Let's make FIFA fun again.

Attacking has become harder than ever this year in FIFA. Defensive play additions and Drop Back tactic have made for some insufferable and not-at-all-fun gameplay when your opposition go 1-0 up and play it around the back for 87 minutes. So what can you do? These ten tips should give you a start. Combine them all for potent, varied attacking, and getting the most out of a video game that you’ve spent your actual money on to enjoy. 

10. Come Short/In Behind

A FIFA fundamental. Gotta get the basics down.

A revolution when it was introduced many moons ago, the ability to create space by moving off-the-ball players around has been lost by a lot of current FIFA players. Used right you can provide a tactical masterclass. L1/LB sends your player beyond the ball, R1/RB brings them into feet.

What’s Great About This Strategy:

• Create triangles for quick escapes in the midfield.
• Use and abuse those pace demons on the counter with the lofted through ball.
• Hold L1/LB while executing the first pass to send the passer running into space for the one-two.
• Combine it with the next point for dizzyingly fast passing.

9. Think Two Steps Ahead

Your forward-thinking will make Xavi and Iniesta look like part-timers.

Like real-life footballers, FIFA players have to be thinking about not only the move they are about to execute but also the next two or three down the line. Once I’ve beaten this guy with a beautiful clean flip flop and left him a disheveled, broken man, then what? How do I get the ball in the net? 

That quickness of mind takes a little training, but you’ll be slicing through defenses once you’ve mastered it.

What’s Great About This Strategy:

• It’s much more difficult to defend against fast buildup play.
• You can picture your end result before your opponent can read it.
• Pulls defenders out of position, great for when you’re down a goal and they’re sitting back.
• It makes you a better player in defense too if you know the patterns.

8. Modified Fake Shot

  An oldie from a simpler time upgraded for FIFA 20.

The fake shot is not a new concept in FIFA. I have abused this feature to great personal enjoyment since Clubs mode was introduced. However, holding R1/RB and performing a fake shot or pass WHILE moving the left analog stick in the direction you want to go is a gamechanger this year.

What’s Great About This Strategy:

• Use it to shield the ball from defenders by moving the stick away from their oncoming charge.
• Bring people into play - FIFA 20 is all about passing in the direction you’re facing - so if you’re being sent down the line it brings the cutback into play.
• String together skill moves or multiple fake shots easily.
• It’s super easy to do… if I can teach my friends to exploit this tactic then anyone can do it. 

7. Shake It Up

One-dimensional worked in FIFA 98. Not so effective now.

If you find your opponents read your attacking game time after time - seeing your cutbacks, telegraphing corners, pouncing on skill moves - then just think: What if I do the exact opposite?

What’s Great About This Strategy:

• It evolves your game so you get better.
• You will learn more techniques for getting by opponents, not having to rely on the same two or three moves.
• Make slight edits on your skill moves - see the drag-back example in the link above - to trick opponents.
• Doing different things means at some point in the game you can go for your strongest method of attack and they won’t see it coming. 

6. Use The Width

Stretch the pitch, stretch your opponent.

With the volume of wide players that cut in on their strong foot to shoot, genuine wing play has fallen by the wayside a little in FIFA. Because of this, a lot of FIFA players won’t see a wide attack coming, or be able to defend against it.

What’s Great About This Strategy:

• Utilize full-back for overlaps via tactics.
• Take the ball right to the byline - players don’t cover this as you’re heading away from goal.
• Pacey wide men take defenders out of position leaving your forwards to finish off the cutback. 
• Ball rolls are your friends to get that extra yard towards the byline.

5. Recycle The Ball

Don't go running into blind alleys. That's how Batman's parents died.

Not a direct attacking tactic, but when you find yourself in a jam and have defenders all over you, don’t be afraid to go back. Recycling possession means your opponent doesn’t have the ball, and if they don’t have it they aren’t scoring! As you can tell, I am a master tactician.

What’s Great About This Strategy:

• The lack of options in front of you means there have to be players free somewhere.
• Going back from a wide position enables the switch or a lofted through ball to the opposite flank.
• Often defenses will chase your back pass, leaving them open for the return down the wing.
• Your grasp of a possession game will increase and will help to hold onto leads. 

4. Lofted Passes

A new way to overpower cutbacks!

Lofted passes are one of the more recent additions (I'm a FIFA dinosaur) that have aided quick play around the box. If you struggle to find space in the area, a clever lofted square pass or through ball can unlock a packed defense. 

What's Great About This Strategy:

• Cutbacks become deadly.
• Playing delicate balls through the lines become deadly.
• You set up for deadly volleys.
• I guess it’s just a pretty deadly tactic.

3. Slow Dribble

Change the pace to spring a surprise.

The slow dribble is a little different this year compared to FIFA 19. As the name suggests, it. Is. SLOW. The best part about this is that it’s the opposite of how most players attack, giving you the element of surprise.

What's Great About This Strategy:

• Works great around the box to earn cheap fouls if you’re isolated.
• Using high strength players gives a chance to hold up a long ball and bring the pacey guys into play.
• Dupe defenders around the wide areas of the box to set up cutbacks.
• The best defense is a good offense, right? Use it in the corner for maximum stoppage time rage. 

2. Wide To Centre

Creating chances by switching from the wing.

When playing down the wings is repeatedly cut out, and your opponent is sat in and shuffling across, then you can use possession-based offense to open up passing lanes. Use a mixture of slow and quick passes to disorient the defenders. 

What's Great About This Strategy:

• It will build confidence in seeing and executing killer passes.
• The more patient you are, the more openings you’ll find.
• It takes very little advanced ability in skills or dribbling to pull this off.
• It’s not widely used in the main game so you’ll have some success as long as you don’t overdo it.

1. Five Star Skillers (Build Up Your Dribbling)

Skillz pay the billz.  

The absolutely undisputed number one key thing you can do to improve your attacking gameplay in FIFA 20 is to become a good dribbler. Practicing skill moves and dribbling techniques against real opponents is the only real way to get better. You might be handed a few rage-inducing losses, but before long you’ll be heading up the Weekend League.

What's Great About This Strategy:

• Combine high dribbling ability with any other point on this list and it will instantly improve it.
• Front to back, a good dribbler becomes an all-around difficult FIFA player to face.
• Spaces will start opening up that you couldn’t previously create.
• FIFA is a game, and games are about having fun, and what’s more fun than doing a perfect Elastico around a defender, rainbow flicking the keeper and backheeling it in? 

The most important thing about successful attacking is to keep your opponents guessing. Use all of these strategies in one game if you need to, and you'll be able to break down the most stubborn defenses. 

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