Issue 05

BEN WODECKI
Overall thoughts
FIFA 19 is the first FIFA in a long time to feel different. It doesn’t
reinvent the wheel, but it certainly changes the way that it works
to make for a fun and flair-filled rollercoaster. The Champions
League is FIFA’s marquee signing and frankly, it was needed. PES
had that by the scruff of its neck for so long and gaining control
of Europe’s most exciting competition is a welcome breath of
fresh air. What makes it oh so special, is the looks of this game.
Gorgeously crafted to give off an authentic experience that
you can’t help but gaze at lovingly. There are some interesting
additions this year that we’ll discuss more in detail, namely the
new touch and shooting systems. FIFA 19 does what the fans
want - giving an authentic and fun experience that has copious
amounts of content to offer than previous entries. What more
could you ask for?
What is the Esports World Football FUT
team like?
Get your judging caps on as its time to point fingers. We’ve
started off with a Bundesliga gold team in a 4-1-2-1-2. We like
this formation as it’s flexible in both attack and defence. Having
that holding midfielder can help when on the back foot, but it
helps even more with how we play. With a focus on possession
and cutting through opponents when they’re fed up of endless
passing, abusing the spaces that they’ve created charging our
players down. The likes of pass maestro Thiago, Javi Martinez
and Corentin Tollisso help set the pace to what we want it to be,
by creating dynamic and fluid passing, which creates enough
spaces for our fullbacks to bomb forward. This FIFA is not all
about pace. For years, that was essentially all that mattered. But
that hasn’t stopped us with our choices for forwards. Werner
and Plea are a double act more effective than you could possibly
imagine. Werner is faster than time itself, and Plea may only be 80
rated, but his strength and shooting capabilities are entertaining
at times. It’s a great early game pairing that we’re looking to use
and have done to great success, scoring for fun at times.
Now, this formation doesn’t cater for the wider players. But when
it comes to late game tactics, we like to keep things fresh and
quick. Jadon Sancho, Marcel Sabitzer and Leon Bailey can turn
the tide of games as the clock ticks on, saving us from egg on
our faces more times than we’d like to admit.
In goal for EWF is Hradecky of Bayer Leverkusen. The 6 foot 2 Fin
got a move to Bayer and got an upgrade to an 84. What he lacks
in handling and speed, he more than makes up for in diving and
reflexes, and whilst ‘keepers have received somewhat of a nerfing
in this title, he seems good value for money in terms of stats and
longevity when compared to the other Bundesliga ‘keepers.
So what’s for our team? We want to improve the backline, as
Toprak isn’t the player he was on FIFA 18, and while Tah is still
a joy to play with, given Bayer’s poor league form, we fear he
won’t get a TOTW card anytime soon. Kagawa seems the weak
link in our forward three, given his pace and a poor shot. James
Rodriguez, we’re coming for you…
Tactics Analysed
In this FIFA edition, what’s best to do? Volleys. Headers. Setpieces.
All you need is a big, powerful striker, who can hit the
ball well off his head and feet and you’ll be laughing. Giroud,
Arnatoovic, and Batshuayi make great editions to start your team
off this time around. Be prepared to score a lot of volleys and
headers - so play to that strength. Mario Mandzukic is another
great early card for this tactic. This time out, you’ll want flair,
skill, and just a little luck to make it. We’d also highly recommend
sorting out all your formations for when you go from ‘balanced’
to ‘attack’ as you might find your team reverting to a flat 4-4-2
without realizing. This new feature enables your team to adapt to
a more attacking or defensive formation at a moments notice.
Make sure you’ve got a plenty with decent shot power and long
shots. In this game, it is so much easier to score a lovely struck
long shot. The new showing system allows balls to fizz past the
‘keeper from 25-40 yards when struck correctly. Having a player
who can hit them well will help you score these more.
Remember chemistry is everything and player overalls aren’t.
Some early game players are so powerful that they are literal
game changers. Axel Witsel, now of Dortmund, is looking tone
one of those. His strength, height, and overall abilities make him
a frightening possibility to play against in the middle of the park.
The same goes for Lemina of Southampton, well priced for such
a low rated gold, but he can hurt you - we should know.
Remember, never quiet the game, losing your DNF modifier
really isn’t worth it, especially in the early game. FIFA is
frustrating at times, but you’ve just got to remember that
another game will come.
House rules rules
One of the most welcome additions to the game is the house
rules mode for kick off. It allows users to play with restricted
rules, or none at all. A plethora of modes like Elimination allows
for a more intense offline experience. A game mode has been
a staple of the series as far as we’ve been playing, it allows for
more variety and the fact that these modes are available offline,
it means that you can invite all your friends over for an enjoyable
evening of house rules. EWF
www.esportsworldfootball.com
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