After several months of EA FC 24, two clear favorites among formations have emerged for professionals. While one tactic is suitable for a more controlled build-up, the other formation promises absolute attacking football. We introduce you to the formations with the corresponding tactical instructions.
Which formations are we talking about? The controlled option is the 4-2-3-1 tactic with three central attacking midfielders (CAM). This formation shines through its balance between defense and offense.
The more offensive formation is the 4-3-2-1, which visually promises concentrated offensive power with three strikers. However, this setup also knows how to impress defensively with a specific tactical trick.
The two best formations with tactics and instructions
What distinguishes these formations? Both formations are suitable for playing down the wings. In EA FC 24, utilizing the flanks is essential for scoring goals.
We have compiled more tips for quickly improving in EA FC 24 here for you: With these 5 tips, you’re guaranteed to score more goals.
Below, we will show you which tactics and instructions you should apply to the formations to use them most effectively in the game. The tactics can be transferred to both formations. Only the instructions have small differences.
Tactical Settings
Offensive: One of the most important tactics is to go offensively in creating chances with “Direct Passes.” With this instruction, your players will move more freely and create open spaces and new passing options.
If you prefer a calmer build-up from the back and like to have a lot of possession, you can choose “Slow Build-Up” instead of “Balanced” for the build-up play. This way, your players present themselves better in their own half and initiate fewer forays.
Defensive: Particularly, the depth in defense is a decisive factor this year and should be adjusted according to your needs. In our article about the new OP setting, we reported on how effective pressing with an automatic offside trap at a depth of “71” is this year. Good opponents, however, know how to counter this pressing. Therefore, we would recommend a depth of “45-70.”
If you want to play without automatic pressing, you should set the depth to “44” or less but will then have to defend more actively yourself: Here we show you the simple tips that ensure you concede fewer goals in EA FC 24.
Other Settings: There is nothing to change regarding the defensive and offensive width. The same goes for the number of players in the penalty area. Once you have familiarized yourself with the tactics, you can feel free to experiment a bit and see if a specific adjustment to the settings pays off.
If you want to avoid conceding annoying counter-goals, you should reduce the number of players for corners and free kicks to one or a maximum of two players.
Instructions
What instructions should you give your players? In the instructions, you can adjust many things, such as how the players should behave during build-up or when creating chances. However, most of it is handled by relying on the tactics shown above. Therefore, you only need to make a fine-tuning of your game in the instructions.
Common Instructions for the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-2-1
Goalkeeper: Let’s start in goal. Your keeper should have the instructions “Cross Catcher” and “GK-Libero.” While Cross Catcher ensures that your goalie snatches the ball from strikers when they are too close to crosses in front of the goal, the goalkeeper anticipates overhit passes with GK-Libero and intercepts them outside the penalty area.
Defense: In defense, it is particularly the full-backs (FB) who come into play significantly this year. Many pros let at least one of their full-backs constantly move forward. If you want to secure defensively, give one FB the instruction “Stay Back While Attacking” regarding offensive runs. It is important that the wide runners really run along the sideline. Therefore, you should choose the “Overlapping Run Type” for both full-backs.
If you prefer a more offensive approach, simply do not leave one of the two full-backs back.
Midfield/Attack: The offense works through the tactics even without additional instructions for individual players.
What is important regardless of any tactic: You need players with the best playstyles in EA FC 24 in your team. A pro has ranked all playstyles, we show you the results.
Special Defensive Instructions for the 4-3-2-1
For the 4-3-2-1, there are several important additional instructions regarding defensive stability. You should give the middle of the three central midfielders (CM) the instruction “Stay Back While Attacking.” This way, you always have a player who stays in front of your defensive line and stabilizes the defense. Furthermore, he becomes an important passing option in the center.
However, the most important thing with such an offensive alignment is that the defensive behavior is not neglected. To keep that in mind, you transform the 4-3-2-1 defensively into a 4-4-2 formation. This works by giving the middle CM and one of the two outer CMs the instruction “Cover Center” in the “Defensive Position.” You do not give any instructions to the remaining outer CM.
To finally establish a back four in defense, depending on which outer CM you let defend the wing, you must give the diagonally opposite wing striker the instruction “Reinforce Defense.”
In other words: On the side of the CM who moves inside to cover the center, the wing striker must reinforce the vacated defensive position. The wing striker falls back to the position of a winger in case of loss of possession.
With this, you have transformed the already offensive 4-3-2-1 into a stable formation defensively as well. Give yourself and the formations with the instructions and tactics time to internalize them. Once you master both tactics, you can switch back and forth in the game as you wish and challenge your opponent with your variability.
Sometimes even the best formations and plays are of no help. In such cases, a free kick might be necessary. We show you how with a simple trick you can score more free-kick goals.
