So check this out I've been playing a lot of career mode in FIFA 13, because it’s actually enjoyable thanks to EA Sports making some significant changes from the past few years.  I've really never been able to spend much time with any offline game mode in FIFA mainly because it’s just so repetitive, and lacks depth however things are changing this year.

What Impactful changes have been made? 

1. The AI (Artificial Intelligence) is finally educated, they make the right reads and play with sense opposed to the boring monotonous style we've been punished with throughout the past few years.  The AI makes adjustments to how you play and they attempt to attack in every manner. (Long shots, quick passing, crossing, free kicks, deep balls) 

Side note:  The AI plays similar to how the team there using would play in real life, tactics & everything which makes for quite an experience when playing offline.

2. Added Depth (especially as a manager) – You can now manage national teams, make all the call ups, while also working with your club squad. Competing in International competition is something that’s definitely been highly desired in FIFA titles and it's going to be a staple in future installments for sure.  Great NEW FEATURE! 

3. Player Development – I really have enjoyed how it takes time and isn't as easy to increase statistics with your player right away. In order to really grow and gain that captaincy you’re going to need to do work on the pitch consistently while leading your squad to victory.

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FIFA 13 Demo
New features:  What I’ve noticed from the demo – Deadly Seven  

1. Impact Engine 
This might be the first year in quite some time where pace isn’t everything in terms of defense, throughout experimenting with the demo it’s finally possible to use the larger center backs without having trouble defending through balls or keeping up with the speedsters….   What’s changed??? 

In this FIFA installment it’s quite easy to put your body between the ball and attacker therefore creating a separation. What this means is a strong player can slow the attacker down or just simply get in the way similar to “real football” which makes up for his lack of pace.  I’m excited for the launch of the full title coming September 25th. 

2. Through Ball System / Player intelligence
This big change has me yoked for the new installment, players now really curve there runs and if your opponent is playing a high pressure tactic your able to deliver pin point ground through balls in behind the defense to punish them for overplaying .  It’s quite interesting also to see the computer AI move so well and fill space when moving forward with the ball naturally. In FIFA 12 I don’t know how many times I’ve faced the frustration of not being able to get my attackers into the right positions on the counters. 

WCG Pan American 2012 (Santiago, Chile) 
This past weekend I was selected from WCG to represent the USA in the Pan American games taking place in Santiago, Chile!  Having attended the past two WCG Pan American Championships & placing well in both I had high expectations going into the event.  

Gaming:
So the venue was actually at a stadium in Santiago, Chile that was filled up with a devoted fan base. Outside of just having the WCG Pan American Championship the event also was similar to a mini E3 that included game titles prior to release dates and multiple promotional opportunities for spectators.  

WCG clearly put marketing and money into the event location but unfortunately the competition was run unprofessionally in terms of FIFA.  Prior to our matches they changed the rules from two players advancing from groups to now only one player would advance. So basically the “Quarter- Finals” were eliminated from the tournament. 

No matter the version of FIFA, each year players love to debate what is considered “cheap” compared to what is considered “skillful”. This has dated back since I started playing FIFA in 2004, -- Go to Forums, Watch YouTube Videos & this debate continually arises in the community.  When I’m playing, especially in a competitive match I’d much rather win ugly than lose pretty. 

What the hell is a Sweaty Goal? 
In the past couple installments of FIFA, players have coined the term “Sweaty Goal” as another way of saying “that was cheap” or an “ugly goal”. The most common Sweaty is when your player breaks through your opponent’s defensive line creating a 1v1 opportunity with the keeper, however rather than challenging the goalie with a shot players will pass around the keeper creating an easy finish for another player who’s accompanying the breakaway. 
 
If you score a couple of these goals in a match, expect some hate-mail in your inbox on XBL or PSN after the 90min have concluded.  There are multiple different variations of these types of goals, such as a chip cross for the tap in or even a low driven cross.  
All will make your opponent RAGE at their TV

The real point is people love to complain, in particularly when they just copped a lost.  How to prevent Sweaty Goals? – Play defense!! In order for your opponent to get these opportunities they must slip behind your defensive line with time in order to pick out the right pass for the tap in.  If you’re giving up too many sweaty goals, it really means you need to focus on holding a solid back line on defense.  

Check me out on Twitter: @michs09usa #FIFAfollowback 

So easily one of the most popular and frequently asked questions in each FIFA installment is “How do I win headers?”  Each year when I go through forums there is almost always a couple trending topics circling the frustration players are having when it comes to winning 50/50 headers or defending against crosses.  The forum topics tend to include sob story after sob story of how the player has very little luck and just can’t rectify with why they are unable to win headers at a consistent rate.  KEEP READING!!

In FIFA 12 controlling the air is based on  FOUR  DETERMINING FACTORS 
1. Jostling 
2. Timing
3. Momentum
4. Size

Jostling
In FIFA jostling for position is extremely important in multiple different aspects of the game, especially when challenging your opponent in the air for headers that directly affect the outcome of the match.  The key to jostling is waiting until your player has the correct position before pushing either the pass / shoot button in the air. If you’ve jostled properly your almost guaranteed to win each and every header regardless of other factors.

Timing
This is the most common mistake made in FIFA each year regarding headers and sometimes even finishing. When a cross goes into the box players love to beat down the sticks in hopes of finishing with a powerful header. However this technique is reckless and causes players to miss easy headers that they would normally finish if they showed some composure in the box. It’s not how many times you beat down the shoot button, but rather WHEN Quality over Quantity.

Barclays Premier League Players

Ben Arfa (Newcastle) – RW 
I actually believe he’s the best RW in the English Premier League at the astounding overall rating of 79. He moves on the pitch gracefully destroying the opponent’s defense via his 5 star skill attributes that setup easy left footed cut in finesse shots.  If you haven’t experienced the undervalued over achiever “Ben Arfa” go take him out on a test drive. 

Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea) – ST
Lukaku can be described in one word “BEAST”. He’s young, fast, huge, and has a left foot that terrorizes opposing defenses. The 6’3 striker combined with solid wingers to put in crosses can absolutely dominate a match, my Lukaku averages more than a goal a match in FIFA Ultimate Team Mode. If you’re starting a team and need a dominant forward look no further, Lukaku will cost fewer than 1000 coins every day of the week and never disappoints. 

Abou Diaby (Arsenal) – CM
Diaby should be used in a holding center mid role; however he’s never a liability if he joins in the attack. Not many players have height (6’2) and ability to maneuver in tight situations like Diaby who excels in dribbling and ball control. Diaby at a 77 overall will be a cheap investment costing between 400 – 800 coins during auctions. I still use him off my bench on a regular basis. 

Micah Richards (Manchester City) – RB 
I would recommend playing Micah Richards as a CB on your team because he has all the right statistics to shut down your opponent. Richards is an accredited player in FIFA 12 Ultimate Team but many players don’t take advantage of his true potential in FIFA 12.  He eclipses the majority of defenders in speed (84), defending (84), and heading (89) which makes him an absolute elitist. So why’s Richards only an (80) overall? Simply because his attacking numbers are below outside back standards with a (49) shooting, (66) passing, and (68) dribbling.  If you want to maximize a dominant player on the pitch, move Richards to CB where he should accompany “David Luiz” to form a duo that causes opponents headaches when trying to break through your back line. 

EA hopefully made some adjustments

Speed Bug
The speed glitch has to go, if you’re a top competitor or just a FIFA connoisseur then you’ve came across this move daily.  Basically by using the pace control feature (L2 & R2) EA has created a bug which occurs following that move allowing your player to have an unrealistic burst of pace. If done correctly especially with the right players (Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar) your opponent won’t be able to catch up enabling your player free rain over the pitch.

Whys this so bad? Just wait until you’re matched up with an opponent who’s mastered this technique and just zooms down the lines finding wide open crosses or slips by your players down the center only to have an easy 1v1 with the keeper.  This exploit has put a real damper on the quality of FIFA matches, I now play games where my opponents run more than they pass….

(No FIFA title should ever have more dribbling than passing)

Defense
In FIFA 12 the AI’s defensive awareness combined with slower gameplay has granted suspect defensive players the ability to have the AI to do the majority of the work.  What this means is players who may have struggled in previous FIFA titles on the defensive end now can utilize a game flaw and just sit back. In past titles it’s always been very important to create pressure and force turnovers manually however in FIFA 12 the computer AI is a better defender than 60% of players online.  (Stopping the majority of trick moves, never diving in, or making risky plays) 

Today’s blog will cover some factors that shouldn’t be overlooked when putting players on the pitch and choosing formations.  People always check individual player’s statistics but often miss some of the most paramount data.  Ever wonder why players sometimes move amazing on the pitch or vice versa?  Check below for a step by step on a few characteristics to look for in players when you’re putting together that all-star lineup.  

Foot Dominance
Each player on the pitch has a dominant foot, which makes a monumental difference in FIFA12. For example, I always prefer that my RS (Right Striker) have a left footed dominance or have at least 4 stars for off foot ability because in order to utilize that position it’s important to be able to cut inside to rip shots on goal. I use the finesse shot regularly in each FIFA game I play, so in order for that technique to reach its full potential it’s essential that your player can execute it with consistency. 

A great example would be “Robben” from Bayern Munich. He’s easily one of the most talented wingers in FIFA 12, but he has a weak foot ability of a 2 stars, therefore it doesn’t matter that he has amazing shooting capabilities because they only apply when using his strong foot.  A lot of players don’t fully understand this concept, and don’t understand why there shots aren’t coming near the target. 

Ever wonder why your crosses aren’t accurate? If you’re playing a right mid / left mid whose primary foot is opposite of his position then often crosses aren’t nearly as precise.  A lot of outside midfielders don’t cross nearly as much in the real world these days, but rather are used almost as attacking mids who are constantly cutting inside to put pressure on opposing defenses. This is just fine, but translates poorly to FIFA if you need your wingers to swing driven crosses into the box all match. 

FIFA Weather Conditions
Have you ever been instantly in rage mode when the match starts and you’re welcomed by rain pouring down?  FIFA 12 just like in real football has different weather conditions that apply in matches, but EA went a little bit overboard in this year’s title.  I was playing an offline season, with a German club and I once had a record setting 11 games in a row in the rain….. So if you don’t actively play FIFA, what’s so wrong with the rain?

Rain Issues
In FIFA 12 the gameplay took a significant change in pace, decreasing considerably in order to make the title closer to real football. This added realism though combined with heavy rain ruins your entire match. The speed of play or even just the speed of the ball is totally absent in the contest. Players with pace no longer have those traits and your offense becomes so predictable with no capable way to create any sort of quick build up. 

So EA what I’m saying is fix this for FIFA 13. FIFA should always include weather conditions, but it shouldn’t ruin the match or make it a boring game with both players struggling to get out of the midfield. 

Snow (The Reverse View) 
I feel that EA did absolutely terrible with the rain feature in FIFA 12, but on the contrary the addition of snow is done correctly.  The game is sloppier similar to rain with error touches and passing not being quite as clean however the speed of the actual match isn’t hindered. As a player I’m able to still execute precise trick moves, and utilize player matchups where I hold an advantage. EA did a good job with how the ball skips off the ground, as opposed to rain where it doesn’t even move… In rain the ball is almost always stationary which doesn’t allow players to show any sort of individualism on the pitch. 

Regardless of how football may seem in real life, FIFA should never feel like an uphill battle due to weather conditions.  Remember to follow @michs09usa 

If you’re active in gaming networks on twitter your notice multiple trending topics that include things like #FUT… The amount of my friends who ask me what the hell #FUT is an acronym for is pretty amusing. So let me breakdown what #FUT (FIFA Ultimate Team) is all about. This mode I believe started in FIFA 2010, but it’s grown over the past couple FIFA installments. I’ve put in a lot of time playing FUT in FIFA 12, and this mode rocks…

What is FUT?
So FIFA Ultimate Team is a game mode where you start with a team full of Bronze level players (ranging from overall (50-64)… In other words the worst players in the game, but as you play matches either vs. the computer AI or other online players you gain a certain amount of funds per match depending on results. (win/loss, goals, shots, etc…) Then you’re able to put these funds towards all sorts of upgrades that include new players through auction, various packs (bronze, silver, gold), and even uniforms / stadiums. This game mode gives you total control over what brand of football you’re trying to recreate.

Depth
FUT has the most depth of any FIFA mode, and is updated daily with new players… For example, after each Euro Championship match EA takes the player of the match and then puts an improved version of that player in FUT mode where you can then buy packs in hopes of getting lucky and acquiring the enhanced version.  What makes this game mode so amazing is that creating an elite team isn’t based on FIFA skill because there is an auction market that allows you opportunities to buy for cheap and then sell for a profit. Obviously if you’re good at FIFA it has plenty of perks, EA puts out new tournaments in FUT mode each week with gold packs or coins up for grabs. Most tournaments have different types of restrictions which forces players to work hard on developing multiple squads in order to take part in different events. Ex: Some tourneys are as simple as just having an all bronze team, while others can be as complicated as having 11 different nationalities on your roster.