.FIFA 14 ADVANCED TIPS -

He Shoots, He Scores -  You can't win unless you score, and you can't score unless you shoot. There are many different ways to take a crack at the goal. Just pulling back and letting it rip is one way, but they pay goalies tons of money for a reason. You might have to utilize technical shooting to beat the keeper. 

Two words: finesse shot.  Say it out loud and remember it. This is an amazing shot to use to put points on the board.  If you ever wanted to bend it like Beckham, this is how it's done. To take a finesse shot, hold down RB/R1 while powering up the shot. You have to aim where you want the ball to go with this shot, just like normal, but this will give you a good curve that helps squeeze the ball into the net, just out of the keeper’s reach.

The only downside is that you’ll sacrifice power for superior placement. With this in mind, get a good feel for how hard you hit a finesse kick compared to a normal kick on the power meter.

Another strike you should add to your kicking repertoire is the lob shot. The lob shot is the proverbial sand wedge of soccer.  This propels the ball into the air like a chip shot. To perform a lob shot, press and hold the LB/L1 button while powering up your kick. This is a great shot to use if the goalie is off his line attacking you, or if there is only one defender in the way. There is no better feeling than chipping the ball over a goalie’s head and have it float into the net.

Finally, we have the one time shot. A well-performed one timer forces the defense to realign, but also looks awesome and gives you plenty of ammunition to trash talk your opponent. To pull off a one timer, all you have to do is press the kick button the moment the ball reaches your feet, be it from a ground or aerial pass. If your player’s stats are high enough, hold down LT/L2 while kicking and you might pull off a scissor kick for this shot.

Run Into The Pass - It’s very easy to rush attacks, I know because I still do it myself from time to time even though I’m always telling others not to, but this move serves as a good reminder of how going backwards can sometimes be more effective than trying to relentlessly move forwards.

To do this one, as you receive the ball you just use the left stick to run for a second or two in the direction the pass came from. This should hopefully bring the defender out with you, creating a gap that you can take advantage of by using a turn, a skill move or by playing a one-two with a team-mate. Although you’re seemingly retreating rather than advancing, what you’re actually doing is pulling the opposition’s defence out of shape, ready for when you do start going forward again.

As well as bringing a defender out of position, it also gives the opposition player something to think about. Once they realise you’re not always going to immediately turn left or right when you get the ball, they’ll probably begin to stand off a bit more, giving you time and space to plot your next move.

If you want to be really flash you can combine this with one of my favourite dribbling moves, the Face-Up Dribble Turn. All you do is run into the pass as above then hold both triggers or L2 and R2 as you’re running away from the defender. Your player should spin to face his marker, then you can burst away to the left or right by holding sprint and hitting the left or right stick in your chosen direction. Pull that move off and your opponent will be a lot less keen to press you instantly when you receive the ball next time.

Through The Legs - I tend to save this move for moments when I know I can really make it count, as once I’ve done it a couple of times in a game most opponents will start to anticipate it and intercept the ball as it runs through, so I don’t waste it on one-on-one situations out wide or far from my opponent’s goal. I think the perfect time to go for this is when my striker is receiving the ball with just the last defender for company, because if I get it right then I’ll be in on the keeper.

All you have to do is hold RB or R1 just before the ball gets to you, which will make your player dummy it through his own legs, then be ready on the left stick and sprint button to turn and run on to the pass.

All of the tips we’re looking at this week work better the more aggressive your opponent is, as they rely on their impatience to win the ball back creating the space for you to turn and get away, but this one is perhaps the most effective when facing a player like that. There is almost no chance of recovery for the defender as long as you’ve put plenty of pace on the initial pass. Don’t go for this move if the pass is weak, as you won’t put enough distance between the defender and the ball after you’ve dummied.

Simple Spin and Flick Turn - As the name suggests the Simple Spin is easy to do, while the Flick Turn is more difficult but can be a lot more effective, as the defending player almost never anticipates it.

The Simple Spin involves moving with the path of the ball first – so if the ball is travelling down the screen then turn that way with it – before quickly going back in the opposite direction using the left stick. What should happen is the defending player will read the first turn and begin to position himself for an interception, which is the time to push the left stick back round and off towards the space he has just created. If the striker is quick, has good Ball Control and Dribbling then he should be able to get away most of the time.

The Flick Turn looks a lot better and happens faster, which helps to get away from your marker, but takes a bit more concentration and timing. To do it, start to turn with the path of the ball as above then hold sprint and quickly flick the right stick in the opposite direction, just like you did with the left stick for the Simple Spin. Your player should entice the defender in with the first part of the turn then flick the ball in the direction of your exit in one fluid motion, leaving the defender very little chance of catching up.

This one does take a lot of practice but it’s well worth putting the time in, as the move can be almost unstoppable. Plus it looks awesome.

Protect The Ball - This move works in a similar way to the one above, in that you’re not immediately trying to advance as soon as you receive a pass. With this one though you’re not going backwards either but just holding your ground and watching the defender before making your next decision.

As the pass comes in hold LT or L2 as soon as you receive it. This will make your player shield the ball from the defender with his body. What you do next depends on what the defending player does. Hopefully he’ll try to move around you to make a tackle, so you just turn into the space he’s created then burst away. If he stands his ground then you can try running towards your own goal to entice him out, or you can pass to a team-mate and take the move elsewhere.

This is another move that gives you a bit more time to make a decision so you’re not always instantly turning left or right, which a defending player can easily read

Advanced Passing 

The through pass is a pass every player needs to have up his or her sleeve. This is a great way to get out on a breakaway and beat the back line. A through pass aims to a spot ahead of the player you are passing to so he can get to it in mid stride. Not passing directly to a player is risky, so practice this one. It is a high risk, high reward pass. To perform a through pass, press Y/Triangle, and again, the power meter comes into play.

While discussing the through pass, there is a highflying variation called the lifted/lobbed through pass. This is the same type of pass, but in the air and over the heads of defenders. To perform this pass, hold down LB/L1 and then hit Y/Triangle. This type of pass is very effective if you catch a quick forward on a break that beat the offside call.

The last pass we will mention is the give and go. To perform a give and go, hold LB/L1 while pressing A/Cross. The give and go is the best way to try and get a defender off of your back and you into the open. A give and go is where you pass the ball to a teammate, and before the ball even gets to him, you start sprinting down field, so as soon as it hits your teammate’s feet he is passing it right back to you. This quick tap/tap pass is very effective, and a must for upper echelon players.

Technical - Defense is a little more cut and dry than offense. It is just as important if not more important, but there is a lot less to remember. Nevertheless, there are a few things you could do to help yourself put the squeeze on your opponent that goes beyond running towards him at full speed. 

First, slow down and square up the attacker. If all you do is run, any good player will sidestep out of the way. Sometimes slow and steady wins the race, or the ball, for that matter. Square up your opponent by holding LT/L2.  This will give you a wide stance and keep your chest pointed at the ball, similar to blocking someone out in basketball.  Instead of turning to run, you will implement a side step.  This makes it a lot harder for anyone to run or pass you.

Next, call in a second defender for assistance. Musician Bill Withers once said "Lean on me when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on." Sometimes on D, you could use a little help. Calling in a second defender is the best thing for that situation. While on defense, hold down RB/R1 to have the closest defender leave his mark and help out on your man.

There are two basic ways you can play this out. One is to double-team the guy with the ball. Smother him. If he can't move or pass he will make a mistake, and one of your guys will come up with the ball. 

The more advanced tactic involves having the defender you call attack the man with the ball, and you have your guy stand between him and his closest teammate’s passing lane. Now he has pressure on him and his passing lane is cut off. Hopefully he will be forced to blindly kick the ball away, or he will pass it right to you.