In FIFA 19 an extremely annoying thing from FUT 18 is removed: The ability to pause and change the formation before the match starts is likely a thing of the past in FUT 19.
FIFA 18 had a necessary evil in the “Ultimate Team” mode that every FUT player knows: Many players paused the game before the match started to change their formation and tactics to gain an advantage. This was particularly frustrating for those who did not do so.
However, this came to an end with the introduction of the new dynamic tactics in FIFA 19.
No longer necessary to change before the match starts
The problem in FIFA 18: To get their player cards to full chemistry, a large portion of the FIFA community started their matches in a formation they didn’t actually want to play.
In-game – before kickoff – they paused the match and switched to their desired formation and tactics.
This solution is what fans wanted for FIFA 19: In fact, many players demanded a revision of the chemistry system. Waiting up to a minute before every match is annoying and tiring in the long run. Instead, EA came up with something different.
This is now the solution for FIFA 19: With the new dynamic tactics, it is possible to change your formation, tactics, and player instructions while still in the Ultimate Team team management. Up to 5 different tactic settings are available. These can then be changed quickly during the game using the D-pad.
Players who previously changed their settings before each match in FIFA 18 can take advantage of this;
- “Balanced” is the tactic that is set by default in FUT. Here, you choose the formation that allows all players to achieve full chemistry and start the match.
- With “Defensive” and/or “Offensive” the formation and tactic can then be chosen that one really wants to play. The variant can be changed in-game using the D-pad without pausing.
- With “Very Defensive” and/or “Very Offensive” there is still the possibility to adequately respond to match situations such as a narrow lead late in the game or a significant deficit.
Thanks to the new ability to save multiple tactic variants and quickly switch between them, it seems that pausing and changing at the beginning will finally be eliminated in FIFA 19. The only downside is: You have only four quick tactics to react, not five.
Why exactly did FUT players change before the match?
What lies behind the pause madness in FIFA 18: In Ultimate Team, the best players in different positions often come from different leagues.
Due to the chemistry system in FUT, it is usually not possible to start in your favorite formation without sacrificing chemistry. Even someone who prefers to play Gareth Bale as a striker instead of a right winger would have to sacrifice chemistry.
A large portion of FIFA players therefore chose a lineup that maximized their chemistry. Variants with defensive players as forwards or forwards in midfield were also commonly used.
Just before kickoff, players then went into the pause menu and switched to their favorite formation there. The chemistry doesn’t change from that point on.
Some players were really annoyed: Even though this tactic was even common among professionals, many players were still frustrated. This is because player instructions had to be set again, which often dragged out over the entire pause duration of almost a minute.
With the dynamic tactics, EA has solved this problem. At the same time, they still allow for quick changes to the beloved 4-1-2-1-2 (narrow) formation with strikers like Martial or Son.
