Topic: FIFA 18

[gerrardisgod]

The amount of points required for each level changes dependant on points achieved by other players, given this is the first full week, it'll give a more realistic score you'll regularly need to achieve.

[thelinnen]

Actually decided to get back in to Ultimate Team this year just to see if they've changed the matchmaking. So far I'm 7-0-1 so good early signs but we'll see if the old win 3 lose 2 pattern starts up again from the game drawing you against better players based on good form.

Serie A team for me, the cheapest league by far for quality players. Dybala going for 400,000 right now though 

Strikers are hit and miss as usual, Belotti and Mandzukic both rated 83 and are fairly similar players. Belotti is pants on this though, doesn't win anything in the air or is anything to write home about in front of goal, Mandzukic is a goal machine though.

[JoeCole]

Anybody used the POTM Mane yet? I've completed all the SBC's for him aside from purchasing his regular card, which I can now afford after saving up a couple of days. Got a solid PL team that is going well - Ederson, Clyne, Mustafi, Sakho, Alonso, Krychowiak (an absolute beast for less than 1k), Salah, Gray, Firmino, Welbeck, Sturridge - So obviously my LM position is weakest and most in need of an upgrade. Just curious if anyone that has arleady completed the SBC regrets it or is happy with spending about 140k on his regular card to complete the final SBC.

[WillG.LFC]

Jaysus the radar colours are annoying. White is always home and black away even if home are wearing a black kit and away a white kit

[bailey90]

I'm not having too much difficulty with the defending to be honest. As above, really, I never dive in.

You can second guess what your opponent will do the majority of the time.

I do like the rewards for the Squad Battles stuff, too. I've just looked up the format though and you actually don't get the reward for a week. There is literally 44 games over the week for you to play in order to get your points up to get decent prizes. Even if you're only playing World Class level, 10 wins means you'll finish in Elite 1 -  which means 39.8k coins and 2 Mega Packs. Once I get to that level I'll not bother playing the rest of the squad battle stuff until it resets.

It won’t be 10 wins by the end of it though. Those required points change when more people play their games.

[Samio]

It won’t be 10 wins by the end of it though. Those required points change when more people play their games.

I see - that make sense. Pretty confident I'll still end up Elite 1 but it seems I may have to play more games for it.

I highly dislike the idea of playing 44 games, though. I can't do that. Not when there's 24 over the weekend to play.

[Samio]

Is anybody playing Salah as a striker by the way? I have him as my RF and he is literally incredible. On paper his shooting doesn't appear great but in the game he finishes so well for me.

[Kuytinho]

I feel like the only players in the higher divisions are FUT Champs veterans and me.

Everyone is so efficient. I feel like I'm getting the hang of it and then get destroyed.

Enjoying it, though. Seems a skill gap is there again, and I just need the practice. I'll try to play the 40 weekend league games for the first time this weekend.

[thelinnen]

Through balls are quite a lot of fun on this, in older games you couldn't bring the ball infield to the corner of the box and cross it in without the ball going miles out of play. Now your striker will make a run and you can get him on the end of it and no one expects it 

Best one since FIfa 14 in my opinion.

[Kop307]

I think it's absolutely fucking appalling on Ultimate Team. I've never played a Fifa game and been this bad at defending. I was immaculate at the back on Fifa 17. Elite/Top 100 every week in FUT Champs. I can't play this shit, it's broken.

Your defenders don't get tight to forwards , even with pressure & aggression set to 90. So every time a ball is played into a strikers feet, they have time and space to turn and just run or pass through your back 4. It's fucking broken.

Keepers are shit. Every fucking shot seems to go in.

Atrocious game. Really really fucking bad.

[Samio]

I think it's absolutely fucking appalling on Ultimate Team. I've never played a Fifa game and been this bad at defending. I was immaculate at the back on Fifa 17. Elite/Top 100 every week in FUT Champs. I can't play this shit, it's broken.

Your defenders don't get tight to forwards , even with pressure & aggression set to 90. So every time a ball is played into a strikers feet, they have time and space to turn and just run or pass through your back 4. It's fucking broken.

Keepers are shit. Every fucking shot seems to go in.

Atrocious game. Really really fucking bad.

Come on mate, tell us how you really feel...

[FiSh77]

I think it's absolutely fucking appalling on Ultimate Team. I've never played a Fifa game and been this bad at defending. I was immaculate at the back on Fifa 17. Elite/Top 100 every week in FUT Champs. I can't play this shit, it's broken.

Your defenders don't get tight to forwards , even with pressure & aggression set to 90. So every time a ball is played into a strikers feet, they have time and space to turn and just run or pass through your back 4. It's fucking broken.

Keepers are shit. Every fucking shot seems to go in.

Atrocious game. Really really fucking bad.

yeah, i don't play fut or online but see a lot of problems with the defensive side of the game, agree about your players not getting tight, tactically the game is broken as in you can't put much pressure on the ball until it gets into your 3rd where you've got numbers on your side, aggression & pressure make no difference, your ai controlled players seem to take up bad positions so by the time you've switched and corrected their positioning the ball is usually gone

i've had to resort to using a zoomed out camera and manually switching to a player in the back 4 using the right stick, then using slight bursts of secondary pressure and switching defender depending on where the ball is and which side i anticipate the attack to come from, kind of works but is a shit way of defending, you just have to let them have the ball and hope one of your ai players either gets close enough to get a tackle in or intercepts a loose pass, if not you deal with it once they get into the final 3rd, once you start constantly switching players and diving in you're fucked, you have to be really patient and not let your players get pulled all over the place

conceded a goal earlier where i was controlling the right cb, the ball came down our right wing so used secondary pressure for the rb to close the ball down and positioned the player i was controlling to cut out a simple pass to one of their cf's, the ball got crossed in and their other cf had a simple tap in while my other cb and lb just stood there with their thumbs up their arses, frustrating as fuck to concede goals like that as i've missed similar chances because the ai defenders have gotten tight to me and got a tackle or block in during the split second it takes to charge the power bar

[Teapot]

Actually decided to get back in to Ultimate Team this year just to see if they've changed the matchmaking. So far I'm 7-0-1 so good early signs but we'll see if the old win 3 lose 2 pattern starts up again from the game drawing you against better players based on good form.

Serie A team for me, the cheapest league by far for quality players. Dybala going for 400,000 right now though 

Strikers are hit and miss as usual, Belotti and Mandzukic both rated 83 and are fairly similar players. Belotti is pants on this though, doesn't win anything in the air or is anything to write home about in front of goal, Mandzukic is a goal machine though.

Give the italian Eder (striker) a go, hes been fecking immense for me.  I only stuck him in there to get chem and fill a spot, hes now my main man, class act.  Been scoring great finesse shots, just scored a nice free kick with him too.

[Kop307]

yeah, i don't play fut or online but see a lot of problems with the defensive side of the game, agree about your players not getting tight, tactically the game is broken as in you can't put much pressure on the ball until it gets into your 3rd where you've got numbers on your side, aggression & pressure make no difference, your ai controlled players seem to take up bad positions so by the time you've switched and corrected their positioning the ball is usually gone

i've had to resort to using a zoomed out camera and manually switching to a player in the back 4 using the right stick, then using slight bursts of secondary pressure and switching defender depending on where the ball is and which side i anticipate the attack to come from, kind of works but is a shit way of defending, you just have to let them have the ball and hope one of your ai players either gets close enough to get a tackle in or intercepts a loose pass, if not you deal with it once they get into the final 3rd, once you start constantly switching players and diving in you're fucked, you have to be really patient and not let your players get pulled all over the place

conceded a goal earlier where i was controlling the right cb, the ball came down our right wing so used secondary pressure for the rb to close the ball down and positioned the player i was controlling to cut out a simple pass to one of their cf's, the ball got crossed in and their other cf had a simple tap in while my other cb and lb just stood there with their thumbs up their arses, frustrating as fuck to concede goals like that as i've missed similar chances because the ai defenders have gotten tight to me and got a tackle or block in during t
he split second it takes to charge the power bar

It wouldn't even be that bad regarding getting tight to forward if player switching was faster but its laggy. Noticeably slower than 17.

So defender one tries to get tight once the forward takes the ball, your defender is 2 yards off, so you then get taken out the game, which may be ok if you can switch to your other CB, but switching takes so long the ball is in behind your back 4.

The whole defensive system needs patching. The AI need more off the ball intercepting. You can barely make a first time sliding tackle. Defenders don't get tight enough. Player momentum running into the final 3rd is ridiculous, they bust past your CB's like they're not there.

Goalkeepers are invisible, I had De Gea for 6 games he didn't save a thing so he got sold. It's a proper fucking mess.

I'm not saying this because I'm shit, I'm seeing this being said everywhere by pro players, youtubers,  and generally around the game. Defending on this game is bullshit.

[Malcolm Night]

Not enjoying this Fifa at all so far, defending just feels way too difficult this game. Shite keepers, shite defending mechanics, pace back with a vengeance - in UT I only ever seem to encounter the same PL teams with Vardy and Rashford in them and everyone seems to have 99 passing and shooting.

Got otw Ederson from an SBC pack though, was pretty pleased about that.

[Kop307]

Also why the fuck is the in game radar only black and white.

9/10 times I play in a full white kit, and on the radar I'm black. Yep, full white kit, playing against someone in red, and I'm black on the fucking radar. That''s not confusing at all.

[WillG.LFC]

Also why the fuck is the in game radar only black and white.

9/10 times I play in a full white kit, and on the radar I'm black. Yep, full white kit, playing against someone in red, and I'm black on the fucking radar. That''s not confusing at all.

mentioned that above. It's so annoying. Might have to try zooming out on the camera until it's fixed. Also noticed the radar fades alot more than i remember on previous fifa games when the ball gets close to the bottom screen

[AndyMuller]

Theyve updated the colours on the radar now on the latest patch.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

[Kuytinho]

Don't know how people can play 40 games at that intensity within those time constraints without it really impacting them mentally.

I'm about ready to retire 13 games in.

[MrRaptorTurtle]

Don't know how people can play 40 games at that intensity within those time constraints without it really impacting them mentally.

I'm about ready to retire 13 games in.

I'm not even gonna bother with the Weekend League this weekend, already stressed enough trying to dodge the bs of the average game. Can't be dealing with super sweaty Musa & Friends teams having 1 shot and winning.

[Kop307]

I'm not even gonna bother with the Weekend League this weekend, already stressed enough trying to dodge the bs of the average game. Can't be dealing with super sweaty Musa & Friends teams having 1 shot and winning.

Last Fifa (17) I actually did the weekend league 8/10 times. It got to the end of Fifa 17, I had a beast team, all reds, played about 2,000 games.

I feel like I completed Fifa. That's why this Fifa, I have no motivation to do it, played 5 weekend league games and that's enough. I did it. I did it last year. I got my "Ultimate team". So this year i'll just play the odd game at weekend and try and get to division 1.

I chucked 12k Fifa points on release day, and packed the 91 Van Basten who sold for 800k on day 1, so I've already got an amazing team. I don't need to spend my weekends stressing over a game. I suggest others do the same.

[gerrardisgod]

I've no motivation to play it at all online, never mind Weekend League, it's just ping pong one-twos and computer controlled defending. Dull as.

Thought Squad Battles might keep me entertained, but the single player (and this is on World Class, I used to be able to beat Ultimate ffs) just feels like one massive cheat. Inch perfect passes, perfect defending, near perfect finishing. Fuck off.

Don't even start me on how, still after all these years, players are faster with a ball at their feet, than players without and have a bigger turning circle, all because of that pissing analogue stick.

[Kuytinho]

Can't decide what's worse: losing on pens after a million shots being saved, or losing in extra time after your opponent subs on Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry. Worse still, is feeling the need to go into another game straight away in order to fit them all in. Must work on the mental side of the game.

I am playing true to reality - as somebody who hasn't played competitive H2H in about 5 years.

I am no where near as efficient as most of my opponents. I do not have the ability to counter effectively, and I'm really bad at the gamer-like things of dribbling, shielding, jostling, tackling.

I'm winning by slowing the game down to a crawl and playing really safe. There's no way I'm participating in the end-to-end game everyone wants, because there's only one winner - and it isn't me.

I'm currently 14-5 in FUT Champs. Hopefully see Gold 1/2 this weekend and allow me to build a team to get closer to those who have bought FIFA points - which appears to be nearly everyone.

[Barneylfc∗]

As with 17, 'Headers Won' aren't registering in career mode. What the fuck is wrong with these people?

And Alex Hunter is still a knobend. His mate is a knobend. His agent is a knobend and Grandad is a cynical old c*nt.

[gerrardisgod]

Why the fuck is the club founded status still there in Seasons? Struggling to get games because of backing out.

Yet another basic thing EA can't do.

[Kop307]

They need to fucking fix the defenders. I've played nearly 50 games  and I've not seen a single CB get in front of a forward, not once. You can literally smash a ball into a strikers feet 100% of the time. Also if you then knock it  off first time, player switching is so slow you can't stop the pass or intercept it. This game is well and truly fucking broken.

[Kop307]

I've tried everything.

Offside trap

5 at the back

3 holding mids

2 holding mids

3 at the back

Nothing works.

[Kop307]

You can play a ball into your strikers feet over and over and over and over again. You will never ever have a defender stuck to you like glue, or nick in front. It wont happen. Happes 10-15 times per game in normal football - not on Fifa. Unchallenged.

Defenders will back off back off back off and back off. They will NEVER step up and meet the ball.

90% of the goals scored in this game are from inside the box, and you'll notice that your opponents entire back 4 will be in a line inside the area with you.

You can literally drive your opponent back into their own area to a point when the CB's are on the goalkeepers toes, and still they don't step up.

Game's going on eBay. It's fucking unplayable.

[Oddball]

Think its just you mate...Im not having problems like that in the slightest. Plus I play as a DM when I do the pro clubs, so my goals come Gerrard like, outside the area. I play UT team too and dont have any problems like you mention.

[astowell1]

Defending is a bloody mystery on this game.  More so since the update.

[Kop307]

Think its just you mate...Im not having problems like that in the slightest. Plus I play as a DM when I do the pro clubs, so my goals come Gerrard like, outside the area. I play UT team too and dont have any problems like you mention.

everything I describe has happened in all 50 odd games I've played about 20 times - there is absolutely, categorically 100% no chance whatsoever it's not happening to you.

Every time your opponent attacks, your defenders will drop, heavily. They will back off. The fucking fly back. EVen with offside trap on, they retreat.

Now, when your opponent then gets the ball, you can try and do something about it, but the fact remains the pass was made, and completed and now they're at your back 4.

I'm saying, when the ball is played into my opponents strikers feet, I want my CB to step up and make an interception. On this game, that is utterly impossible because A. Defenders drop automatically, it's done by the AI. & B. Player switching is slow and laggy, so therefore you can't do it manually.

It's broken, along with the only controller I had. Snapped it in half with my hands. At least now I can't play it until it's sold.

[J-Mc-]

Player switching I agree with, use the second defender press though and they do step up and make the tackle.  Barely ever concede from inside the box, it's usually a shot from just outside.

[smicer07]

everything I describe has happened in all 50 odd games I've played about 20 times - there is absolutely, categorically 100% no chance whatsoever it's not happening to you.

Every time your opponent attacks, your defenders will drop, heavily. They will back off. The fucking fly back. EVen with offside trap on, they retreat.

Now, when your opponent then gets the ball, you can try and do something about it, but the fact remains the pass was made, and completed and now they're at your back 4.

I'm saying, when the ball is played into my opponents strikers feet, I want my CB to step up and make an interception. On this game, that is utterly impossible because A. Defenders drop automatically, it's done by the AI. & B. Player switching is slow and laggy, so therefore you can't do it manually.

It's broken, along with the only controller I had. Snapped it in half with my hands. At least now I can't play it until it's sold.

Not being funny, maybe you're just not very good?

[Oddball]

everything I describe has happened in all 50 odd games I've played about 20 times - there is absolutely, categorically 100% no chance whatsoever it's not happening to you.

Every time your opponent attacks, your defenders will drop, heavily. They will back off. The fucking fly back. EVen with offside trap on, they retreat.

Now, when your opponent then gets the ball, you can try and do something about it, but the fact remains the pass was made, and completed and now they're at your back 4.

I'm saying, when the ball is played into my opponents strikers feet, I want my CB to step up and make an interception. On this game, that is utterly impossible because A. Defenders drop automatically, it's done by the AI. & B. Player switching is slow and laggy, so therefore you can't do it manually.

It's broken, along with the only controller I had. Snapped it in half with my hands. At least now I can't play it until it's sold.

What mode are/were you playing?

[Barneylfc∗]

everything I describe has happened in all 50 odd games I've played about 20 times - there is absolutely, categorically 100% no chance whatsoever it's not happening to you.

Every time your opponent attacks, your defenders will drop, heavily. They will back off. The fucking fly back. EVen with offside trap on, they retreat.

Now, when your opponent then gets the ball, you can try and do something about it, but the fact remains the pass was made, and completed and now they're at your back 4.

I'm saying, when the ball is played into my opponents strikers feet, I want my CB to step up and make an interception. On this game, that is utterly impossible because A. Defenders drop automatically, it's done by the AI. & B. Player switching is slow and laggy, so therefore you can't do it manually.

It's broken, along with the only controller I had. Snapped it in half with my hands. At least now I can't play it until it's sold.

 

[Kop307]

Not being funny, maybe you're just not very good?

Maybe I'm not. I was ranked in the top 200 on the planet on Fifa 17 mate on PS4 so I don't think I've all of a sudden turned shit.

[Kop307]

What mode are/were you playing?

Ultimate Team - weekend league.

Lloris, Shaw, Bailly, Van Dijk, Walker, Fernandinho, Bakayoko, De Bruyne, Martial, Sterling, Aguero. That was my team.

Tried the 433, 4231, 442 diamond.

Every game, my defenders drop off relentlessly. Every ball into a strikers feet hits.

[Kuytinho]

Played a Polish streamer called Junajted with near 300,000 YouTube subscribers. Managed to come from 2-0 down to win. Turned it on for the cameras when I googled him and seen a live audience of over 3000.

Also played a pro called VfB DrErhano - one of the lads signed by Stuttgart. Incredible player. Best dribbler I have seen by a million miles, but has the same defensive issues as the rest of us despite having Boateng and Ramos at the back. I lost 5-4. Had him shitting himself from about 80, hitting route one to the corner flag.

I'm currently 21-10. I've improved massively over the course of those games, I reckon. Lost so many to fairly basic players, but got to learn somehow. Should be getting Gold 1 this weekend. Hard work getting Elite with the little amount I've played in the past few years. Something to work towards though!

I'm with Kop307 on the gameplay flaws, sort of. Feel like there's nothing you can do to stop goals sometimes. If your opponent knows what he's doing, I'd say he's about 5x more likely to score from kick off than any other period of play. Isn't a coincidence. Defending was always the strongest part of my game, but blind pinpoint through balls and long shots are killing me.

Also bored of playing Martial, Son, Rashford types in a 4-3-2-1 and covering through balls. Should really make physicality less rewarding for a more enjoyable game.

[El Lobo]

Maybe I'm not. I was ranked in the top 200 on the planet on Fifa 17 mate on PS4 so I don't think I've all of a sudden turned shit.

Sorry

[Elzar]

everything I describe has happened in all 50 odd games I've played about 20 times - there is absolutely, categorically 100% no chance whatsoever it's not happening to you.

Every time your opponent attacks, your defenders will drop, heavily. They will back off. The fucking fly back. EVen with offside trap on, they retreat.

Now, when your opponent then gets the ball, you can try and do something about it, but the fact remains the pass was made, and completed and now they're at your back 4.

I'm saying, when the ball is played into my opponents strikers feet, I want my CB to step up and make an interception. On this game, that is utterly impossible because A. Defenders drop automatically, it's done by the AI. & B. Player switching is slow and laggy, so therefore you can't do it manually.

It's broken, along with the only controller I had. Snapped it in half with my hands. At least now I can't play it until it's sold.

I can defend high, I always get a defender in on the striker when he gets the ball, and then organise myself and make a shot difficult if they get into position.

Just need to keep working on it mate