EA SPORTS FIFA 15 Tips: Playing With Ten Men

FIFA fan Darren Cross looks at three tactics to help you stay in the game when you’ve had a player sent off…

I like to think that I generally avoid the kind of challenges that can lead to the ref showing one of my players a red card when I’m playing online, but even the most cautious of us FIFA 15 players can find ourselves a man down after one slightly mistimed tackle too many. It’s a situation I’m sure we’ve all faced many times, so in this week’s Backpage I thought it’d be handy to take a look at three things that help me when I am on the receiving end of a red.

1. React Quickly
As soon as that card is shown I identify where the space in my team is going to be then question if I need to fill it and, if so, how. For me that depends on the score and the stage of the match, with one exception.

I always make sure I have a full quota of players in the centre-back positions regardless of whether I’m winning or losing and how long is left on the clock. That’s easily the most dangerous area of the pitch to leave a big gap in following a red card no matter how the game is going, as it’s too easy for the opposing player to take advantage and quickly score a goal or more. Even if I were being heavily beaten when I lost a centre-back, I would still fill the position just in case I got back into the game somehow.

I guess I’m an optimist!

If anyone other than one of my centre-backs has gone, then I consider the score and how long is left to play before quickly making changes. For example, a red card early on in the game always prompts me to make changes if the player who’s been sent off is playing in any of the central areas in my team.

When that happens I move a winger into the space and sub him for a player more comfortable in that position. My thinking is that I’d rather have a space out wide in an advanced area of the pitch than anywhere through the centre of my team with so much of the match left to play.

If a midfielder or defender is sent off late in the game while I’m hanging on for the win then I’ll lose a forward by moving him into the vacant position and subbing him for a player more suited to that role so that I can keep numbers between the opposition and my goal. But if I lost a striker in the same situation then I wouldn’t make any changes, as having one less player upfront is not likely to cost me a goal with only a little time left on the clock.

If I’m chasing the match with not long to go and I have a midfielder or attacker sent off then I’d most likely fill the space with a defensive midfielder or full-back then sub him for a more effective attacking player, leaving a space defensively. I’d rather do that and give myself a chance to get a goal back – even though it means increasing the risk of conceding again – than be short of players up front when going for an equaliser.

2. Avoid The Weakest Point
Once I know where the space in my team is, I try to keep the play away from it as much as possible by focusing attacks elsewhere on the pitch when I have the ball. Let’s say for example that I no longer have a left midfielder because I had a defensive midfielder sent off so moved my LM into the gap and replaced him. In that situation I’d avoid bringing my left-back forward when I was attacking because, if he were to get into an advanced position and lose the ball, I’d be leaving the whole of the left side of my team open to a counter. Better to move the ball on from my left-back, keep him in position and use someone else to get the attack going.

How about if I no longer have a player in the advanced right wing position in a 4-3-3? Again I would avoid that area when I have the ball as I’d have one less team-mate to occupy an opposition player there, effectively making it easier for my opponent to get more defenders around me and regain possession. If I lost the ball in that position I’d now have a gap wherever my player with the ball had come from, and if that happened to be a right-back then I’m in trouble defensively.

So I stay away from the gap in my team when I’ve got the ball and do my best to keep my defensive shape when I don’t have it by going easy on the pressing.

3 Look After The Ball
This is a rule I always try to stick to no matter how many players I’ve got on the pitch, but I think it’s especially worth keeping in mind once one of your players has seen red.

It’s really important not to give the ball away too often when playing with ten men, otherwise the opponent will keep applying pressure and – with one less player to help out somewhere on the pitch – it’s that bit harder to win the ball back or keep the opposition away from dangerous areas. From my experience, consistent pressure eventually leads to goals so it’s vital to avoid that by using the ball well when you have it.

I avoid needlessly risky passes by just playing the ball in the direction my player is facing and keeping it moving. I use the radar to quickly spot which players are free and to plan my next pass or two. I like the 3D version of the radar best as I find it slightly easier to locate my players – you can change between the 3D and 2D radar in the visual section of the game settings menu.

As well as giving me a bit of a breather defensively I should eventually bring an opposition player or two out of position, leaving a gap somewhere in their defence. That’s when I can be a little riskier with my passing or dribbling.

Okay that covers everything I do when I’ve had a player sent off, I hope these tactics help you when you’re a player down. Thanks for reading and look out for the next Backpage, which will cover tips for playing against ten men.

Thanks for reading,
Darren
@darren_cross