How to Defend in "FIFA 19" (Because It's Just As Important As Attacking)

Don't neglect your defence strategy in FIFA 19.

The aim of any soccer match is to score goals and win, so it's pretty natural that attacking is the primary focus of any good team. This rings true of the FIFA series as well but I'm about to lay down a shocking revelation: the best offence is a good defence.

It's actually not too difficult of a concept to understand. If you defend really well, the opposing team can't score. Paired with a great attack, it's the dream combination on FIFA 19.

But alas, it's something a lot of us casual players don't really dedicate our time to understanding. So, now, I will reveal to you all the tips you need to better defend against an attacking play.

Don't charge at the ball.

If a player has the ball, it seems like common sense to run at them and get the ball off them. Sorry but I'm here to tell you otherwise.

Running at a player is an acceptable move in the real world because it creates pressures and forces them to react quickly, but in FIFA 19, when you're versing computers (or your mate), they usually don't make a stress mistake. All it takes is a simple side-step from Ronaldo or Messi and they've run into the open gap behind you. Got it? So, to fix your bad habits, learn to jockey.

For PlayStation users, hold down L2. For Xbox players, it's LT. Once you're in a good position, press O (PS4) or B (Xbox) and you'll likely win the ball back if you've timed it well.

Forget about the slide button.

Sliding tackles are all the rage in professional football and they lead to pretty spectacularly dives. Unfortunately, in FIFA 19, timing is crucial and more often than not, a slide tackle will result in a penalty, yellow card or your player looking like a damn fool.

For this reason, it's best to avoid slide tackling unless you're 99 per cent sure you've got it timed perfectly. But remember, even a perfectly timed slide tackle won't guarantee you the ball.

Call in a teammate.

A neat little trick when you're feeling a little out of your depth with a skilled attacker is to bring in a mate. That way they can handle intercepting any passes that might escape your jockeying attempts.

Hold down the R1 button for PS4 players or RB for Xbox players to bring in another teammate to contain your attacker.

Centre your team.

While it's a good idea to defend the whole pitch where possible, there's an argument to keeping things tight and making sure the midfield doesn't have any large gaps. You can choose this formation (or others, if that's how yo wanna roll) in the menu section Edit Game Plans > Instructions and choosing to give your centre midfielders the "Cover Centre" instructions.

Try out the new 50/50 battle system.

A new addition to FIFA 19 is the 50-50 battles. When a ball comes loose from a heavy touch or a wild header, whether you'll get it depends on your player's attributes, positioning and what action they're doing. You have a "50-50" chance you'll get the ball based on those things.

But the best tip of all? Make use of the little skill games to practice all your techniques. They're not just there as an entertaining way to pass the time while you wait for the game to load up.

You're welcome.

Read More:

Here's How to Shoot With Timed Finishing in "FIFA 19" (Because It's Trickier Now)

FIFA 19 is out in stores now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows. Make your own FIFA Ultimate Team today.

Header Image: EA Sports