FIFA 13 Attacking Guide

Need FIFA 13 attacking help? Keep reading to reveal these FIFA 13 attacking strategies, tips, tricks and secrets!

A Return to Real Life Football

Remember that time you scored a wonderful goal because you anticipated a pass from a teammate in advance? It’s almost like you read your teammates mind and you scored an amazing strike! In FIFA 13, we are blessed with Attacking intelligence that goes like this:

• Curved Runs – Players can now curve runs to stay onside or find better space for themselves. In Fifa 12, if a player would run into a space where they would be meeting another player they would stop and retreat to their position area. This has been changed and the length of the run a player makes is now not halted based on positions of their teammates as much.
• Better Positioning – An exciting new development is players getting themselves in better positions to receive passes. Players will now check their runs if they see the space they are moving into being shut down. Hence, enabling the attackers to find them easier.
• 2 Plays Ahead – Players will know intelligently see how play is developing. The best way we can explain this is, if you’re rolling the ball from your goalkeeper to a centre back. Your full backs will start making a move as the keeper rolls the ball out as they know they are, more than likely, going to be the next recipient of the ball. This means that players will be less rigid and react more to where they see the play is leading to.

What this means is that you need to find your teammates because they are constantly creating open space for themselves. If you know the right controls, you will become an attacking machine and make winning matches a lot easier.

First Touch Tips

The key to attacking in FIFA 13 is all about how you control the ball. As you get better, use your first touch options to create extra space and attack.

• Trapping the ball –  As the ball arrives at your players foot press LT/L2. The better the player, the easier your player will trap it. You will notice a big difference using this technique as many times in FIFA the ball will bounce off your player if you don’t control the ball.
• Small nudge – As the ball arrives, nudge the LEFT STICK in the direction you want to pass or run. Your player will turn his body and nudge the ball in that direction as his first touch. This is extremely effective for creating space for your next pass or to create space for a shot.
• Knock on – Use RIGHT STICK this time to knock the ball further ahead into space as you are about to receive the ball. If there is space flick the right stick towards it and your player will burst in that direction. Flick the stick twice or three times and he will knock the ball on further and further. Excellent for wingers looking for that space to get a cross in and strikers to beat the defender for a shot.
• Turn Away – When you play the ball to your forwards, usually a defender is coming towards you. Turn the opposite direction using the LEFT STICK to touch the ball away from the tackle. This will give you a lot of space to run into or make it easier for a deadly through ball onto goal.

Working Space with Attacking Formations

The best way to work space is to have a good formation that allows for proper spacing! Here are a few FIFA attacking formations that give you proper spacing to begin with:

• 4-4-2
• 4-3-3
• 4-1-2-1-2

Each the above formations, each player has their own space to work with and beat opponents. This is key to creating more space for your attack. For example, if your LM or LW beats his defender, he does not run into a teammate’s space and therefore is more likely to score.

Formations to avoid include:

• 4-4-1-1
• 4-2-3-1
• 3-5-2

These formations KILL space. Your players are too close together and cannot expose weaknesses in the defense. For example, if your CAM beats his defender, he runs directly into a ST space. Using bad formations makes it easier for the defense AI to tackle and dispossess you. Try it out for yourself and you will see my point.

Now that you have a good formation, work the space by passing the ball and using your radar. Radar is key to beating your opponents and also seeing open lanes for passes that are not in the main camera screen.

If you have open space behind your defender, then try to beat him but be careful because you give up a counter attack if you lose the ball. A good formation will prevent counter attacks while bad formations invite them.

Dribbling Tips

If defenders are rushing out at you, then you must hold the ball properly. Read our FIFA 13 dribbling tips for more help.

Player Runs

Press LB(L1) to send your player on a run. Remember to time the pass carefully or else you will be flagged offside. Avoid sending your defenders on runs because you open holes in your backline!

Passing Tips

Passing properly and at the correct time is the key to a successful attack. You can use Auto passing, Semi-auto, or manual. I recommended Auto passing for 95% of gamers because it allows you to focus on your dribbling and shooting. Manual passing is for more experienced players who want to experience complete control.

There are mainly 6 types of passes:

• Ground Passing – Press A(X) to perform a ground pass. The longer you hold the button, the more power your pass will have.  Tap the button to make a short pass, fill up the power bar 1/2 to make a medium pass, and fill up the power bar 3/4 for a long pass.
• Lobbed Passing – Press X(Square) for a lobbed pass. The longer you hold the button, the further the pass will go. Use the lobbed pass to avoid interception of your ground passes. Also, it’s better to lob pass than clear the ball out with the Shoot button.
• Through Balls – Press Y(Triangle) to perform a through ball. Great for sending forwards on breakaways or playing wingers into space. Be careful because they are less accurate than normal passes. Through balls are much easier to intercept.
• 1-2 Pass AKA wall pass – One of the easiest ways to beat a defender is with the 1-2 pass. Press A + LB ( X + L1) to perform a 1-2 pass. This will pass the ball while sending the passer on a run afterwards. Press A (X) again to successfully complete the 1-2 pass.
• Driven Lobbed Ball – Press RB + X (R1 + O) to perform a driven lobbed ball. Great for picking out the feet of forwards who are pretty short. I rarely use it because ground passing is much more effective.
• Headed Pass – Press A while the ball is in the air to perform a headed pass. Great for corner kicks, crosses or defending goal kicks when you want to keep possession. Anytime you cross the ball into the box and are drifting away from goal, try the headed pass to find a closer teammate.

A general rule of thumb is to make the EASIER pass available. This tip alone will increase your win percentage by 50% or more. Keep passing to the OPEN player inside of the player CLOSEST to the goal. IMPORTANT TIP!

Drawing Penalty Kicks

Many players are absolutely clueless on how to draw penalty kicks. Here is how to do it.

1. Pass the ball to your outside winger or midfielder. I prefer LW or LM because it’s easier to visualize the buildup to the penalty kick.
2. Use 1-2 pass or beat him on the dribble to free up the space.
3. Dribble towards the corner flag then suddenly cut inside.
4. Use pace control (if needed) and dribble towards goal while staying near the touchline.
5. Continue dribbling until the defender comes to tackle you. He will either manual tackle or slide.
6. Continue dribbling to receive the penalty kick or cut inside to avoid the tackle and either shoot or pass for a better shot on goal.

Most opponents panic when you dribble straight towards goal near the touchline. This is because he must sprint back towards goal. Realize that any tackle on your player is likely to be a penalty. Also, you can easily just pass the ball back inside near the penalty spot to an open teammate. Options are endless.

Early Crosses

I am working on another post on crosses but I wanted to add early crosses as a good attacking strategy. Often, you will spot your forwards moving into open space for a good headed chance on goal. Or maybe you have numbers and want to pass the ball to your ST before your opponent’s defense recovers.

Press LB + X (L1 + Square) to perform an early cross. Here’s a good example of a real life early cross from Beckham to Ronaldo during a Real Madrid Match.

Use Players with Pace

A quick and simple tip to improve attacking is to use faster players. I use FUThead to find players with lots of pace. Build your FIFA 13 ultimate team or simply choose a real life squad with lots of pace. It will be easier to beat players or score goals because you have a speed advantage.

Closing Thoughts

Now you have the proper arsenal to attack. I think the key is knowing the proper buttons to push in the correct situation. Attacking is basically knowing how to do what you want to do without getting frustrated. You can pass to any player on the field or perform any creative attack you imagine. You will know your attack is working when you start winning matches 5-1, 6-1 or 7-1. This is because your improved attack simply converts more chances into goals. Sometimes, you will have as many shots as your opponent but score 3x to 5x as many goals.

If you still need FIFA 13 attacking help, then check out the best FIFA 13 strategy guide for more attacking strategies and tips.

Go get ‘em!

Tarik

More FIFA 13 Attacking Help

• FIFAaddiction
• Complete Dribbling
• First Touch Control
• Formations
• Possession Play