Alright, FC25 is finally here, and your boy Ty the EA creator has been putting in the hours! I got early access to the game, so I could dive into the new FC IQ system and get a handle on how it works. I've put together some basic tactics that should give you a solid start in FC25. Let's get into it!
Understanding Player Roles in FC25
Before we jump into the custom tactics, you need to understand player roles in FC25. Every position in the game has specific roles, and these roles determine how well a player performs in that position. Take Foden, for example. As a right wing, he's great, but as an inside forward, he's even better because he has the "Plus+" role. That means he's one of the best in the game in that position. This is incredibly important for these tactics. When setting up your tactics, make sure your players have the right roles. If they have the "Plus" or "Plus+" roles, it's going to significantly impact how well these tactics perform. I'll give you some player examples later on when we get to each role.
Accessing and Setting Up Your Tactics
I'm going to assume this is your first time setting up your tactics in FC25. To access the FC IQ menu, hit your left stick on your squad screen, go to "Team Management," and then you'll be brought into the FC IQ menu. From there, hit "Edit Tactics."
Once you're in the tactics menu, here's what you need to do:
- Formation: Stick with the 4-3-3 (Holding). It offers a great balance in midfield, is very good defensively, and provides plenty of attacking options.
- Tactical Preset: Set this to "Custom."
Build Up Play
- Build Up Play: Set this to "Counter." Don't assume that because it's on "Counter," you'll always be on the back foot. I actually dominate possession with this formation because of how the two center mids and the CDM are set up. Whenever you're stuck for a pass, your well-rounded center mid or your CDM is always available just outside the box for a nice, easy pass. Always look for that pass! It's often your best option to get you out of trouble.
Defensive Approach
- Defensive Approach: I like having this on 70. The game is just out, so we'll play around with this as the weeks go and find the best option, but for now, I like having it high so I can win the ball high up the pitch and be ready to counterattack.
Player Roles Breakdown
Now, let's move on to the player roles. Hit L1 or LB on Xbox to go over to your player roles.
- Goalkeeper: Leave him on default. No need to mess with that too much.
- Center Backs: It's very important that you have both set to "Defender." Other options, like "Stopper," will cause your defenders to come out of position and leave a big hole in your defense. "Defender" is by far the best. If you can get a player with "Defender Plus," it's a bonus, but not necessary.
- Left and Right Backs: Set both to "Fullback" and "Balanced." This gives you a lot of defensive support and stops you from being countered. I also like to control my fullbacks' runs manually, so having them on "Fullback" means I'm in full control of when they get forward.
Midfield Roles
This is where the player roles really come into play.
- CDM: You want a very defensive-minded player here. Look for a player with the "Deep Playmaker" role. I'm using Camavinga, who is a lot cheaper than I thought he would be. If you want a more expensive player, Tonali is a great option. Marchisio is another option if you have the coins. Camavinga plays incredibly well in this role.
- Well-Rounded Center Mid: Set this player to "Holding" and "Defend." This player is always at the edge of the box, available for a pass. Especially look for this player when you're at the edge of the box. Instead of whipping the ball in hopelessly looking for a cross, feed the ball back out to your center mid. Staying in possession is the most important part of this game. Don't cross the ball in hopelessly looking for a goal. It's so much better to keep the ball in your possession. Always look for that center mid pass. If you can get "Holding Plus" or "Holding Plus+," you'll be flying with this center mid. Look for a player who's well-balanced, has good pace, great passing, and is defensively solid.
- Attacking Center Mid: This formation attacks a lot like a 4-2-3-1. This player is going to get forward, create chances, and score goals. Set this player to "Playmaker" and "Attack." Make sure he gets forward. If you can get a player with "Playmaker Plus+," you'll be flying in this position.
It's important that all the players left in this team have some sort of role on them, so make sure they have the "Playmaker Plus" or the "Playmaker Plus+" role.
Attacking Roles
- Left and Right Wing: Set both to "Balanced" and "Inside Forward." With "Inside Forward" on your left and right wing, they will constantly be looking to get in behind and get into the best scoring position possible. This will make your left and right wing come quite narrow, giving you a lot of passing options to play quick, tiki-taka football, which can cut through your opponent's defense very, very quickly. With your left and right wing both on "Inside Forward," they'll come in narrow and give you plenty of options to play quick passes and quick one-twos with your striker and get them in behind quickly. You need the "Inside Forward Plus" or the "Inside Forward Plus+."
- Striker: Set them to "Poacher" and "Attack." With the "Poacher" role, they will become an out-and-out goal scorer. With that "Poacher" role, your players are making runs in behind better than I've ever seen in any other FC or FIFA game. The "Poacher Plus" or the "Poacher Plus+" is incredibly important on this player. They'll be making the best runs you've ever seen made by a striker in FIFA or FC. A few things to look out for in your striker: you want them to have pace. If they're making their runs in behind, it also helps a lot if you have a striker who has decent passing. Try to get a striker with 75 passing or above because the passing in this game is rapid, so you need good passing so you can make them quick, rapid passes with your left and right wing to split your opponent's defense open.
And there you have it! Those are the full tactics. I hope this helps you out.