ability in build-up play was something to behold. Maybe its his low centre of gravity, but that along with his L1-close dribbling felt amazing.

Tierney played very good in general except for a stretch in the final game where he felt extremely out of his depth, perhaps due to issues with stamina? I'm not sure what happened or why it did but it was weird, like I had a gaping hole at the left hand side.

One final thing, something I figured during Tierney's nightmare stretch, was that wingers in this game don't actually make runs to cover holes in defense, even despite me setting Auba's instructions to come back on defense. Which was an incredibly frustrating thing to deal with, because unless you happen to have mastered the optimal timings to press switch you're always killed by forward runs. I mean, I know that attackers can sometimes be lazy to track back in real life, but I've even seen Auba defend in our own box this very season and this was supposed to be a UCL Final's game for crying out loud.

Anyways, long post. For those reading it all the way through: thanks and I hope you enjoyed.

(PS. We're planning to do a Neymar at Real and Mbappé at Barca rivalry game next time)

You wont wont really get wingers tracking back that far due to their defensive stats and EA'a attempt at balancing the game, at the end of the day its still a 'game', they want goals, they will leave gaps as the game is over in 10mins.

For all that EA get ripped the gameplay isnt too bad, its got flaws, but overall I mean. However, saying that there is also a lot wrong with 20, the career mode is awful, top teams in the leagues have near perfect records and losing 1 game could cost you the league.

Like you said meta comes into play, players with a certain height and build can dominate games.

I've been a fifa player for years, going back to 94', 20 may be my last for some time though until my son is old enough to play it (if he wants too), the game is very stale in my opinion and in a bit of state where its is clearly geared up to microtransactions being of the most importance.
 

Vantastico

Active Member
You wont wont really get wingers tracking back that far due to their defensive stats and EA'a attempt at balancing the game, at the end of the day its still a 'game', they want goals, they will leave gaps as the game is over in 10mins.

For all that EA get ripped the gameplay isnt too bad, its got flaws, but overall I mean. However, saying that there is also a lot wrong with 20, the career mode is awful, top teams in the leagues have near perfect records and losing 1 game could cost you the league.

Like you said meta comes into play, players with a certain height and build can dominate games.

I've been a fifa player for years, going back to 94', 20 may be my last for some time though until my son is old enough to play it (if he wants too), the game is very stale in my opinion and in a bit of state where its is clearly geared up to microtransactions being of the most importance.
I generally do agree with that argument about balancing the game. However, in this specific instance, it was annoying to me because like I said, it felt very unrealistic that someone wouldn't follow instructions and give 100% effort at the highest stage and probably the most important match in their career's.

Other than that, yeah, it's a very fun football sim to play once in a while. I don't actually own FIFA myself this year though. Last I bought it was last year's edition which I specifically got for Guendouzi's Future Stars Card in FUT (after I read someone's comment on here about 'Guendo's obscene FUT-Card' actually lol).

Before that I also tried playing PES 19 and I also enjoyed that experience. However, being a PC gamer the community was just too small to keep me invested in their version of Ultimate Team and I personally get bored pretty quickly of playing offline gamemodes by myself.

The sentiment about the game being geared toward micro-transaction is also true. However, if you've got a lot of time on your hands you can still earn those expensive packs by grinding in-game objectives, which personally I had the luck last year to pack prime Ballack with, so my perspective of that experience may be a bit skewed.

Lastly, playing FIFA with your son later sounds like so much fun dude. I really hope that happens for you two, it's one of the things I dream of in life as well. Besides raising them well-mannered its also important as a dad to teach them the basics of how to build a cheesy meta-team in FIFA. Im just joking, but I genuinely do wish that you guys will have fun times bonding over that.
 

Flying Okapis

Most Well-Known Member
I generally do agree with that argument about balancing the game. However, in this specific instance, it was annoying to me because like I said, it felt very unrealistic that someone wouldn't follow instructions and give 100% effort at the highest stage and probably the most important match in their career's.

Other than that, yeah, it's a very fun football sim to play once in a while. I don't actually own FIFA myself this year though. Last I bought it was last year's edition which I specifically got for Guendouzi's Future Stars Card in FUT (after I read someone's comment on here about 'Guendo's obscene FUT-Card' actually lol).

Before that I also tried playing PES 19 and I also enjoyed that experience. However, being a PC gamer the community was just too small to keep me invested in their version of Ultimate Team and I personally get bored pretty quickly of playing offline gamemodes by myself.

The sentiment about the game being geared toward micro-transaction is also true. However, if you've got a lot of time on your hands you can still earn those expensive packs by grinding in-game objectives, which personally I had the luck last year to pack prime Ballack with, so my perspective of that experience may be a bit skewed.

Lastly, playing FIFA with your son later sounds like so much fun dude. I really hope that happens for you two, it's one of the things I dream of in life as well. Besides raising them well-mannered its also important as a dad to teach them the basics of how to build a cheesy meta-team in FIFA. Im just joking, but I genuinely do wish that you guys will have fun times bonding over that.

EA have included the CL but I doubt they have installed its importance to the players, every game is pretty much the same, friendly or final the players react and play the same, the stamina for players isnt overally accurate either, if they had Auba bombing around due to it being a final he probably wouldnt make it too half time :lol:, the realism and simulation side will always full short as its still only a game.

I had over 2.5mil this year on Ultimate Team, I packed IF Mane at the start and sold for close to a milli, but what I figured out after that is it just doesnt matter, I've used Messi, CR7, Neymar, Mbappe, Messi and CR7 in the same team, it doesnt matter, I played that weekend league and finish the same with a crap team or a super team, its all the same.

The game gifts you wins as well as losses and the grind is like having a second job :lol:

Which leads me into my son, I will return to Ultimate Team one day when he can do the grind and I can just play casually :D, I also want to smash him at the game ;)
 

asukru

Established Member

Country: Canada

Player:Martinelli
Career, online or in general?

Career: Jovic, Doku, AMN, Rashford
Online: Sane, Mbappe, CR7, Dembele

Career, I am trying to make a new career mode. I have one with Arsenal at the moment and I am trying to pick players who aren't the typical one's. I may start another career with Lille as they seem like an interesting choice.
 

Flying Okapis

Most Well-Known Member
Career, I am trying to make a new career mode. I have one with Arsenal at the moment and I am trying to pick players who aren't the typical one's. I may start another career with Lille as they seem like an interesting choice.

100% recommend Jeremy Doku, he costs about 2mil and after you train him a bit he is so smooth on the ball.

I just done one with Wolfsburg, won the domestic cup and Europa League so far.
 

Mrrobbiejones

New Member
I’ve pulled together a list of over 200 alternative challenges that FIFA players can do in career mode. (Free on Amazon Kindle)
Of course, there’s some Arsenal related challenges in the book, but I wanted some inspiration for other challenges. Are there any particular ‘stories’ or challenges that you set yourself on Career Mode?
 

Aussie_gunner123

Established Member

Country: Australia
FIFA 20 is an interesting game, has it's good patches but also the not so great parts. Set pieces are so hard to take & everytime the player nicks the opposition it's always a foul, they tackle me from behind in the box & it's waved play on haha. Your young players are often frustrating, expecting big pay rises & making a fuss when you don't do it, I've had to release a few of our younger players or let them go cheaply.

I like how you can make bonuses & clauses in contracts in the game though. Into my 3rd season with the Gunners, Never thought I'd do it but I've let go of 75% of our real squad, brought in Ndidi, Partey, Doucoure, Sabitzer, Richarlison, Diop, Upamecano, Malang Sarr, Alan Saint Maximin, Emerson a good young fullback from Real Betis & Brazil & a few young keepers who have impressed me.

First choice squad in my 3rd season...

Leno
Emerson, Diop, Upamecano, Tierney
Ndidi
Özil, Partey
Pepe, Richarlison, Martinelli

Saka, Saint Maximin, Nketiah, B Kamara (GK) Saliba, Doucoure, Sabitzer.
 

Garrincha

Wilf Zaha Aficionado
Trusted ⭐
Set pieces are so hard to take & everytime the player nicks the opposition it's always a foul, they tackle me from behind in the box & it's waved play on haha.

Do the players have traits in career mode? In FUT if you use a player with ' Power Free-Kick' trait I just aim to a top corner at low power + flys in. Think Luiz has it.
 

Aussie_gunner123

Established Member

Country: Australia
Do the players have traits in career mode? In FUT if you use a player with ' Power Free-Kick' trait I just aim to a top corner at low power + flys in. Think Luiz has it.
They do have traits in career mode but problem is I don't have any players with the power free kick trait. It makes it difficult to aim aswell with any player, I aim for the corner but then the aiming circle goes haywire for a millisecond & it stuffs up the aim completely.
 

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