Defending in FC 26 has become incredibly difficult, and many players are currently struggling to block the opposition in their attacks.
The gameplay of FC 26 has undergone plenty of changes from FC 25 days. Many players, myself included, expected defending to be harder this year as EA Sports promised to nerf the AI. However, the reality of the ground is far grimmer if you rely on AI to bail you out.
That said, you can improve your defense gradually and move up the divisions.
How to improve defending in FC 26
While I'm not a pro, I attained Elite Division last year in Rivals and secured 10 wins on average in Champions finals. When I started playing FC 25, I couldn't even qualify for the competition. Most of the improvements I made since then were in defense, which was always my weaker area.
Life in Division 7, which comprises higher-skilled players, hasn't been easy this year. My overall record in Rivals as of writing stands at 18-7, but consistently starting a winning streak has been hard (as expected). So, how do you improve defending? The secret sauce is fundamentals.
There are four key aspects of defending well in the game.
- Jockey: A controlled movement of the defender where they expand the size of their body.
- Tackling: The art of aggressively stealing the ball from an opponent.
- Switching: Proactively switching across your players while defending the ball.
- Anticipating: Trying to predict what the opponent is doing before they actually perform a move.
Here's what I have been doing to improve my defense and fundamentals to win more games in Rivals (and the Early Access cup).
- Step 1: Pay attention to the formation and its shape. I am currently using a 4141. You don't have to use the same formation, and most tactics can do well if they match your style. However, you'll always want to maintain your shape, especially while defending.
- Step 2: Learn to defend with your CM and CDM. In a 4141, there will be two CMs and one CDM. You'll want to pull down your CM back to the defensive shape before switching to the CDM as and when required.
- Step 3: Use CMs who are defensively sound. You'll need them to defend for you, and having footballers with good physicality and defensive stats will be essential.
- Step 4: Don't run around with the same player. Your opponent will get more space, and your players will run out of stamina. Instead, use the RS to switch in a proactive fashion. Also, use the LB/L1 player switch if you're close enough to the ball.
- Step 5: Stop sprinting with your CMs and CDMs when you're trying to defend. It's okay to do that when you're getting back in shape. Once you're back to your shape, just jockey. You can also use the speed jockey at this position, and doing so will be immensely helpful when closing down the opposition.
- Step 6: Only take control of your defenders as a last resort. This rule can be somewhat relaxed when we are talking about the sidebacks. For your centre-backs, try to control them only when required.
When you're defending, you'll want to combine these six steps. But let's come to the key point: Do we tackle, and if so, how?
At this point in the game, accurately making tackles is risky. You could get away with a few, but a mistimed tackle can create a massive opening in your defense. To reduce this, you'll want to let the attacker come towards your players. The aim isn't to win the ball back as soon as you lose it. It's to win it before the ball goes into your net. The best moment to do so will be after your opponent is committed to a certain attacking movement. That way, they can't suddenly change the track.
As long as you're jockeying well, covering the lanes shouldn't be a problem. Let go of the jockey button when you're aiming to get back into shape.
Ultimately, try to pick defenders with good playstyles like Bruiser, Anticipate, Intercept, and Jockey. Such defenders will make it easier for you to keep your defensive shape and have higher chances of success when tackling the ball.
If you're struggling in defense, you're not alone. Keep following the basics (I am doing the same) to master the concepts, and get gradually better as we spend more months in FC 26.
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The post How to defend like a pro in FC 26 and concede less goals appeared first on Destructoid.
