How To Defend Effectively on FC 25

Defending on FC 25 can be difficult for some, the changes with FC IQ have seen attacking AI move more freely given the defenders much more to think about. Today, I'll talk you through 4 methods you need to implement to be able to defend like a pro on FC 25.

2nd Man Press to Apply Pressure

2nd man press is a great effective tool to be able to apply pressure to the opponent whilst you track a runner or danger elsewhere. It allows you to effectively control 1 and a half players at a time I say, as it's not the same as manual pressure but better than none!

To do this, you need to hold R1 on Playstation and RB on xbox when you are defending, you will see a green triangle go above your players head. This triangle will last for 4 seconds and that player will run to the ball holder to apply pressure. It tends to grab the player closest to the ball that you are not controlling, but take that with a pinch of salt.

Now you are free to switch to another player and track the danger elsewhere, once you feel confident you've done that, a quick tap of L1/LB will change you back to the player you were 2nd man pressing with you and can try win the ball. It really is a great little tool.

You can also use this inside the 18 yard box to double on the attacker to try and cover multiple angles to make it difficult for the opponent to break through.

Right Stick Switching is Key to Mastering Defending

You will hear about right stick switching all the time, because the honest truth is, if you cannot right stick switch, you will not be a good defender. The reason why right stick switching is so important is the fact you can switch to a player further away to cover the danger that tapping L1/LB will never get you too.

When I started practicing on FIFA 18 and took myself from a gold 2 player to T100, this was the thing I struggled with the most. I was just switching all over the place to the wrong player each and every time. The reason? I was trying to do it so quick and not actually thinking about where I was switching too.

My advice is this, treat the anologue stick like a clock, the person you are controlling is the centre of that clock, to change to someone at 3 o clock you simply push the stick in that direction. However, you have to be precise with your flick of the stick to get it to the player required otherwise it will change to someone else!

Once you've got this down, you can switch to cover through balls and dangerous runs. Practice makes perfect here.

Jockeying to Aid In Defending 1 on 1

Jockeying, where you hold L2/LT will lower your players centre of gravity and make moving around whilst defending a little easier. Combined with sprint you can also do a sprint jockey. I recommend using jockey when inside the 18 yard box and standing up your opponent, or whilst operating in the middle of the park with your CMs.

This will help you stick to the opponent a bit easier as your movement is cleaner and not as committing as just sprinting at the player.

You Actually Have to Press Tackle

So many times I see players just try run into the opponent to tackle the ball, this can work on occasions. However, if you feel comfortable the ball is there to be won, try and win it with a tackle. Pressing circle/b will perform a standing tackle, combining it with R1/RB will give you a strong power tackle, which has a higher chance of coming out with the ball. However if you mistime the tackle you are left open for longer.

Work on timing your tackling and knowing when to step in to see the best results.

FC 25 Coaching To Elevate Your Game

As I'm learning away and mastering EA Sports FC 25 to the best of my abilities, my FC 25 coaching will be opening in a few weeks. We are taking students now in preparation as spots are limited so if you want a one-to-one coaching session, look no further. I'd be happy to assist in your gameplay and get the results you are after!

If you wish to see the methods explained in a visual format, check out my YouTube video on defending on FC 25!