With EA Sports FC 24 finally here, quite a few gamers are already looking for ways to quickly improve in this year's title. Producing quality attacking play will help you in this regard, but keeping goals out at the other end is arguably even more important. With that in mind, we are going to give you some tips on how to defend in FC 24.
Quite a few players have been struggling with this aspect of the game so far, with some subtle differences to the way you would have defended in previous editions of the title.
Here are some tips to get you on the right path.
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How to defend in FC 24
Use the correct tactical setup
This may seem like an obvious one, but you would be surprised how many gamers overlook it. If you want to learn how to defend in FC 24, setting your team up in the correct manner will certainly help.
The formation is important, with the use of a holding midfielder always a help in protecting your defence. Something like a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 would be an ideal fit.
Player instructions are even more important. You will want to instruct your holding midfielder to 'stay back while attacking', something you should also consider doing for at least one of your fullbacks.
By having more bodies at the back, it should help you avoid giving up those frustrating counterattacks that can often lead to easy scoring chances.
Avoid slide tackles
It may be tempting to try and crunch opposition attackers with a few slide tackles over the course of a game, but they should really only be used as a last resort.
If you miss the challenge, you defender will be caught massively out of position and leave a gap that can be exploited at the back.
That is especially true when it comes to how to defend in FC 24, with this game making it more difficult than ever to recover when attackers get in behind.
Stick to the standing tackles.
Switch to 'tactical defending'
In the FC 24 preset settings, your defending style will automatically be set at 'advanced defending'.
This option probably isn't the best for most gamers, with the 'tactical defending' option providing a much more solid base at the back, one that features less questionable defensive movements from the AI.
You should notice quite a difference once this setting has been changed.
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Cut the passing lanes
Sometimes, the best defensive action you can take is avoiding the player in possession altogether.
Instead of rushing out to tackle a player, you should consider simply occupying the space in front of them and attempt to cut off forward passes. This will frustrate your opponent and often lead to a misplaced pass or them having to turn back and recycle the ball.
This is especially effective around 30 yards from your goal when they have possession in central areas. Of course, having players in your team with his defensive stats also help in this regard.
Do not pull centre backs out of position
When an opposition player is running towards your goal, it can be tempting to rush out and close them down with your centre back and try yo steal possession. Quite often, this will result in a missed tackle and a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Instead, use your midfielders to marshal that space just in front of the box and keep your centre backs in their natural position. This will block off the space for runs in behind and also help to deal with crosses into the penalty area.
There is a reason centre backs have the best defensive stats in the game. Let them do their job by acting as the last line of defence.
Be patient
This may seem simple, but it is incredibly important when it comes to how to defend in FC 24.
As frustrating as it can be to watch your opponent pass the ball around in front of you producing ball flicks and other annoying skill moves, they are doing in an attempt to drag you out of position.
As mentioned in a couple of the tips above, the last thing you want to do is rush them and pull your defenders out of their designated spots. Be patient and you will overturn the ball eventually.
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