In EA FC 24 is a certain setting currently causing an uproar in the FIFA community. It makes forwards and midfielders look like the best defenders.
What setting is it? In the formations and tactics, the depth of your defense is the most crucial factor this year. It determines whether you press aggressively with your entire team after losing the ball or fall back.
You have probably noticed that most opponents are continuously pressing high this year. This is because after a certain number in the depth settings for defense, your players automatically press.
We will show you what exact setting it is, how you can further strengthen the already effective pressing, and finally, how you can free yourself from these pressure situations.
First, watch the tactics video by eSports coach “Stylo” for about half a minute. Here you can see where the limit for automatic OP team pressing in EA FC 24 lies.
From “45 Depth”: This is the new OP setting
From what depth does automatic team pressing kick in? Stylo explains in his tactics video that the team pressing, which is so strong this year, automatically starts at a depth of “45”. In previous FIFA editions, you had to activate team pressing through a separate setting.
This setting still exists, but given the already activated pressing, it becomes hardly relevant from a certain depth.
Another tactical trick exists at a depth setting of “71”. Beyond this threshold, the automatic offside trap is added to the pressing – your players automatically push forward to put the opposing attackers offside.
Speaking of tactics: We present you 3 strong tactics and formations for EA FC 24 that are also suitable for the OP setting.
What makes this setting so powerful this year is highlighted in a post on the EA FC subreddit discussing pressing in EA FC 24. Parts of the community, however, seem less than thrilled about it.
FIFA community on Reddit: Pressing is way too strong
Why is team pressing so strong? In a post in the subreddit, user “u/HadToCrackThat” complains that pressing should be based on the “defensive awareness” present in EA FC 24 or that players should have a newly created pressing stat. Currently, every player in pressing is like a “Prime Maldini,” referring to the Italian icon Paolo Maldini, who has been regarded as one of the best defenders for years.
As a result, he lists attackers with their respective defensive awareness who would show perfect pressing behavior. It is notable that none of the listed players have a defensive awareness above 50, and therefore shouldn’t be that good at defending.
A comment from “therealwarnock” addresses another issue regarding the constant pressing in EA FC 24. In his opinion, one problem lies in the fact that the constantly sprinting pressing team doesn’t even lose stamina, which would normally be the cost of sustained pressing (via reddit.com).
Pressing triggered by the depth setting in defense is currently part of the meta and is, as shown, very strong since the CPU does most of the work for you. How you can still assert yourself against this OP tactic is explained below.
A depth setting above 45 in defense has so far been an effective way to keep opponents away from your goal in EA FC 24. If your opponent somehow manages to get past your first line of defense, you need to rely on your own defensive skills. For that, we have helpful tips to concede fewer goals.
Automatic OP team pressing: Here’s what you can do against it
This is the best playstyle to free yourself from pressing: In EA FC 24, there is a specific playstyle that is perfectly suited to get out of the grips of attacking players. The playstyle “Anchor” (translated as press proven) gives your players very tight and agile dribbling that can be perfectly utilized to create the necessary space under pressure, with little room to maneuver.
Players like Jack Grealish from Manchester City even have this playstyle as a “+Version” in gold.
What else can I do to escape from the opponent’s pressing? Two simple tips can also be helpful:
- Avoid playing into the opponent’s pressing. This means that if you see your players being aggressively pressed, do not hesitate to take the path back through a defender or the goalkeeper. This gives your congested player the necessary time to get free again.
- Incorporate long balls into your build-up play. When nothing else works, you should just launch the ball forward. Ideally, your forward wins the header duel; in the worst case, you can press back in case of a loss of possession and turn the tide.
If you keep these tips in mind and set up a player or two with the Anchor playstyle, it should be noticeably easier for you to resist the new OP meta in EA FC 24.
Once you’ve evaded the pressing, it’s time to seek out the path forward to score goals. For that, we have compiled simple tips that promise you more goal threats.
