The FIFA 13 custom tactics haven’t changed much from how it worked in FIFA 12, rather the gameplay. After deep research in previous versions of FIFA we can give you the perfect “tutorial” about custom tactics for FIFA 13. The Custom tactics tips are very important and highly underrated in FIFA. It’s important because you can adapt your team more to your playing style.

It’s a finishing touch to make your playing style almost perfect.  In this article we give you a detailed explanation about the FIFA 13 custom tactics possibilities and effects so you can determine which setting suits your playing style best.  Be careful with drastic measures and don’t expect that there is a “ultimate-golden-perfect” custom tactic in FIFA 13 that will bring you from the bottom to the top of the leaderboards.

1. BUILD-UP PLAY IN FIFA 13

Here you can change the settings in the build-up play in FIFA 13 which influences your players when you have possession. This is not for your players behavior in the 18 yards box of your opponent. Fast speed is a ‘no go’ when playing against a high pressure/aggression opponent.

SPEED

The settings in build up speed is one of the most important aspects of custom tactics in FIFA 12. Speed in build-up play means the movement of your players off the ball and the way you want to pass. On the settings you make here your players will take more or less runs. Take notice that this doesn’t influence your speed of passing but only the way you maintain possession and how fast your players moving up the pitch.

Slow:

When setting the slider to slow you have to be a possession ‘freak’. Players will be selective in their forward runs and trying to find good space for passing instead of making forward runs. Ideal when you’re winning and want to build up with less risk.

Fast:

When setting the slider to fast players will be very attacking minded which suits playing on the counter really well. Your teammates expect forward passes and do more forward runs. Ideally when you feel comfortable in defense and have quick and pacey players.

FIFA 13 CUSTOM TACTIC TIP! Build-up speed is very important for your tactics. FIFA 13 requires patience and possession and good passing. Recommended is a balanced speed between 40 and 55. If you only play counter attack you can set the speed on fast (70-85).  In that case you can set-up your attack a lot faster but you will leave a lot of space if your opponent counters you again. Fast setting requires also a lot of stamina so be carefull with that and don’t use it the entire match.

PASSING

The Passing option in build-up means the length of passing you prefer and the way your teammates will look to find space. This means also that your players run earlier in space and looking for a through ball when your passing is set to long.

Short:

Short stands for the Barcelona gameplay, quick and short passes. In other words you don’t use long passes and long through balls but short and fast passing. If this is your playing style set the slider to short. Your players close to the ball search for space so you can set up nice one-two’s and 1 touch football.

Mixed:

Use this option when you like to mix up your play. You don’t have a specific tactic. You like short passes but from time to time you’ll also use long passes. Set the slider to mixed and your teammates will search for short AND long passing opportunities.

Long:

This is for the players that like to play long passes, look for high through balls or try to reach your target man (Imbrahimovic, Drogba, etc). Teammates further up the pitch will attempt to find space and players close to the ball will hold their position.

HINT! If you don’t have a particular playing style, then use mixed passing settings (between 45 and 60) and try to tweak them. If you prefer the cool possession, fast and short passing also known as the ‘Barca-style’, set the slider around 38.

POSITIONING

Build-up setting (organized or free-form) for positioning in defense and midfield.

Organized:

Your teammates will show low creativity and stay at their position in build-up which gives structure and more solid defense.

Free-form:

Your players have more freedom to make runs out of position and swap from position with other players. This is more dangerous when you lose possession but less predictable and you can set-up more creative attacks.

FIFA 13 CUSTOM TACTIC TIP! Organized is more safe and less dangerous when you lose  possession. So use this when you are not sure and concede a lot of goals when losing the ball in building up. However, free-form is less predictable. Do you have a creative and fast passing playing style? Then try free form, it’s worth it.

2. CHANCE CREATION IN FIFA 13

Influences your players behavior in and around your opponents 18 yards box.

PASSING

Determines the amount of risk you want to take to attempt a decisive pass in the attacking third and how often teammates will look to gamble on runs through/behind the defense when in the attacking third. Please understand this setting has only influences arround the 18 yards box from your opponent.

Safe:

You want to maintain possession and rarely use passes that may risk losing the ball. Players won’t make a lot of runs and stay at their positions. This is kind of a Barcelona play style where you surround the 18 yards box.

Players will ensure that the ball possessor has safe options when positioning themselves, and will wait for a good but rarely opportunity to make a penetrating run.

Risky:

You are always looking for the decisive pass and take the risk to lose ball possession. Your teammates will take every opportunity to make runs behind the defense.

CROSSING

This feature determines how many of your teammates will be expecting a cross and take positions in the box.

Little:

Set it to little when you rarely use crosses. Your teammates try to run out of the crossing zone and look for open spaces so you can cut the ball back to a teammate for a shot or maintain possession.

Lots:

Crosses are very important. Your teammates will make earlier runs into the box and wait for your cross. Suits teams like Man Utd. really well where they have to strikers and fast and pacey wingers.

SHOOTING

Little:

When setting this to little you are patient, wait for the perfect opportunity and won’t take a shot unless there is enough space to take the actual shot. Most important thing for you is possession.

Lots:

When ticking this option you love to shoot and you are a pro in doing so! You’re using teams with people like Lampard, Sneijder, Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic! Your teammates will make the extra effort to position themselves looking for shooting opportunities.

POSITIONING

Organized:

Organized means that your players will stay organized in defense and midfield and stay in their positions in which gives structure but is more predictable when attacking. Use this option when you like to form your own attacks and when you don’t want to rely on CPU runs.

Free-form:

Your players are more creative, make runs out of position and sometimes swap from position with other players around the 18 yards box.

3. DEFENSE IN FIFA 13

These defense sliders determine the approach of your team in FIFA 13 when you don’t have possession. So logically when you are defending.

PRESSURE

Deep:

This means your team drops back and allows your opponent to pass the ball freely around in their own half and will only pressure the opponent around the midway point of your own half. This results in that your team in midfield and defense will be compact and organized.

Medium:

Your team will put it up a notch and start pressuring on your half of the pitch.

High:

Your team will apply full pressure in your opponent’s half. Wide midfielders and fullbacks will push high on the ball and try to make it difficult for the opposition to play out. This tactic can be effective but leaves a lot of space in midfield and defense. Dangerous against more experienced opponents with possession play and fast counter attacking teams.

AGRESSION

Contain:

The team tries to contain the ball possessor, with players rarely diving into tackles or trying to outnumber the ball carrier. You let them have to ball but you direct them a certain way.

Press:

The nearest defender dives into tackles hard, and will slide whenever possible.

Double:

The team will look to tackle fiercely and in numbers, sending an extra player to the ball possessor as often as possible. Be aware that you can quickly wear out your team. If you start the game off with this tactic, your players will run out of steam at the beginning of the second half. At this point they just won’t have the energy to press with the same level of aggressiveness. So use this with care. It’s also dangerous against more experienced players, that will use a Barcelona style of play and will use the extra space. Also remember that when you are defending one player with two of your own somewhere on the pitch there will be a player who has no defender at all making the option for a through ball extremely dangerous.

TEAM WIDTH

Narrow:

The team will defend very compact. Players will pinch in on the far side to cover teammates and allow for ball side pressure. When the ball is central, the team will pack the middle of the pitch and allow more room on the wings

Wide:

The team keeps the pitch wide. Players on the far side will mark opponent tightly, sacrificing cover in favor of making it difficult for the opposition mess up your organization.

DEFENDER LINE

Cover:

This is the most safe option by far. It ensures that through balls are more difficult to play, but allows the opposition to pass the ball around more easy when attacking.

Offside Trap:

Your team plays with a flat backline, and looks for the opportunity to step up and catch the opposition offside. The opponent doesn’t have the freedom to use through ball without care, but it’s also a risky tactic. When the offside trap doesn’t work it usually results in 1-on-1 situations or even 2-on-1 situations.

FIFA 13 CUSTOM TACTIC TIP! If you have a fast build up in FIFA 13, then use the offside trap.