Slow build up results in lots of touches by the midfield and defenders, and they knock the ball around to each other in close proximity. Mexican teams like Club America will often use this style of play.

Short passing with a Fast build up speed results in play much like you see with Arsenal and Manchester United. The team uses short passes to keep the ball moving between players, but the pace is pushed to get the ball down the field rapidly.

Slow build up with the long ball may sound like a contradiction. The defence will typically swing the ball around in the back while looking for the big pass. A strong Target man is preferred with these types of teams.

Fast build up with long passing set results in a “hump & chase” style of game. While it’s not very pretty, it can work if you have the right type of personnel. This style can be a great deal of fun to play with.

For this example, we have taken control of Celtic, a fast build up, long passing team. Our wing defender gets the ball and immediately hits a 20 yard pass down the wing.

Our winger turns and plays a long ball across the middle. Because we have a Long passing setting, we get check back runs from our strikers.

Our striker drops in the hole to collect the ball.

A quick turn and through pass to the outside keeps things moving.

We are able to hold off the defender and get our cross in to the striker making the run. He looks offside now, but he was onside when the ball was struck.

Our striker skies from the header as the keeper can only look on in despair.

Chance Creation

Chance Creation relates to how teams perform in the attacking third of the field. It covers what types of passes they will attempt, the frequency of their crosses, how often they like to shoot, and what types of runs they will make. Chance Creation has the most effect on Forwards and Attacking Midfielders. There are four settings for Chance Creation: Passing, Crossing, Shooting, and Positioning.

1. Passing – Affects the amount of risk the ball possessor takes when making passes in the final third. This also affects the emphasis on forward runs and support runs by teammates of the ball carrier.

• Safe – To maintain possession, the team will rarely try a pass that may risk losing the ball, choosing to wait for the ideal opportunity. Players will ensure that the ball possessor has safe options when positioning themselves, and will wait for a good opportunity to make a penetrating run.

• Normal - The team does not look to play particularly safely or riskily.

• Risky – The team will always try for the killer pass. Players look for every opportunity to make runs into space and behind the defence. Teammates won’t be as concerned about ensuring safe options for the ball possessor.

2. Crossing – Affects the tendency and frequency for players to put crosses into the box. This also affects the timing of when players make runs into the box, and how many players will look to get into the box to get on the end of a cross.

• Little – The team tries to avoid crossing the ball. Instead, they will try to play out of the crossing zone by passing back, or getting to the end line looking to cut the ball back to a teammate for a shot.

• Normal – The team will put crosses into the box when there is a good opportunity.

• Lots – The team tries to get the ball into the box at every opportunity. The ball possessor will try to cross the ball early. Teammates will make earlier runs into the box.

3. Shooting – Chance Creation Shooting affects the amount of shots that the team will take in the final third.

• Little – The team will be patient, and only shoot if the opportunity is extremely good, opting to keep possession. Long shots will be rare.

• Normal – The team will perform a variety of long shots and short shots depending on the situation.

• Lots – The team will shoot at every opportunity. Teammates will make the extra effort to position themselves looking for shooting opportunities, for example staying just outside the box looking for a layoff, or positioning themselves for the cutback.

4. Positioning – Chance Creation Positioning determines the freedom that players have to make runs, and support in positions in the final third.

• Organized – Players tend not to stray too far from their assigned positions during the course of the match. The team maintains structure when creating chances.

• Free Form – Players have the freedom to make runs out of position. For example, forwards can make runs wide to collect the ball, fullbacks can make more overlapping runs, wide players can cut in more, central midfielders can make runs to the corner or overlap the strikers or wide midfielders.

How It Works on the Field

Safe vs. Risky Passing

For the CPU, passing will affect both the types of runs and the choices that are made for passes in the attacking third. For your team, the passing setting will determine how your players position themselves. A Safe team concept will provide you with more support. Players will make their runs more to support possession than to create aggressive scoring chances.

A Risky team concept will put a premium on players getting into dangerous space. They will make aggressive runs to try to create chances. The downside is that possession is more difficult to keep. Players aren’t as concerned with helping the man with ball as they are with getting into space. You will need to be very comfortable with the ball at your feet if you are going to use this passing style.

We receive the ball in the center of the field and have a Target man ahead of us. With a Safe passing custom tactic choice, he would check back towards us to receive the ball.

Instead of a “check to” run, our striker turns to attack the open space near the net. It’s a riskier pass, but if we can complete it we have a good chance to get a look at the goal.

We complete the pass and our Striker has some room in the box to make a turn.

The defence arrives to make a late challenge, but we are able to get the shot off.

Heartbreak for Sao Paulo as our shot caroms off the post.

Crossing

The Crossing settings refer to the attacking third of play for the most part. CPU teams with Crossing set to Lots will send in more early crosses. Human controlled teams will send more players crashing into the box looking for the cross. You will also see more crossing runs from your strikers and midfielders. Schalke 04 will look to use this style of play as they whip the ball in for 6’3” striker Kevin Kuranyi.

Our winger is able to beat his man and get into a dangerous position just inside the box. Notice that we have three players lined up in case we cross. The near post, back post, and middle of the box are all covered. Since our Crossing slider is set to Lots, our players will work hard to get into position for our service.

We place a great ball across the goal that freezes the keeper on his line.

Our Striker rises on the back post to beat his man and put a head on the ball