Tips to Dominate the Pitch

Soccer may be one of the most subtle sports in the world, as each movement, however innocuous, is teeming with strategy, intent, or deception. It's that truth that is often lost on the novice player, and it is that truth that you have to understand to truly master the game.

Classic defense out of position.

Look a little deeper into the subtleties of the game and the depth of control in EA Sports 2006 FIFA World Cup and you'll find a world of strategy to unearth. The following tips should offer both immediate help as well as insight on how to approach the game to find your own tips and tricks.

Control Maps
Your introduction to gameplay should come through intensive study of the controls in the Control Settings menu. It's easy to simplify the game of soccer if you don't follow it regularly, but you'll find frustration and confusion if you don't familiarize yourself completely with the controls. Even the seemingly simple act of passing holds endless variations and strategy, so take a comprehensive look before you play and keep that manual handy for reference until you feel completely comfortable.

Ease off the violent tackles and work
toward putting yourself in a good position to
challenge for the ball

Calling Plays
Soccer is not typically a high-scoring affair, so when the opportunity presents itself, you must press your advantage. To this end, familiarize yourself with the on-the-fly play calling options for both defense and offense utilizing the d-pad.

Fancy footwork creates separation.

It's one thing to steal the ball and fly up the far side, and quite another to steal the ball and set up a three player wing attack, giving you room to maneuver or an open player to pass to in the midst of a hard charge to the goal. Much like NBA 2K6 or NBA Live 06, calling a play in the middle of the action can make or break an opportunity.

The Cross
It's common (especially online) to see folks take control of a ball-carrier and try to make them a hero. Few goals are scored against an effective defense by playing one on one. In fact, the most commonly effective technique is a crossing pass to an open player from the side or corner, allowing a strong kick or a header to surprise the goal keeper. Practice placing and timing the crossing pass and use it often.

Avoid the Tackle
The slide tackle is the novice's favorite tool on defense, but often, their least effective. Unless timed perfectly and executed at the proper angle (never from behind), you'll provoke a yellow, or worse, a red card. Caution is the order of the day for slide tackles, so make sure you've got it right or you can put your team at an immediate and often profound disadvantage in a hurry.

Keeping your feet.

In that vein, remember that you simply need to engage the ball carrier to fight for possession, so ease off the violent tackles and work toward putting yourself in a good position to challenge for the ball.

Skill Reliance
Your star players make much more of a difference in FIFA than in other team sports. Unlike NCAA though, you'll need to know their skill set to take full advantage. Utilize your star players as often as you can, but make sure you understand what abilities make them shine, like dribbling, shooting, or speed.

Offsides Bait
Though more useful against online players less familiar with the game than against the computer, luring the opposing team into an offsides penalty can turn the momentum and take the pressure off you in a hurry. Luckily, one of your defensive play-calls tells your defense to do just that, causing them to inch away from the goalie, allowing an attacker to slip past and inadvertently place themselves offsides.

Map Knowledge
It's crucial to know the location of all of your teammates, but the sheer size of a soccer field simply doesn't allow you to see every player's location. However, the handy on-screen map solves this problem. While it may seem counter intuitive to take your eye off your active player, advantages are won and lost with good field vision, so make it a habit to continuously glance at the map and locate your teammates. In the game environment, just as it is in the real World Cup games, field awareness can make a huge difference to your game.

Article by Alex McLain