FIFA 13

[VillaGoMarching]

if-form christian benteke has come out on Ultimate Team, it'll take some serious coins to get him though.

[Nath182]

Yeah I saw that last night, there were only 3-4 of them I could see in trade though and they were all up for about 700k-1m coin mark which is ridiculous, obviously that price will slip but I reckon he'll be worth over 300k. I sold my Serie A squad and got Xavi in a free pack the other week so got 200k to spend, might spend it all on silver packs to try and get Benteke this week

[Troglodyte]

Never played with Benteke on FIFA, either online or otherwise. What's he like? Thinking about buying a silver team on UT with Gabby and in-form Benteke up front, but I'd have to sell one of my main two gold teams to afford it, and I love playing with both of them.

[itdoesntmatterwhatthissay]

Just a pointer, anyone who plays FUT you can get a free gift every day when you use the FIFA app on the website. Also daily there is a new player pack, today was bumper silver packs; actually before 3pm the players were v cheap, I paid 50% less on some 10k players.

If tomorrow is bronze then some useful players might be cheap....just a thought.

Position changes are still expensive, so bloody annoying.

[Troglodyte]

I feel like I'm missing something.

I'm currently on the lookout for an in-form Gareth Bale at a decent price. However, I've been watching several auctions, and when they start at 150 he sometimes sells for a ridiculous amount of coins (one just now has gone for 507k, and I've seen others sell for around this price and at least three go for 700k+) when you can easily pick one up for less than 350k buy now. I'm not complaining, as I can afford to buy one but am just waiting for the right deal, but why do they go for so much sometimes? Is it a case of there being a lot of players who throw around huge amounts of coins for no reason, or is there more to it? I did notice that two IF Bale auctions that went for over 700k today were both being sold buy the same guy - so is it some kind of trick? The only thing I can really think of is that the seller has another profile, then bids against people who are trying to buy their card, quickly going up by the minimum increment each time, before suddenly putting in a massive bid in the hope that the other bidder will instinctively click on 'make bid' on the web app by mistake and end up shelling out loads. Anyone know if that's the case?

[Troglodyte]

I'm guessing that my assumption above is correct. The auction I was bidding on earlier quickly went from 206k to 507k, and I've just been doing another one where it was going up in increments of 1k but then jumped from 283k to 784k. With the thousands unit only moving up once while the hundreds of thousands jumps up, I'm guessing they are using another profile and hoping that anyone bidding for their card doesn't realise and lumps a load of coins on their player.

That said, in the last auction, it stayed on 784k for a few seconds, then someone bid 785k - it wasn't instant. So I'm still thinking that maybe lots of people have coins to spunk away? Especially seeing as the 'strategy' above would see you lose thousands in auction fees - you'd have to be able to trick a few people to make a profit.

[Junxs]

So annoyed, I've created a pro career at Villa. Been loaned out for a couple of seasons at Preston and Burnley, after about 100 games playing useless lower league I finally made it into the Villa side in the 3rd season but for some reason Clark was sold and the manager keeps picking Shay Given to play in his place causing the game to crash (reloaded and tried a few times).

This year you cant edit your position otherwise I would have shifted myself to central defence to stop Given getting selected and making the game crash.

Doesnt seem to be anyway around it and I dont want to start all over again just for potentially the same thing to happen again.. all that time and effort I put into it .. so frustrating!

[Czechlad]

So annoyed, I've created a pro career at Villa. Been loaned out for a couple of seasons at Preston and Burnley, after about 100 games playing useless lower league I finally made it into the Villa side in the 3rd season but for some reason Clark was sold and the manager keeps picking Shay Given to play in his place causing the game to crash (reloaded and tried a few times).

This year you cant edit your position otherwise I would have shifted myself to central defence to stop Given getting selected and making the game crash.

Doesnt seem to be anyway around it and I dont want to start all over again just for potentially the same thing to happen again.. all that time and effort I put into it .. so frustrating!

That's absolutely hilarious

[Czechlad]

Online play is a joke. I am sick and tired of playing Brazil, Real Madrid and Barcelona. I always pick Czech or Villa when I play and yet I am constantly matched up against 5 star teams. It's so unfair. I am in division one and no matter how good I play, I am always susceptible to one ridiculous strike by Ronaldo, Neymar or Messi which always seems to get me. I keep getting relegated or barely surviving then bouncing back to division 1. I finally am giving in and choosing a 5 star club just to make it fair but I hate using those teams.

I also noticed that most online players only spam speed. I have played against countless players who just long ball onto their pacy strikers and score because my CBs are too slow. It's so frustrating. One game I had 20 shots on target and 73% possession and yet I only scored once. The other guy had 2 chances and managed to score on both of them.

Fifa can be very unfair a lot of the time especially with fouls. I was going on a break away and I pushed it past his keeper and the keeper pretty much just rammed into me and yet there was no call. I also found out that if you pull a player by spamming B or X (depending on system) you will never get a red card and sometimes not even a yellow. It drives me mad every time I get past the last defender and am gonna go alone on the keeper but the guy just pulls my jersey. In real life that'd be a red, but sometimes it's not even a yellow.

/rant

[Rino8]

Online play is a joke. I am sick and tired of playing Brazil, Real Madrid and Barcelona. I always pick Czech or Villa when I play and yet I am constantly matched up against 5 star teams. It's so unfair. I am in division one and no matter how good I play, I am always susceptible to one ridiculous strike by Ronaldo, Neymar or Messi which always seems to get me. I keep getting relegated or barely surviving then bouncing back to division 1. I finally am giving in and choosing a 5 star club just to make it fair but I hate using those teams.

I also noticed that most online players only spam speed. I have played against countless players who just long ball onto their pacy strikers and score because my CBs are too slow. It's so frustrating. One game I had 20 shots on target and 73% possession and yet I only scored once. The other guy had 2 chances and managed to score on both of them.

Fifa can be very unfair a lot of the time especially with fouls. I was going on a break away and I pushed it past his keeper and the keeper pretty much just rammed into me and yet there was no call. I also found out that if you pull a player by spamming B or X (depending on system) you will never get a red card and sometimes not even a yellow. It drives me mad every time I get past the last defender and am gonna go alone on the keeper but the guy just pulls my jersey. In real life that'd be a red, but sometimes it's not even a yellow.

/rant

I had this problem when I picked Roma, who are shite. So I started being 3 star teams and it's less of a problem. There are still annoying teams, Eto'o's team, LA Galaxy, Santos and a few others are just pace whores but it doesn't bother me so much as you rarely get those.

Agreed on the fouls though, I just had a game where i got clear through on goal, keeper takes me out and nothing is given, they go up the other end put a cross in and get a penalty that i couldn't even work out on replays.

Seasons is the only game mode worth playing though and I do really like it, best Fifa so far for me.. I think UT is a bit of a broken game mode though and it needs sorting out.

[Czechlad]

I had this problem when I picked Roma, who are shite. So I started being 3 star teams and it's less of a problem. There are still annoying teams, Eto'o's team, LA Galaxy, Santos and a few others are just pace whores but it doesn't bother me so much as you rarely get those.

Agreed on the fouls though, I just had a game where i got clear through on goal, keeper takes me out and nothing is given, they go up the other end put a cross in and get a penalty that i couldn't even work out on replays.

Seasons is the only game mode worth playing though and I do really like it, best Fifa so far for me.. I think UT is a bit of a broken game mode though and it needs sorting out.

UT is the where all the pace whores come out. There are loads of cheap fast wingers and strikers available so that is who people purchase.

I have to say the worse glitch is when an opponent's player falls over and lands on the ball causing the ball to stay still under him. Any player who tries to get the ball just falls over then the opponent just gets up and scores. I have it happen to me in the box. My keeper and a defender both failed to get the ball and the guy just stood up and shot it into an empty net. That is extremely frustrating. Fifa needs to fix the fouls in the game.

[Troglodyte]

It's still difficult to defend against, but try adapting your custom tactics - if you haven't already - to deal with pace. Defend deep, with very low pressing, and your opponent will find it difficult to get in behind if you're not manually pushing your defenders up the pitch.

I mainly play Ultimate Team, and also have midfielders that all have decent defending stats, high defensive work rate, and good stamina and pace. This enables them to effectively double up in defence but still provide options when going forwards. The team I usually play with is the following, from Serie A, and it's rare that people can beat me by relying on pace:

Buffon; Chiellini, Barzagli, Ogbonna; Zuñiga, Vidal, Marchisio, Cuadrado; Ibarbo; Cavani, Muriel (3-4-1-2)

Cavani's stamina, strength, work rate and defensive attributes (relatively, as a striker) are also excellent for putting pressure on in the opposition's half, giving them less time to build attacks slowly, and allowing most of my other players to sit deep.

I'd like to start playing seasons soon, and will be looking for a team with as many similar qualities as possible. Good stamina and good defensive work rate are a must for most of the squad, as well as pace - because there's no getting away from how important it is, when both defending and attacking.

As for the issues with fouling, I fully agree with what's been said. However, thankfully, I've not been a victim on too many occasions (yet!) It's still a problem, though.

[Troglodyte]

New TOTW being released in just over an hour:

David Marshall - GK- 70 > 72

Carlos Martinez - RB - 70 > 72

Thiago Silva - CB - 87 > 88

Martin Škrtel - CB - 81 > 82

David Luiz - CDM - 79 > 80

Simao - LM - 81 > 82

Joaquín - RM - 80 > 81

Steven Gerrard - CAM - 84 > 85

Alessandro Matri - ST - 80 > 81

Erik Lamela - RW - 77 > 79

Gary Hooper - ST - 76 > 79

Substitutes:

Yoann Thuram-Ulien - GK - 68 > 71

Tony McMahon - RB - 65 > 70

Steven Pienaar - LM - 78 > 80

Ricky Holmes - LM - 54 > 54

Nacer Chadli - LW - 77 > 79

Nolan Roux - ST - 77 > 79

Mark Bridge - ST - 59 > 64

[skarroki]

when do the players get an update on the ratings? i know there is an update on march 1st normally for all the transfers made, but i remember it being updated sometime before that too, or am i imagining that?

[Czechlad]

when do the players get an update on the ratings? i know there is an update on march 1st normally for all the transfers made, but i remember it being updated sometime before that too, or am i imagining that?

I think mid February is when updates comes out.

On another note, FUT is **** stupid. 98% of the opponents I play just spam pace to get chances. I am so sick and tired of playing clubs that only play long balls and have their fast strikers sprint onto them. I have quick defenders but I can't keep pace with strikers and wingers with 90+ sprint. It's so frustrating when I lose a match all because he was faster than me.

[Nath182]

It's the way the game is designed, IMO you can't blame players for playing to their strengths. Pace is what I automatically look for in players because if you don't you'll get ruined. For example in my old FUT squad I tried Pirlo and Sneijder in the middle and got destroyed most games, swapped them with lesser players with better pace and all of a sudden I start playing better where as in real life pace has much less of an importance in the game. If you can't beat them, join them or you'll be destroying pads left, right and centre.

[Troglodyte]

On another note, FUT is **** stupid. 98% of the opponents I play just spam pace to get chances. I am so sick and tired of playing clubs that only play long balls and have their fast strikers sprint onto them. I have quick defenders but I can't keep pace with strikers and wingers with 90+ sprint. It's so frustrating when I lose a match all because he was faster than me.

Czechlad, have you read my tips above? Obviously they won't work for everyone but they really helped me, and I wouldn't say I'm any kind of FIFA expert. Unfortunately, pace is really important in FUT, which effectively means there are loads of players that aren't great if you really want to compete, leaving little point in buying them. However, with a few players of your own with the right attributes - many of whom aren't expensive - it's possible to overcome a lot of pace whores. Some of them are really good and you'll still lose, but so many clearly haven't got a clue what to do once they realise they can't just hit it long ball and get through on goal all the time. It's joyous when you then go on to annihilate them. Pace, stamina and defensive attributes in your team, a deep defence, very little pressing, and you'll improve. I also prefer three at the back.

Another thing I didn't mention is that when the opponent has the ball, I'm constantly making runs with my players back down the pitch to block off any passes. It's hard to describe exactly what I do, but I usually switch through my midfielders (and attackers, particularly Cavani as he has the stamina to get up and down the pitch all game) and run backwards, cutting off short passes all the time, while usually holding RB/R1 so that another guy closes down the player on the ball. It makes people rush, and with a deep defence (keep making sure your midfielders and attackers are doing the pressing, not your defenders) they can't just hit it over the top and get through.

Anyhow, I've started a career mode recently. Not doing too badly with Villa, brought in Kouyaté, Okore, Ibarbo, Eliseu and De Marcos, all of whom are doing pretty well. Got rid of Bent, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Lichaj, possibly someone else who I can't remember, and sent a couple of youngsters out on loan.

Something really weird happened during a game against Swansea, and I've never seen it before (but, unlike on other FIFAs, I haven't played single player mode too often). Every time either side had the ball, most (sometimes all) of the outfield players went over to the left side of the pitch. I noticed something was odd before kick-off, as they had six or seven players lined up on the left and three or four in the middle or on the right. During the game, at several points, they had a throw in or goal kick and every single player was stood within a 15-20 yard radius of each other on the left. At one throw-in, they were nowhere near the taker, either. My players were also doing it but not as much, and obviously I tried to bring them infield when possible.

It seemed to knacker their players as obviously I kept spreading the ball out to the other flank as quickly as possible when I tackled them. I won without too much difficulty (although I don't think I managed a particularly high score) but I have no idea why it happened. Veh strange.

Edited January 4, 2013 by Troglodyte

[GarethRDR]

Bah, unreasonable freaking board expectations! It took 3 seasons to get RC Lens up to Ligue 1, all the money the club has ever had I've had to raise myself (though buying Stéphane Bahoken for around £1m and selling him a season later to Spurs for £10m did help somewhat), and what do the board want for our first top-tier campaign? Euro feckin' League qualification. Yeah, alright then.

[Nath182]

A couple of questions on career mode, I've got quite a few youngsters coming through the Youth setup now and was wondering how I can persuade teams to take them on loan? I've promoted 3-4 up to the main squad and put them on the loan list and no one wants them so they are currently rotting away in my reserves gaining nothing. Any tips?

Also, anyone noticed when simming games that red cards and injuries seem to have no affect on the game? For example I was playing Norwich or something, within 15 minutes they'd had a red card, then another 10 minutes go past and they get another red card (I know it's random but come on, when does that ever happen?) and I still only draw 1-1. I know in football you're never guaranteed to win a game even against 9 men but christ it would take some going to only draw that. It just seems so obviously unrealistic it's frustrating.

[GarethRDR]

Sadly, there's no surefire way to get players loaned out other than sticking them on the list and waiting. I'd say I get about 95% of loanees out, with 1 or 2 unshiftables every few seasons or so. Though you'll still get some growth in the reserves (I've noticed some youth players don't start growing until 20/21, but then have a considerable spurt), eventually the players should request loans themselves through lack of gametime so that'll probably help. Some sort of option to directly approach a specific club to loan a player to would be a good addition for FIFA 14.

As for the injuries/red cards in simming, I can't say I've ever noticed that myself but then I do the quick-sim straight to the end of a game (can't be arsed to read the text as it happens) so I don't see match incidents in "real time".